100-DAY FAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 254, 27 October 1938, Page 10

100-DAY FAST.

AUCKLANDER'S FEAT.

WEIGHT-REDUCING EFFORT.

WO FOOD UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

When plates of roast beef or rice pudding are jdaced before Mr. F. W. Popham. of Symonds Street, he merely shrugs his shoulders and asks for a glass of water. He has been doing this for ."i-t day- and intends to continue to do until 1030.

There is no particular significance in the date, but New Year's Day will mark the end of a fast of 1 CM) days undertaken by Mr. Popham for his health's sake. At noon to-dav Mr. Popham told a reporter that he had not touched a scrap of food since September 24. and that he had lo>t 3S.Ub . . . "and I will lose a few more st-one before Christmas," he added.

When asked if such a fast liad a weakening effect, Mr. Popliam invited the reporter to shake Jiands with him, and lie almost succeeded in dislocating the fingers and jerking the arm from its socket. '"Do you think I am getting weak?" lie asked". 'T am feeling better every day."

Mr. Popliam said that he suffered from recurring attacks of quinsy, rheumatic gout ami high blood pressure. Sometimes his weight jnni]>cd to nearlv 17 stone. He became seriously ill and could walk only with the aid of'sticks. Then he would decide to fast until he reduced bis weight to al>out 10 or 11 stone and regained liis. health. Since 103.1 lie had indulged in fasts of ">7, 81, 100 and 40 da vs.

'"I always lose a stone in the first week, and thereafter shed superfluous flesh at the rate of about a pound and a quarter a day.' he said. ''Hy the end of this year I should lie down to less than nine stone, and fit. My only trouble is that once I have got niv weight down I can't keep it there, and in tile course of time I have to undertake another fast."

Mr. Popliam confessed that he had always been a good cater and did liot fast from sheer love of it. After the first few weeks of a fast, however, lie ceased to worry about food, his simple needs being a glass of water and perhaps a clip of tea now and then.

His first meal on New Year's Day will he a plate of snapper soup, and lie will gradually build up his dietary until lie is back to jiormai.