THE "FASTING" CURE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12963, 16 November 1907, Page 6

THE "FASTING" CURE.

AUCKLAND OPINIONS. (SPECIAL TO "TH* FBMi.") AUCKLAND, November IS. The alleged "fasting" cures at Wanganui are regarded with considerable .scepticism by. members of the medical profession hero. One doctor, on being seen on the subject, said that lie had been one of a committee of medical students who eeveral years ago watched iSucci, the fasting man, during on© or his prolonged fasts at the Westminster 1 Aquarium. "Succi took nothing but fluids/ remarked the medico, "and thiaonly in email amounts. Wo were not allowed to test this fluid, ao I cannot say what it was. We watched the man for two weeks and never found anything out. Succi became progressively emaciated; he got thinner and thinner, his skin became dry, -his temperature fell below the noraal, and had he gono on much longer, I ant' satisfied tho result would have been fatal. I think most of these Wanganm people," continued the- doctor,' 'must take something— water or fluid of some kind, yet they «all it 'starvation. Absolute starvation for 40 or 50 cays is eimply impossible; they could not Tho general experience with i animate is that most of them Trill sue- , cumb to starvation in from 14 to 28 days. There have been caaes of animi als going Jonger without food, more I ixirticuJ irly when they could get TraW? j Deprivation from wator diminishes the duration of life very much. , The idea that a man can absolutely fast and go aTiout his business for over 40 days-is absurd, to my mind." Another member of the medical profession said that fasting was an unnatural thing medically. Hβ: knew from personal experience what tie eeneation was of being deprived of food for three weeks, whilst suffering from typhoid fever. "You become a perfect manaio on tho point," he declared. "You think of, and tnlk of nothing else but food, and long lor dainties of, all sorts. Partial abstention from food is reckoned to be an excellent things These Wanganui people may be indulging in milk, water, or beef tea, and at the same timo abstaining from "solid food. In that way the'tr hole alimentary tracts get a complete rest, and the result is very beneficial, dyspepsia being in many instances relieved ihat way, and sometimes cured. In fact; I any functional derangement may be cured ihiis. Of coureo no disease in : tho nature of a growth could possibly be so cured. As to the Wangantii people having fasted in the literal moan- ; ing of the word, well, I. do not credit lit. They must have takeh some {nourishment. Then, regarding the I statement that one man has been carrying out his usual vocation »nd at tho same time abstaining from, food, all I can say is," remarked the doctor ! diplomatically, "that if that means j that he abstained from both solid .and j liquid food, then some further exj planation is required. You see the body is continually wasting, and there ;is a continuous breaking down of. th 6 j tissues,' and only tho nourishment we tako makes new tissues and spares I those wo have got."