THE FASTING CURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13649, 17 January 1908, Page 7

THE FASTING CURE.

AN AUCKLAND RESIDENT'S EXPERIENCE. MUCH IMPROVED IN" HEALTH. •The "fasting cure" is now finding, converts all through the Dominion, and Wanganui is no longer to lie the testing sanatorium" for New Zealand. The "cure lias* been tried by a number of Auckland people, bub generally the pangs of hunger have driven the novitiates back to the allurements of a good dinner, of else the experimenters have not had the courage to come forward and "relate their experience. One gentleman, however, resolved on an experiment in earnest. This was Mr. 8. Cochrane Macky, and he told a Hkraj.l) representative yesterday that the experience had resulted in very great benefit to health. "Yes," he said, "I ltave proved that a fast is a very good thing, although my experiment was only in a small way. Firstly, however, I must tell you, I have renounced breakfast, contenting myself with two meals per day for the last 19 months." With what result?" Well, I commenced the 'no breakfast* system in fear and trembling, but I found no trouble about it. 1 was just as well and felt better without breakfast.' Then, on New Year's Day, I caught a severe chill, which' gave me gumboils all over my face, earache and other troubles, and eo I decided that if tho ' fasting cure was ■what it was claimed to be, it should do mo good. I commenced on the Sunday following to totally abstain from food, but I forgot that at the commencement of a fast one is supposed to take copious draughts of water to relieve the kidneys, and consequently I had trouble, and had to take medicine. On the Wednesday, still maintaining a rigorous fast, I went to see Dr. Bakewell, knowing he was interested in the cure.' Dr. Bakewell felt my pulse and said I hud no right to abstain from breakfast for 19 months with a bad pulse. Then. I told him that tlie pulse might bo the result of tho trouble experienced at the commencement of the total fast. Dr. Bake well, however, expressed strong disapproval of my keeping up a rigorous fast. On the Friday, two days later, I went again to see Dr. Bakewell, and when ho saw me he said, ' You're 'looking well, you've given up fasting.' I replied, That's just • it. I am still fasting, and that's why I'm looking well.' ' The doctor roplied that, it was most extraordinary, and lie again felt my pulse, saying, 'Although you are looking better, I. should advise you most strongly, with that pulse, to give up fasting.'" " Did you take the advice?" "Yes,' replied Mr., Macky, " I had a lot of hard work in ,my orchard to do and I thought I had better take Dr. Bakeweli'fi, advice, so on the Friday afternoon I had something to eat. By this time the swellings and earache had entirely disappeared, and I felt ever so much better, quite strong and experienced no symptom of weakness whatever. I look at it in this way, that it is something bke the spring cleaning a. housewife subjects her house to. You will notice that animals when they are ill refuse food till they recover, but man is inclined to follow his own inclinations, and ha* not the instinct which animals have. Unless a man was exceedingly temperate always, in the matter of food, I believe he would be all the better for a fast."

Mr. Macky was then asked if he would undergo another experience of the kind, and lie replied that he would not have the slightest hesitation in starting a fast again. There was no eelf-denial about it. At the commencement of the "no breakfast" system he was 17et in weight, and on the day before he ceased the total abstention from food he was 14st, but could not say what weight he registered when commencing the total fast. The latter lasted just on six days, and be felt his health much improved as a result, and had never felt hungry the whole time.