Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1905-08-16

thought he knew just what he was at
 tempting, with all chances against
 him having been fully considered.
 "I really dread the idea of notor.
 iety." continued the sick man; "but
 when I think it over I am sure it may
 be for the best, and that no harm can come from it. If my idea is correct
 and 1 am practically stalking my life on it, no one would believe me when l told of it unless it was known in advance what I was doing. When did I take my last meal' We'll, let me tell you in my own way, just what am trying to do.
 "Here's the entire matter. I am certain that unless I can put my sto- mach in good condition I have no chance to get we'll. I have always ha an abnormal appetite, ate more than I could digest, and for some four or five years have steadily grown worse ]! at last decided to throw away all me dicines, which I am sure have helped to ruin my digestive organs, and to give my stomach a complete rest. It took a strong will to start in with this course, but since the 18th day of July, not particle of food has passed my | lips.
 'Please handle this in a manner to do away with any wrong impression, for am not trying to get any pub lieity; just a poor, ordinary working man who is making a last attempt to save his own life.
 "I have lost F pounds since start ed with this fasting scheme, but I am as sure as am breathing at this mo- moment that will win out. Ihaven t the least sign of weakness, and have absolutely no desire for food of any kind. I walk one or two miles every day, and when here take it easy. I go down town every day, and walk back without the least distress, and I feel fully as strong as was before began this treatment. As have before said, I have no craving for food. The gen tleman stopping with me cooks his meals here, and sometimes I help him, but there has never been a moment when felt any great distress from this lack of food.
 cit will be 21 days this night since particle of food has passed my lips, and feel fully as well as I have ever done since became ill. A great many people do not believe in my idea, but I am sure it will work out all right. If am right on this point I want ev- evryone to know all about it. Some unfortunate may profit by my experi- ence, and I sincerely hope that such will prove to be true. No, I take no medicine whatever, and am glad to rid myself of it, for I am convinced that much of the medicine that was prescribed for me helped in running my stomach.
 ''I suppose I might as well tell you all about it, because I would regret any inaccurate statement about what am doing, although I would much pre- fer to say nothing" When asked as to his normal weight and the daily ef- fleets of his unique treatment, he re- piled:
 When 1 at last summoned the cOur- age to undertake this self f-saerifee. as some will call it, weighed just 12O pounds. I am built to weigh about 150 pounds in a normal healthy con- dition, and, of course, fell of when T. barred food. The first ten days II lost eight pounds, and since then II have not weighed myself regularly, but yesterday when l stepped on the scales down town I weighed exactly 1O3 This shows that have lost I7 pounds in my fast. but what makes me feel good about it is that in the four days just past l lost but one pound.
 "Work? Yes, l tried to work, and the last attempt was at Huron on the Santa Fe, but l finally was compelled | to drop out on account of my weakened condition. During the last ten months I put in about ix weeks, and | while here since I quit railroad work, l determined to try what giving my a rest might do toward putting me on my feet. l had an artificial appetite for food. swallowed it in a hurry. and invariably distressed my self in this manner
 Most physicians who examined my lungs urged me to eat heartily; build aP my depleted system, and all that sort of thing. Now l am trying my own notion as to what I need, and without meaning to east any reflection upon the medical fraternity I feel ab-