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Miscellaneocs Curiosities Continued

Dr. Tanner's Fast-Other Long Fasts-Scriptural Fasts- Human Work and Waste-Spirit Spirit Rappin Rappings-The Ma Turtle-Mesmerism-Hypnotism-Ice Factories-Pulque- Celluloid-Petroleum or Rock Oil-Benzine.

DR. TANNER'S GREAT FAST. - At noon, June 28, 1880, the first entry on the record book was made: "Dr. Henry S. Tanner, aged 49, appeared in Clarendon Hall (New York City), this day to begin a forty days' fast. He declares that he has eaten no solid food to-day, but took for breakfast a quart of milk, and the same quantity for dinner at 11:45 o'clock. His weight, with clothing, is 157 pounds; temperature, 99 deg.; average pulse, 88, with a variation of from 21 to 24 pulsations per minute; respiration, 18. The Doctor was undressed, and carefully examined. His clothing also was carefully examined to see that no food was therein concealed."

Dr. Tanner's first intention was to take neither food nor water for the space of forty days, but he was persuaded finally to take water, and drank copiously during the first two days. When the second day expired he decided not to take water for the remainder of his fast, and went on without food or water until the expiration of the tenth day. At this time his sufferings had become terrible. He was constantly calling for wet cloths to be placed upon his forehead and wet sponges in his hands. But the surface absorption was not sufficient for the purpose. He commenced the eleventh day by taking at intervals copious draughts of water. His weight at that time was 1394 pounds, and during the next ten days he lost only 4½ pounds, or a little less than 8 ounces per day, against 32 ounces per day of the preceding eight.

At the end of the twentieth day he was in better physical condition than at the end of the tenth day, as his photographs clearly evince. During the third ten days he lost at the daily rate of 12 ounces, but no serious symptoms appeared until he had completed thirty days of his term. The elimination of urea, which was 29 grammes a day when the fast commenced, declined gradually, until at the end of the tenth day it was 13 grammes, at the end of the twentieth about 11 grammes, and at the end of the thirtieth 6 grammes. The method of determination adopted by Dr. Van Der Weyde was an original but extremely accurate one. His data are accordingly of high scientific value.

Near the conclusion of the third ten days Dr. Tanner began to have periodical attacks of nausea and vomiting, accompanied by febrile disturbance. The slight fever recurred every third