Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-11
Wants to Prove Man
Can Live on Wood
erial Correspondence Of The star.

Special Correspondence Of The star.
LONDON. February 9. 1905.
In the iufirmary OF the Mile End work
house London. Is now lodged John Magfnn
who declares that he has made a great dis
covery, which would prove OF inestimaple
benefit TO mankind IL the doctors would
permit him to demonstrate its efficiency
on his own person. and thereby convince a
skeptical world, Before the doctors got
hold OF him Maginn announced his dIscov-
cry I'm a letter TO the Times
Working in the kindIIng department"
he wrote. Il have discovered that common
deal wood is valuable food and medicine
IL cut small and eaten. Brown bread can
not be compared with It for tonic and In
vigorating effect
The doctors say that Maginn has so de-
pleted his system and impaired his vitality
by eating wood that If he were not re-
strained from INDUCING in II he would XIII
himself. As II Is, they are extremely doubt
ful whether they can save him Maginp as
serts that All he is suffering from is the
deprivation OF his fBvOritc diet aud the
treatment OF the doctors. He SAYS ne mas
so accustomed himself TO living IN wood
that he cannot thrive on anything else
and II only allowed To eat IL he would soon
be well again Anyhow. he maintains. N
| the interests Of science, he should be per-
mitted Ia continue his experiment TO the
end, and IS quite willing to take MS chances
of finding that end death.
AS 1t Is he adds. Il don't get a fair
chance to prove the truth 81 MY theory
| and discovery of tremendous importance
| IS in danger OF being lost TO the world: for
| If L die II will, Of course be said that 1
killed myself-that / was a victim OF my
own folly. and all that sort of thing. But
| am going 20 try 20 get well. despite the
doctors. and then IN go somewhere where
| can eat wood without running any risk of
being interfered with by them. 1 want to
prove that nobody need Starve in this coun-
| try as 4ong there is any wood to be
picked up. That VIII go far to solving the
unemployed problem and the pauper prob
| lem and lot OF other problems. Fhere are
forests running to waste in this world that
would supply with food ten times as many
poor people as are now living in it."
Maginn Is no initerate crank. He is a
man of some education who has fallen on
evil days. Therein fate seems to have
played a large part in his discovery. Fot
If he had not been driven to take refuge
In a workhouse he would never have been
set to work on a wood pie, and it is con-
ceiva5le that his great discovery might
have been DELAYED for some centuries =
perhaps never have been made. Mag nm s
remarkable powers first came TO light
through strange shortage being noticed
| in the wood department. Bundles OF fire
wood seemed to disappear in a mysterious
way, and at the same time It was observed
that Maginn's appetite for the ordinary
workhouse fare steadily diminished
1t was not. however, until he was de-
tected surreputously chewing pieces of fire.
wood, after he had rejected a plate OF
lTish stew, that the real state Of affairs be-
came known. He WAS then taken of the
woodpile and set To work In another de-
partment; but stili he contrived to procure
abundant supplies Of his favOrite diet The
other inmates who regarded him as
greater wonder than the human ostrich or
the man with the cast iron stomach took
delight in ministering to his singular appe-
tte.
The workhouse authorities shut him up
in room by himself to try TO break him
of the habit, but there he nibbled at
chair, and was starting I'm to sample the
washstand, when they clapped him into the
intirmary. where, according to the latest
bulletins, he is making a gallant light
against the doctors for his great discovery.