EXISTINC WITHOUT EATING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 396, 4 January 1909, Page 6

EXISTINC WITHOUT EATING.

. Sir. —The"'.statement'made in .Connecticut with the recent earthquake calamity in: Italy '.;• to the. effect !that : "a few. dozeri'/survivors ... fought with- knives in" the ruins,, of the Ciis- . tomnouse of Messina,.in order, to-decide the -,■;.:';. ownership : of some; ■ and 'that'.y'":': several throats were/cut for,'a -few T handfuls .);•- . of beans, 1 '-emphasises the'necessity'of mat;,:: ■:■'■ .•ing,'if a cardinal; feature;in the;teaching of -i;"V all primary .'schools'throughout ! , the .world'■';•.'-■' that it. is easy to."live for. weeks without:.;. eating, so long as-fresh water is obtainable', .': to drink. : . ; . , : : .■-.;.'■' . ■■■■.'.':',;■■': .The newest school of dieteticians,. which ia' : .■'■', so ably represented by and 'Mr.' ;; ' . Haskell in America and by Mr. Lloyd Jones ;in'Now Zealand, deserves the thanks of-the-world for demonstrating so .clearly'the great ■ truth that man canlive in safety and health and enjoy life, and do his work for weeks, without eating.', ~; , | ..'.■■..■ !'.>•'.'■'■.. . . .So long as fresh water is procurable no'one ■; • \ ■■ need die in the bush, orat sea, irom. starvatjon, even if ho fond be consumed for a period. ranging from four -,- to sis weeks/ .Where fresh water can be.had, persons under:- • such circumstances' dying in a few days of • "starvation" really die from the. effects of. funk or fear,-that is,'assuming they have " sense enough -to.'.drink-water.;." ■ : , v ~ Prom the investigations', and -writings' of . . the 'late Dr.Bakewelli it is ahnndantly clearV '-'■ -that tho knowledge and teaching of she , ]:; V medical profession on;.this-inipoHatit subject j;; " are guite, .out, of .date; "and that, the, groaii'.... and important, truth that man can liVo.cont-'Ji;'; fortably on water nlono for we«ks and weeks, |i - must be drilled into the brains of the comingi; : .generation in the infant schtwls of the world. f ' It is a most important truth, and one; which, : ' if universally known,.and acted, upon when:. . xircumstances .render it.absolutely necessary, :. ;'. would save thousands of lives.—l.am, etc..'-"'*h---'- -,■• ■ ■■-~<■:':■ : -y A/;:;-. ! HUMANITI,s: : Wellington,;. ,; ■;.;.-■- . ;;::. ~;.;„, January 2; 1909./, . ; , ; -,v-./:'^v;;-