The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-15
MSWINEY LIVES
BY MIRACLE, HIS
ADHERENTSSAY
Irish Talk of Supernatural,
While the British Are
Mystified.
DOCTORS UNCERTAIN
Relatives Say Only Medici-
nal Salts and Water Are
Given Lord Mayor.
ROOMS AT BLOOD HEAT
London's Rumors Of Feeding
Rest Only on Suspicion;
Can't Be Proved.
DOCTORS UNCERTAIN
ROOMS AT BLOOD HEAT


Syecinr Gable Despatch to THE NEW YORK
HERALD.
Copyright, 1920, by THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
London, Oct. IA.
The mystery surrounding the un-
precedented endurance of Terence Mac
Swiney, Lord Mayor Of Cork, whose
hunger strike in Brixton Prison here
has reached the sixty-third day, be-
comes no clearer upon close approach
Is it. The whole case is so tied up
with the most intricate of all political
uestions-Ireland-t it is even i'm
possible to get at the facts with any
degree Of certainty. When it comes to
deducting theory from fact, all is
babel.
Responsible British officials of the
Home Office and MacSwiney's relatives
and friends all tell the NEW YORK HER
AID correspondent unqualifiedly that
the Lord Mayor of Cork is not re-
ceiving anything in the shape Of nour-
ishment Meanwhile competent medical
authorities who have examined him
and cared for him are non-committal.
They say 1t is impossible for them to
state positively from their knowledge
whether he is or is not getting nour-
ishment They say either case might
be possible.
From many sources, however, come
reports that MacSwiney Is drinking
slight quantities of fruit juices and
heavy, sustaining Wines like port, and
that he is being massaged with nutri-
tive oils. The Home Office here refuses
TO deny this, pointing out that his
relatives have access to him at all
times and are alone with him fire.
auently, officials contenting themselves
with the assertion that, i'm so far as
they are concerned, no attempt is be-
ing made to force food on him or to
feed him surreptitiously.
Takes Water and Salts.
His relatives Indignantly. forcefully
and categorically deny that anything
passes his lips save a dose OF salts every
morning and small quantities of water
throughout the day. They insist that
the salts are purely medicinal and are
designed to eliminate secretions of gas
trio juices from the alimentary tract
which. while still gathering there de-
spite the fact that he is taking no food,
cannot be eliminated because the all
nentary tract is in a state of near
atrophy. Likewise they deny the re-
ports that MacSwiney is being massaged
with nutritive oils.
Several independent investigators have
been called in to examine MacSwiney.
but they all refuse to make public their
conclusions. His relatives induced Sir
cialist, to examine him two weeks ago.
but on the promise that Sir Norman's
report would not be used for publicity
purposes. Sir Norman refused to dis
cuss the case. II was learned. however,
that his report was extremely equivocai
and unsatisfactory, even to MacSwiney's
relatives.
sir Norman declined to venture O pre-
diction how long MacSwiney might live,
and, like other physicians here. refused
TO ignore the possibility OF the Lord
Mayors fast being bona fide, pointing
out that never before In medical history
had persons on a long fast been treated
as MacSwiney and the hunger strikers
in the Cork prison were being treated
Every possible means whereby they
might use up their energy in any form
has been eliminated from their sur
roundings Through careful heating OF
their rooms, their beds and the tenn
perature surrounding their bodies is
maintained at precisely blood heat and
therefore, no internal combustion is re-
uuired to keep up the temperature and
there is no evaporation TO keep down.
MacSwiney is practically in physical
torpor although persons who have seen
him insist that mind is clear and
active.