THE FASTING CURE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 14 November 1907, Page 2

THE FASTING CURE.

Thk fasting cure was introduced in Wanganui about three years ago, says the Chronicle. It is the teaching of Dr Dewey, of Meadville, United States, and which has been published and pushed by Mr C. C. Haskell, of Norwich, Connecticut. Mr Haskell entered into correspondence with a well-known Wanganui citizen, Mr Lloyd Jones, who put the teaching into practice, and spread it abroad wherever he found sufferers who could be benefited by it. He has himself done many short fasts of two and three days, and one each of five, seven, and ten days, always with beneficial effects. His performances have since been entirely eclipsed by the following, about the authenticity of which there is not a shadow of doubt; — Mr S. B. Clark, a well-known commercial man, fasted for 26 days, during which time he followed his daily avocation, and has since published a diary of his fast. Mr Mowat, of Hunterville, fasted for 24 days. A well-known lady of Wanganui fasted for about 45 days, performing her household duties as usual. Mr Henry Dobson is to-day on the 48th day of a fast, which will probably continue for several dajcs longer. A wellknown Maori resident of Wanganui is now on the 28th day of a fast, which, in all probability, will he continued as long again. In each case the object of the fast has been the cure of a disease, and the result has been satisfactory. The fasts were undertaken in accordance with Dr Dewey’s teaching, which, it is said, will always effect a cure if the subject will abstain from food sufficiently long. In a letter to the Auckland Herald Dr R. H. Bakewell refers to the alleged total fast of 25 days, undertaken by an alleged resident of Wanganui. He says: ‘ ‘According to this account the man went about his ordinary business without any inconvenience, and the onlj' nourishment he had was water. There are not a few of your readers who have some practical knowledge of steam engines and of machines moved by steam power. If • I were to tell any of these people that I had a steam engine which could work and had worked without any fire for 25 days, and with only an occasional replenishment of water in the boiler, I wonder whether they would think me mad or drunk, or simply an outrageous liar ? But would any man or woman believe me ? Now, it is

just ns impossible for a human bein'; to go on living and working without food, as it is lor a steam engine to work without luel. The only case of long fasting which ?I can remember, which was properly tested, was that ol u poor girl in Wales, who persisted hi slating that she fasted for weeks. At last a committee of medical men, assisted by trained hospital nurses, was appointed to watch her day and night. Her parents, who had been making large sums of money by the exhibition of the girl, had to agree to this test, or confess the imposture. Unfortunately, they decided to brave it out, and the consequence was that the poor girl got weaker day by day, until, in order to save her life, the imposture was confessed, and every effort made to rally her, but it was all in vain. She died, if I remember right, about the Bth or 9th day after commencing the vigorous fast. I know that in the medical journals there were articles seriously blaming the committee of medical men for undertaking such a test, knowing as they must have known, from the first, that the alleged fasting was impossible. Is this narrative one of the .tricks of an enterprising journalist? I rather suspect it.”