20 Bowdoin St., BOSTON, MASS.
Aug. 1, 1910.
DEAR SIR,--I have just read with much interest your article in
_Physical Culture_ and am minded to send you a brief account of my
experience, which has been in some respects more full than your own.
In speaking thus, I refer to the fact that my fasts, though not of so
long duration as many reported, were complete in this: that my blood
and tissue had cleaned up, my mouth was sweet, tongue moist, and there
were plenty of the digestive fluids and a call for good plain wholesome
food, which was slowly eaten and perfectly digested, and my appetite
was perfectly satisfied with a very moderate amount.
I suffered severely from indigestion and rheumatism, and made up my
mind to try the effect of complete abstinence from food till I was
better. I was familiar with the writings of Dr. Dewey and was well
convinced that he was correct in his views. I was in my office the
morning of Jan. 1st, and the bookkeeper remarked as to how ill I
looked. Seven days after that (the first seven days of my fast) I was
in again, and he spoke of my greatly improved appearance, said I
looked very much better. He did not know nor did I tell him the reason
for the improvement. On the 12th day--the first after I had broken the
fast--he said I looked much better, which was also true, but when I
gave him an explanation of the reason, he would not believe in it at
all.
In none of the four fasts which I have taken have I set any time limit
or taken it as a stunt at all, but only have been guided by conditions
as they developed. In no instance have I failed, and in no case was
food a temptation to me until natural hunger returned. It seems to me
an error to attempt to gauge the length of the fast. We ought to be
governed by nature's direction. A "wise dog" knows when he needs to
fast, and fasts till he wants food. It seems to me when we get to that
point of wisdom, to know as much as the dog, we will know enough to go
by intelligent needs instead of the clock.
My experience is not in accord with the view expressed in your article
as regards weakness of stomach and lack of peristalsis after fasting.
It is my experience that after a complete fast any plain food desired
can be taken without harm. I do not favor imprudence, of course, but I
do not think that there is any good reason for being compelled to take
fluid foods unless one desires to. My longest fast was nineteen days.