Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-07
FASTING FOR HEALTH;
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN
LContinued From Editorial Page.l

seconds he evidenced no unsteadiness
He was under continuous surveillance
tory staff. He could not have obtained
nourishment even IL he had tried to do
so, although he was so much in earnest
be to humanity that It is believed he
1t had been .proffered him. He desired
though thirty was the period agreed
upon, and insisted upon making 1t
days In order to exeeed the
| observed fast.
Kept On the Job. Too
At the termination OF the fast. he
| choosing, consisting of lemons, oranges,
boiled rice and honey. He claimed to
have no natural hunger and said he
longer period to have natural hunger
return to him. His weight decreased
about 81 per cent. but his organs seem
reports of the rigid psychological tests
certifed that a prolonged fast in this
| case at least produced no lasting evil
effect upon mental activity or muscular
strength. Levanzin spent his time
chiefly in reading and writing, his GUS
| tomary occupations.
His interest in fasting had develop
ed through his own experiments and
experience. Some three years before his
fast he So sueped bad Sr nervoas eis Break
down; A magazine article convinced
him that overeating was the chief cause
and felt himself "a new new man" Then
he spent year in preparing himself
for a, conquest" fast. which he main
tained for forty days, although not
Wife Cures Herself
During this time he made study Of
several languages and entered into
entists interested in the subject. His
maintain a thirty.-three-day fast her
self, which cured her completely of in
somnia and indigestion; When
family tasted several days as a success
ful preventive measure. He believes
that fasting also cured one of his daugh-
ters of smallpox and the other OF Sc
we're fever.
The observations made upon Levan-
zin have done much to establish the
little definite knowledge as to its ef-
ficacy as curative measure. The cura-
tive possibilities have been worked
based upon the belief of the patient.
sorting to this means of cure even
| ance of its value in specific cases.
Other Cures
A New York physician last year had
| three patients under observation who
seemed greatly benefited from absolute
fasting. A Wall Street banker went
without food for ten days After the
peared, The fifth night he claimed to
have, had the same sort Of sleep he en-
joyed in his boyhood. He broke his fast
the second he was able to approach a
juicy beefsteak with a delight which
brought him no. digestive pangs after
ward. Two society women had similar
4 generation ago, fasting for money
Hameg fe9pstnd thr 5s1I
Edinborough. and forty, and later, fifty
days in London. An italian named
sueci; who has made a number Of forty.
under scientific observation.
fakes which were exposed through
TIE SR Rereft ef 2f Wales
claimed she had not partaken of food
rived considerable revenue from ex-
! htbiting her. Four nurses were en-
ployed by the authorities of a town in
! which an exhibition was being held,
to watch: Unable to obtain the susie
nance which had been surreptitiously
sdninistered to her the girl died in
tenn had been undermined by other
prologned fasting.
| Death from starvation usually oc-
ours between fourteen and twenty
eight days. but its time limit is infiu-
| enced by the mental condition OF the
| individual. The fear suffered Is more
j detrimental to the physical condition
| than the suspension of nutrition. Lack
| of water induces greater suffering than
| lack of food. When food is unattain-
able, bathing the body with water
proves stimulating and refreshing.
Professional fasters have been accused
liquid form. The study upon Levansin
proved this unnecessary as he was pro-
vided only with distilled water for
bathing and drinking.
| Shipwrecked men and others depriv-
| ed of food by accident dwell feelfngly
upon their suffering from hunger.
Those who fast voluntarily experience
little discomfort from this cause. Le-
vanZin claimed to have no longing for
| food. Succi had no pangs after the
| second day. Others Were conscious of
| a desire for food up until the fifth day,
= especially at their accustomed meal
| time. After that they experienced no
unpleasant sensation save an occasion
al feeling of weakness and dizziness.
Fasting does not require the patient
exercise helps to maintain bodily
strength. Levazin kept himself busy
through the day while in the labora-
tory except during the periods in which
the specialists were making tests up
on him, processes which required sew
eral hours daily. While fasting in his
own home he pursued his usual duties
| as a lawyer. He conducted several
! cases before the courst unsustained by
nourishment of any sort.
| --------- =