RICE AND ARSENIC.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 June 1932, Page 5

RICE AND ARSENIC.

INDIAN FAKIR’S DIET OF POISONS. TRIUMPH WAS HIS TRAGEDY. (Published in the “Manchester Guardian.’’) LONDON, Friday. Famous scientists have affirmed their faith in the supernatural powers of the Indian fakir, Narasingha Swami, ■who died because visitors intervened after the greatest demonstration he ever gave of his mastery over the .body. Narasingha, says the Simla correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian,’’ was a religious ascetic. The scientists testify that his daily diet consisted of rice, and 22* grains of arsenic, and, at times, potassium cyanide. Dr. Neogy, Professor of Chemistry, at Calcutta University, seeing Narasingha lick six drops of aqua regia (nitric and hydrochloric acids), chew and swallow bits of glass and stuff glowing coals into his mouth, invited him to demontrate at the university, where), under (the (strictest scientific supervision, he successively licked six: drops of strong sulphuric, nitric and carbolic acids, and swallowed three half-inch iron nails, which the X-ray later showed in different parts of his stomach. Sir Venkata Raman, Professor of Physics at the University, described the demonstration as a mystifying challenge to modern science. HIS MASTER FEAT. 'The vouehed-for version of Narasingha’s final triumph and tragedy at the Jubilee Hall, Rangoon, on March 25th, states that he swallow r ed strychnine, a half-dram of nitric acid, a dram of .sulphuric acid, a grain of potassium cyanide, and pieces of broken glass. He went home none the worse, but visitors called and delayed the religious rites by which he was accustomed to purge himself of the poisons. He complained of pains in the stomach, hastened to perform the rites and got rid of all the poisons except about one grain of strychnine. His right leg became paralysed and be died in hospital 12 hours later. Narasingha predicted hi® death several times before his last demonstration and gave instructions for his burial.