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Temuka Leader, Issue 314, 6 November 1880, Page 2

The conclusion of Dr Tanner's fast baa called forth various reminiscences, historical and other, of previous long fasts, though it appears to be generally conceded that nothing like Dr Tanner's fast has ever been recorded. The Swiss Military Times commenting on the latter, recalls a similarcruel attempt that was made with a number of horses, in Paris, four years ago; with this difference—viz., that the fast was forced upon the poor quadrupeds without their consent, and that the French experiment was undertaken with a view to asceitaining how long horses could be made to go without fodder in the event of the scarcity which accompanies a siege. The following results were thus arrived at :—" It was proved beyond doubt that, a horse can hold out for 25 days without any solid food, provided it be supplied, with plenty of drinking water of goad quality ; that a horse can barely hold qut for five days without water ; and-that if a horse be well fed for 10 days, "but insufficiently provided with water., throughout that period, it will not outlive the eleventh day. One horse, from which water had been entirely withheld for three days' drank on the fourth day 60 litres (about 12 gallons) ot water within thr»e minutes. A horso which had received no,. solid nourishment for 11 days, but which had had plenty of water, was able, on the 12th day of its fast, to draw a load of 2f§