Sometimes, too, the facilities for 
carrying out a complete fast are not afforded, and here the partial or interrupted fast may be deemed a better policy than it s finished 
counterpart. The end is eventually identical, although it is somewhat longer in accomplishment. There are cases in which the poisonous products of digestive ferment are present in quantity such as to tax the eliminative o rgans 
beyond their capability. When this is so, when certain serious and extreme symptom s occur after a fast is begun, these signs are in 
effect evidences of organic deficiency, and both knowledge and caution are then most necessary in order to carry the case to 
successful conclusion. Because of the general belief that every symptom is a sign  of segregated disease, the average mind has been 
imbued with the idea that it must regard the symptom to the exclusion of the underlying cause. When, as happens in a fast, a 
characteristic sign of disease appears in aggravated form after months or years o f intermittent occurrence, experience leads to the 
conclusion that illness is no longer due to simple functional derangement but to actual organic deficiency. Here the partial or 
interrupted fast is desirable, not because the protracted fast would not acco mplish results with better prospect of favorable 
outcome, but because the patient, no matter how well he may be advised, is apt to fail to appreciate what temporary symptomat ic 
aggravation in the fast implies. An organ structurally defective cannot be ex pected to work to full normal capability. Each of the organs of the body will at all 
times do its utmost, will labor to the limit of its powers, but, forced beyond this limit, it must fail to respond. In cases of this sort, a 
fast is to be approached with care and intelligence, for only thus may be discovered the organic limitations, the organic 
deficiencies, of the body in question. During a fast all vital parts are engaged in a supreme process of purlfication --of casting out 
the toxic substances that are causing their disease. And, when it is seen through symptoms increased in severity that one or other of 
these parts is incapable of full duty, the process of elimination is to be assisted by natural stimulation of organs other th an the one 
that is deficien t in functioning ability. Such assistance may only be had by the employment of the hygienic accessories later to be 
described in the text. CHAPTER V  
ILLUSTRATIVE CASES  
 
FASTING APPLIED TO CASES OF INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATISM, CHOREA, EPILEPSY, PREGNANCY, E TC. THE CASES dealt with in this chapter are typical but not exhaustive. They are selected from a large number solely because of 
their representative character, and as evidence that, since the fast is the most effective of all eliminative agents, it reac hes 
indiscriminately but in like manner every phase of functional disability and all organic disease that is not beyond repair. P roperly 
administered, the fast with its accessories insures in all such cases full systemic purification, which is the basis of  health. The first case selected is that of the disease symptom known as inflammatory rheumatism. When first seen the patient, a boy 
seventeen years of age, was in a precarious state. His condition had been declared by the medical adviser as hopeless, an d a limit 
of twenty -four hours was set within which death must occur. The resources of the physician had been exhausted, and in his opinion 
all that could be done was to alleviate the excruciating pain with opiates, thus permitting dissolution to take plac e while the youth 
was under their influence, and this was the course pursued. The distracted family as a last resort turned to the fast. After examining 
the case, the writer accepted the responsibility, and a description of the condition of the young man w ill perhaps throw stronger 
light upon the contrast that is always displayed between the methods followed by man in disease and those which nature employ s.  
 
The boy had been in bed for five weeks; his body showed all of the evidences of the ravages of dise ase and of those of the 
remedies that had been applied. The left arm, wrist, and hand were greatly swollen and painful, as were also both knees and a nkles. The face was flushed, the breathing stertorous, the pulse very irregular, while the body temperature  was 105 degrees. In all 
respects the working foundation for favorable outcome was most insecure. For two weeks immediately preceding the change in 
treatment heart action had been stimulated with digitalis and with strychnine; food had been forced upon a p rotesting stomach as 
many times daily as the patient could be induced to swallow; and, when the pain had become too severe to be borne, or when 
delirium occurred, codein and other opiates had been used unsparingly. In addition, within the preceding seven d ays two quarts of 
brandy had been poured into the youth. As the result of disease and of drugs the patient could neither lie down nor sit up, a nd his 
position was a painful compromise. Death seemed imminent, but food was at once withheld, and a gentle ma ssage treatment was administered in order to equalize 
circulation as much as was possible in the circumstances. A half hour after this, an enema of warm water brought away a large  
amount of fecal matter, all of which resulted in pulse and temperature showi ng decided downward tendencies, while the patient 
rested more quietly and easily than for many days. In acute crises, such as this, drastic measures are imperative, and, on the second day, application of more vigorous massage and of 
more copious enemata brought temperature and pulse to still lower register; consciousness, which had been intermittent, fully 
Page 13 of  72 returned; the swelling in the arm was reduced; and pain had abated. In a week the young man was able to lie at full length, a nd the 
swelling, excepting  in the ankles was scarcely perceptible. Before this, natural sleep had returned, while temperature and pulse 
were but slightly above normal. During this interval two enemas daily had been administered, and masses of feces more or less  
hardened had been re moved on each occasion. Sponge baths twice each day had also aided in relieving discomfort while assisting 
elimination, and at the end of the first week of fasting tub -baths were begun. The fast was broken on the eleventh day with a small amount of tomat o broth fed morning and night, the supply being increased as 
the patient showed increasing ability to digest his food. Five weeks from the beginning of treatment the youth was enjoying a  daily 
walk of several miles, and thereafter, adhering strictly to the  dietetic regimen prescribed, he rapidly developed to a condition of 
normal health and eventually to a robust physique. The second case, a man sixty -one years of age, was stricken with paralysis of the entire right side, and, receiving no help from 
medic ine, he determined upon an absolute fast. The preparatory period covered but ten days, a time too short to permit of wholly 
satisfactory approach to total abstinence, but nevertheless at its completion a fast of forty days, which proved eminently su ccessfu l 
in outcome, was undertaken. Paralysis of this nature, known as hemiplegia, is usually caused directly by hemorrhage in some 
portion of brain tissue. For its relief but one course can be followed --to permit natural processes to absorb the formed blood clo t, 
thus removing inflammation and pressure, releasing nerve force, and allowing connective tissue again to form by natural proce sses 
of healing. Constant ingestion of food in the circumstances serves to aggravate and to prolong recovery, since to facilitat e the 
process of absorption the blood should be relieved as rapidly as possible of the burden of waste it has been carrying, waste that in 
all probability was directly the cause of the brain hemorrhage. The fast by compelling the dominance of elimination a t once 
reduces the density of the blood through removal of circulating refuse, and gives the natural assistance necessary for the di sposal 
of obstructions to the passage of nerve force through nerve channels --thus restoring sensation and motion the loss of  which 
constitutes paralysis. The patient in question weighed at the time of his apoplectic seizure 228 pounds. Each day of abstinence showed loss in weigh t, 
and at the end of the fast the latter was reduced to 174 pounds. Bile in abundance was discharge d with the enemas, and at intervals 
vomiting of the same fluid occurred. The fast was broken with grape -juice and orange -juice, but after a few days more solid food 
was taken. It is well to quote from a personal letter from the patient, reading as follows:  
"I was totally incapacitated from actual manual labor of any kind before my fast, and I lived in dread of a second stroke, 
with a strange, unnatural depression evident upon slight over -exertion. Great drowsiness affected me, and on occasions I 
would sleep  thirty to thirty -six hours, almost without intermission. My mentality was impaired, my eyesight defective, 
and my speech impeded. My right hand and arm were clumsy and weak, and at this stage all ordinary human aid seemed 
powerless. "I began the fast, a nd contrary to my expectations, I had no hunger from the third day to the fortieth. To affirm that there 
was no inconvenience, however, would be untrue, for by every avenue of elimination most offensive impurities were 
thrown off, and at times these could not have been borne had the object been lost sight of. My weight before I undertook 
the fast was 228 pounds, and the girth of my abdomen, 45 inches. After I had completed the total abstinence period, I 
weighed 174 pounds, and measured in girth 38 -1/2 inche s. I am cured of my paralysis; my mentality is clear and normal; 
my entire digestive system is apparently perfect; my vision is better than for years; my hand and arm are strong; I have no 
dread of a second stroke; I have no sleepy spells; I feel lighter a ll over; and, when weary, I am quite refreshed and ready 
for further exertion after a short rest." A case of the disease symptom known as chorea occurring in a woman twenty -eight years of age next offers itself for description. Preparation was undergone f or several weeks and a fast of twenty -two days resulted in the return of hunger with complete 
restoration to health. The medical history of this case showed obstinate constipation for twenty years; and there were nervou s 
tendencies that had been persistent ly present in aggravated form. Medical advice and direction had been constantly followed since 
birth, yet, when first seen, the muscles controlling and forming legs, hands, arms, and face were in constant action, and no effort of 
the will could command the m. During the first week of the fast, improvement in the latter respect appeared, so much so that the 
young woman was able to walk without any evidence of extraordinary lack of coordination, and by the fourteenth day all muscul ar 
signs of nervousness had c ompletely disappeared. No unusual symptoms developed in this case. The enemas brought away solid matter in decreasing amount until the seventeenth 
day, and thereafter but a small quantity of bilious fluid. Body manipulation and the baths were daily resor ted to, and the loss in 
weight was not remarkable. There were almost no unpleasant symptoms, and this was of the absence of structural organic defect , 
and because the patient had always led an outdoor life and possessed an equable disposition. After a time  devoted to a dietetic 
regimen and judicious exercises, the case was discharged as restored to health and with no traces of her former nervous disor der. An added benefit was discovered in that, although there had been decided impairment of sight, myopic in  character, the patient 
was able to dispense with lenses six weeks after the beginning of the fast. The distressing affliction, epilepsy, is a disease symptom that may be traced to the source of all functional disorder, the d igestive 
Page 14 of  72 machinery. The cas e of a young woman, twenty -nine years of age, will demonstrate the effect of the fast and its adjuncts upon this 
characteristic of disease. Before entering the fast, the patient had tentatively followed a dietetic regimen, and had noted d ecided 
improvement  in general health, but there was no cessation of the attacks peculiar to the symptom named. Medical attendance had 
been continuous for years, but no improvement had resulted; rather the reverse, for the epileptic seizures had increased in n umber 
and sever ity as time went by. Before the fast the attacks were recurring at intervals of two weeks, and the latest seizure had 
happened but three days before the fast began. Food was denied for fifty -six days, and, from the moment of the inception of the 
method to the present writing not a convulsion has occurred, nor has there been a semblance of attack, while in general health the 
patient has been better than at any time of her life. The fast in this instance is to be noted in several minor ways, one of which is  that on each of the fifty -six days the patient walked a 
distance of at least two miles; another, that on the fortieth day of abstinence a mass of dead intestinal worms passed from t he 
bowels in the enema. Improvement was constant from the first, but, afte r the evacuation of these parasites, it increased rapidly, and 
natural hunger asserted itself on the fiftyfifth day. The loss in weight was consistently normal, averaging about three -quarters of a 
pound for each day of the fasting period. The medical his tory of the next subject, a woman forty -five years old, tells of continuous treatment for thirty years for the disease 
symptom known as psoriasis in its diffuse form. At the time that the patient sought natural means of assistance the inflamed,  
bleeding su rfaces characteristic of the symptom covered at least one -third of the skin of the body, and they were not confined to 
any particular locality, appearing indiscriminately upon trunk, arms, and legs, but the hands, face, and feet were not affect ed. The 
sores were exuding bloody serum, and there was intolerable itching, so much so that in order to exist in any condition approachin g 
comfort, local application of mercurial preparations had long been resorted to, to relieve both the pain and the inconvenienc e. 
These of course were only temporary in effect, and the major symptoms returned shortly, more angry and more obstinate. The general health of the patient apart from the distressing symptom described was excellent, strange to say. And to this a s trong 
const itution and robust physique in large part contributed. Perhaps, as is at times assumed, the channel taken by nature to rid th e 
body of toxic matter, if sufficiently extensive, precluded the development of other and differing symptoms of disease. This h as 
been held to have been proved in instances of syphilitic infection, which in the majority of cases seems to grant immunity fro m 
minor though equally infectious disease, the latter being subordinated to the dominant blood taint. When first under observatio n the patient weighed 172 pounds, and her habits were those of a woman in comfortable circumstances 
with the idea ingrained that three and even four generous daily meals were necessary for the conservation of health and stren gth. She was, however, disheart ened and discouraged because of the almost unbearable distress occasioned by the state of her body, 
and, as a last resort only, she consented to undergo a fast. After three weeks of preparation, abstinence from food succeeded and continued without interr uption for seventy -five days. At no 
time during this period was anything excepting water ingested, and at no time was the patient unable to cover on foot the dis tance 
from her home to the office of her physician. Once this subject had grasped the philosoph y of the method and had experienced the 
progressive improvement that marked her case, an excellent physical organization and a determined will made her more than equ al 
to the attainment of the object in view, and, as a consequence, she was easy to treat. The fast was typical and was remarkable in nothing save its length, a phenomenon due again to the extreme resistance which is  
always discovered in the normally functioning body. Loss in weight not unusual, and at the end of the fast a diminution in th is 
respect of but 32 pounds was noted, the patient then tipping the scales at 140. Until the twentieth day, there was in evidence  
slightly lowered temperature and pulse, with some chilliness, but, while pulse and temperature remained below register in the  early 
stages of abstinence, by the sixth week normal had been reached. The enemas contained solid feces until about one -third of the 
fasting period had elapsed, and thereafter, until the last week without food, large amounts of yellowish -white mucus formed par t of 
the discharge. This catarrhal refuse eliminated thus from the intestines indicated that the eliminative function had again be en 
established through normal channels. In fact, a significant feature connected with any symptom of disease of the character 
expressed in this subject is the failure of function through normal avenues other than the skin to perform, the surface of th e body 
suffering from overwork and disease in consequence. It was not until the fourth week that visible improvement in exudation  from the open sores became noticeable in respect to 
granulation, although the exudation had begun to diminish during the third week and at this time also the itching had greatly  
subsided. As healing of the sores progressed, the unpleasant minor symptoms d isappeared, healthy skin soon forming in patches 
that increased in size and gradually covered the denuded spaces. After breaking the fast, general health continued excellent, and the sole remaining signs of the psoriasis were the scarred e dges 
surroundin g areas latest to heal. Even these in time vanished, and no trace, excepting slight discoloration, the result of previous 
mercurial treatment, was left as a reminder of the hideous and distressful malady of previous years. Page 15 of  72  
While the patient during the fi rst few days of the fast felt some trepidation as to its efficacy and its outcome, after improvement of 
the condition appeared, its psychological effect was such that her determination to carry on to the return of hunger became f ixed. Again it is to be not ed that fear enters and disaster results while fasting a functional case only when the method is incorrectly 
conducted. This case is a supreme example demonstrating the truth that, in the absence of organic disease, there is no danger  
whatever in abstainin g from food until nature asserts by the return of hunger that systemic purification is completed. Another case presents itself --that of a woman thirty -four years old, partially paralyzed and suffering from general functional 
disease. In this patient two of the dorsal vertebrae had been displaced in early life in such manner as to compress the spinal cord, 
thus causing paralysis of the lower trunk and legs. In the absence of any history of accident the only tenable theory of caus ation of 
this condition is that of lack of development of the muscles supporting the spine in the dorsal region, this in turn due to faulty 
nutrition in youth. In all her life this woman had never known a moment of comparative health, and intermittently in earlier days 
severe fevers  with inflammatory intestinal symptoms had occurred, eventually creating contractions in the colon, a condition that 
caused constipation and consequent septicemia. When first examined, the case had been bedridden for one year, and it was evid ent 
that by re ason of the very evident ankylosis existing in the displaced vertebrae referred to there was small hope of correcting the 
paralysis noted. The symptom that impelled the employment of means other than medicine for relief in this case was an ominous  
congesti ve chill from which the woman with difficulty rallied. The fast was entered and carried to what may be regarded as a 
successful end after fifty -eight days of abstinence. The medical history of this case showed an inherited tendency towards scrofula or co nstitutional tuberculosis, and there had been 
manifested at intervals offensive running sores, the thumb and index finger of the left hand having been amputated some years  
previous because of a non -healing scrofulous abscess. All of the ulcers that had app eared had, without exception, been diagnosed 
by attending physicians as tubercular in character and had been treated from the medical viewpoint accordingly. Two days after the beginning of the fast, an abscess broke through the surface of the skin at the  base of the spine immediately over 
the sacrum. The discharge from this sore was most profuse and offensive, and the area affected spread until it was at least t hree 
inches in diameter, with depth such that within ten days after the skin had broken the per iosteum of the sacrum was exposed. For a 
week hot fomentation were continuously applied, and gangrenous tissue in process of formation was cauterized by carefully 
focusing the rays of the sun upon the ulcer with a large reading glass. By the tenth day the discharge ceased being offensive, and 
shortly thereafter healthy granulation or healing began. When the fast was at an end, the sole evidence of the existence of t his sore 
was a circular spot of slightly reddish normal skin of which a subjacent cushion of soft and healthy tissue showed that natural work 
of repair had proceeded despite total abstinence from food. This is undoubtedly the point of greatest interest and import to be noted 
in the treatment and progress of the case, for it is to be remembered tha t the blood of this woman had in all probability been tainted 
from birth, and that it had been poisoned and repoisoned for years by continuous addition to accumulated toxic substances. Elimination of body waste had never been successfully accomplished in t his patient, but once it could proceed undisturbed in 
function, nature was able not only to cast out existing impurity, but also to repair diseased tissue by selecting healthy pab ulum 
from the store of nutriment husbanded within. The discharges resulting  from copious daily enemas were noticeable for their exceeding foulness, and for excessive amounts of 
dark bilious fluid evacuated until about the thirtieth day of the fast. Loss in weight was not exceptional, totaling, as it d id, but 20 
pounds. When it is  considered that the patient weighed but 85 pounds at the beginning of the fast, it is seen that, proportionally 
speaking, this loss conforms with results tabulated later in the text. Dates are also of interest in this case, which was under treatment dur ing the winter of 1907 -8. The woman died of pneumonia early 
in 1923. In the interim of full fifteen years, she was able to get about in a wheeled chair, was in good general health, and conducted 
a business of her own, the only inconvenience she suffered be ing that incident to her incurable paralysis. Another instance is that of a woman twenty -eight years old in whom poor nutrition and what is called a bilious temperament 
occasioned a condition of disease that was expressed in periodical headaches and in m elancholia with a tendency toward mania. But for the care and devotion of an older sister, the patient, long before coming under observation, would have been placed i n an 
institution for the insane. In fact, it was because the physician last consulted had recommended that she be restrained that her 
relatives in despair resorted to the fast. Examination discovered a pulse continually at 128 or thereabouts with temperature varying from above to below normal by sever al 
degrees. Diet had consisted largely of meat and its extracts, this being at once changed to vegetable broths. Daily enemas were 
thoroughly administered and at first hot towel packs were used upon the spine in order to control circulation and to steady t he 
fluctuating pulse, but these were disco ntinued shortly as heart action made constant improvement from the beginning of treatment. Dark, foul -smelling discharges that did not cease until the latter portion of the fast formed the bulk of the liquid in the return from 
the enemas. This patient al so showed extraordinary vigor and vitality throughout a period of forty -two days of abstinence from food, and she 
Page 16 of  72 daily walked a distance of several miles, underwent manipulative treatment, and returned to her home without undue fatigue. Towards the end of  the fast she was able and desirous of increasing the amount of exercise, and her mental condition exhibited 
improvement from the inception of the work. On the thirtieth day of the fast and thereafter the young woman performed her 
portion of the housework well and cheerfully. Hunger returned on the forty -first day, and the fast was broken at the end of the 
forty -second. Two weeks later the sisters sailed for their home abroad, and letters written by the patient since their arrival show  a 
mind in every respe ct rational. Tuberculosis of the lungs is a symptom of disease that needs to be uncovered and treated in its early stages if recovery is t o be 
hoped for, and the case of a woman thirty -two years old is cited to illustrate the treatment of a consumptive, the outcome of whose 
case proved a cure. This patient abstained from food for twenty -four days, but preparation, the fast, and the period of dieting after 
the latter was concluded, covered full six months. When first under observation, the sputum contained  the bacilli typical of the 
symptom; both lungs were affected; the characteristic cough, high temperature and pulse, were present; in fact, the case disp layed 
all of the signs that distinguish the symptom. The fast was begun after usual preparatory diet, a nd was continued as noted for 
twenty -four days, during which no unfavorable symptoms occurred. However, from the latter part of the preparatory period there 
was excessive discharge of sputum, but during the fast this showed daily diminution in amount, and there was also pronounced 
decrease in the number of bacilli at the several periodical examinations made. The enemas were charged with bilious products and 
old feces, these toxic disturbers disappearing only during the last week of abstinence. Fever had van ished as had also the cough by 
the fourteenth day, and, when the sputum was examined on the twenty -second day of fasting there were no traces of bacilli 
tuberculosis. To anticipate successful issue, the treatment of tuberculosis of the lungs should be un dertaken before the stage of excessive 
structural break -down of lung tissue has been reached. If the treatment outlined is begun at this time a cure is altogether probable. Otherwise, the case classes itself with that of advanced organic disease, which, in  the light of previous discussion, bars remedy. Medical diagnosis of the next instance, a man thirty -eight years old, pronounced it a case of valvular heart disease, and medical 
prognosis gave no hope of recovery. There was severe pain in the regions of the heart, the stomach, and the liver, and at times in 
the abdomen. Heart -beats were most irregular; and, in view of the very apparent seriousness of the condition, a fast was begun 
without preparation. Large amounts of dark bilious fluid came away with ev ery enema, and excruciating pain and nervous 
excitement were experienced until the twentieth fasting day when at least a teacupful of gall -stones was evacuated. Great relief 
followed, but gall -stones singly and in small numbers were passed with the exereta  until the thirtieth day of abstinence. The fast 
was broken on its thirty -fifth day, when the weight of the patient was 174 pounds, this showing a reduction of 20 pounds within 
the period given. In the early part of this fast there were slight sub -normal t emperature and much fasters' chilliness, but 
temperature and heartbeat as well reached normal by the twentieth day. Before this the pulse had been at times above, at time s 
below register, according to the degree of activity of circulating poison. After bre aking the fast all functions became and continued 
normal; weight was gradually gained and soon reached 185 pounds; and from the completion of treatment general health was 
excellent. An interesting addendum to this case is found in its later history. The patient, after strictly adhering to the rules prescribed as to 
diet, exercise, and general care of the body for at least a year and a half after his restoration to health, lapsed and fell into laxness 
in eating and in drinking, with the result that, two ye ars subsequent to the crisis already related, an abscess formed upon the fioor 
of the stomach, and the case again came under observation and treatment, undergoing this time a fast of forty -five days. The man 
suffered great pain until the ulcer discharged, which occurred about ten days after the fast began, and was evidenced by the 
passage of blood and pus from the bowels. The patient hovered between life and death for several weeks, but absence of food 
prevented irritation of the ulcer, which rapidly healed , and, since hunger was in evidence, the fast was broken on the forty -sixth 
day. It is the fixed opinion of the author that in no instances is the medical theory of "feeding to keep up strength" so palpably  in error, 
as in cases of the kind just cited. W hether the ulcer is located in the stomach, in the duodenum, or in any other portion of the 
alimentary tract, non -irritation is a first essential to healing, and non -irritation may be had in the alimentary tract only through the 
omission of the ingestion o f food. And, more, while it is true that food is never essential in disease, the application of the method 
outlined herein to a condition such as was exhibited in the second siege of illness undergone by the ease just noted is so pl ain in 
exposition and so  beautifully reasonable and convincing in argument that no unbiased mind should read this description without 
being satisfied of its truth and in consequence of the efficacy of the method itself. A short description of a fast for chronic digestive distur bance is presented in the following case, that of a man of forty -five years of 
age. The fast itself covered a period of forty -nine days, and from its beginning until the forty -fifth day the patient was confined to 
his bed. This is a striking example of the  extreme toxemia that sometimes occurs during fasting when the organs of elimination are 
called upon to cope with an accumulation of waste that taxes them to the utmost Because this material is liquefied in form, b oth in 
consequence of the body secretions and of the water of the enemas, it is more easily absorbed from the walls of the intestines, and 
in this instance, the weakness in evidence was directly occasioned by this sort of self -poisoning. But the condition gradually 
improved as the eliminative orga ns became equal to their tasks, and on the forty -fifth day, hunger returned and with it strength. Page 17 of  72 The fast was broken on the morning of the fiftieth day and afterwards the patient walked several miles on the city pavements with 
but little fatigue. There we re no unusual symptoms other than the toxemia mentioned, and from the breaking of the fast, 
improvement was constant and permanent. In another instance the fast was undertaken by a woman forty -one years old for the purpose of correcting heart irregularit y caused 
by functional disease and obesity. The patient who was under height weighed 200 pounds, and she gave no medical history 
excepting that some years previous she had been operated upon for chronic inflammation of the fallopian tubes. The fast prope r 
was somewhat lengthy, covering sixty -three days and again it is to be noted that the patient was at all times during abstinence able 
to attend to her home duties and to make on foot the daily trip to the office of her physician. There was but little faster s' chilliness, 
and there were no unusual symptoms, excepting that, about the period included between the thirtieth and fortieth days, a gain  in 
weight of from one to two pounds daily occurred, but at the end of this interval gradual decrease in weight agai n began and 
continued to the end of the fast, when weight was reduced to 140 pounds. In the meanwhile heart irregularity had disappeared,  and 
by careful attention to her dietary, the patient has succeeded in having no return of the obese symptoms, while ge neral health has 
been consistently excellent. Medical diagnosis of the next case classified the symptom as cancer of the stomach. The patient, a man forty years old, was r eally 
suffering from an ulcerated condition of the upper portion of the intestinal tract, and he underwent a fast of fifty days in which no 
marked peculiarities developed. Weight was reduced from 145 pounds to 105 pounds, and the subsequent gain both in weight and 
in strength was typical. In two months after breaking the fast the patient  balanced the scales at 175 pounds. A young man of twenty -three offers a case of the insanity of syphilis of the type known in medicine as meningitis. In this subject 
the blood taint was acquired by contact, and, when observed and first under treatment t he case was in what is known as the 
secondary stage of infection. The state of the patient was such that he had but little control over his faculties, both menta l and 
physical. He would answer questions in a slow, drawling, sleepy manner with but small evi dence of sanity in his replies unless 
shocked in some way. He was shameless in response to the calls of nature and showed abnormal erotic tendencies. Weight when 
treatment began was 150 pounds. After low diet and an absolute fast of twenty -eight days, the time of dieting and of the fast 
occupying three months, weight was reduced to 110 pounds. From the inception of the fast improvement was continuous, and this  
applies both to the physical symptoms of the disease and to the mental state of the subject. At th e completion of total abstinence 
there was no evidence of insanity, and at present writing, ten full years from the treatment of the case, no signs of blood t aint are in 
any manner apparent. A young man, nineteen years old, who had been led into habits o f body and of thought detrimental to normal development, 
became, as a result, a victim of the symptom of disease known as epilepsy. For five years he had suffered from the convulsion s 
characteristic of the malady, recurrent at intervals of from one to two weeks. Medicine had exhausted its resources in this case, 
which was but another of the "last resort" kind, yet after a short while, the patient and his family were responsive to the r esults of 
treatment and thereafter were enthusiastic in carrying out its details. For five months a regimen of restricted diet and of fasting was 
pursued. The time of total abstinence from food intermittently included in this period was sixty days. All general unfavorabl e 
symptoms gradually subsided, and the recurrence of the e pileptic seizures became reduced in number to such degree that, at the 
end of the second short fast, four weeks had intervened between attacks; and, when feeding was permanently resumed, no furthe r 
seizures were apprehended, nor did they occur. Before dise ase was fully eradicated the weight of the patient was reduced from 140 
pounds to 105 pounds. Increase after the fast took place and at the end of the rebuilding period the young man weighed 148 
pounds. A woman, thirty -six years of age, at the end of the  third month of pregnancy developed severe symptoms of cholemia, a condition 
of the liver in which its functions of conversion and elimination are arrested. Vomiting of dark green bilious fluid took pla ce, and 
the patient was in a state verging upon coma. Immediate action was demanded, and food was at once omitted, while copious 
enemas were administered twice daily for the time being. The latter brought away dark and foul discharges which continued wit h 
no apparent improvement until the seventeenth day of a bstinence. On the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth days the patient lay 
in a semi -conscious state, but she revived on the morning of the eighteenth day, when there was a decidedly favorable change in 
the character of the bowel passages. Rapid return t o consciousness occurred, and increased strength with no unfavorable symptoms 
marked all succeeding days until the twenty -second, when the fast was broken with fruit juices, and thereafter convalescence 
proceeded without interruption. The loss in weight in this case was 22 pounds. Temperature and pulse were continually above individual normal until the latter part 
of the fast, the former ranging between 99 and 102, and the latter from 80 to 110, although a decided drop in both was always  
observed after th e administration of an enema. No return of nausea occurred after breaking the fast, and thereafter the general 
health of the patient was excellent. At term an eight -pound child was easily delivered, perfect in development and vigorous in 
health. On the f ifteenth day of this fast, while the patient was lying in partial coma, as described above, a consultation was held with a 
former medical associate. The latter advocated, as the only means of saving the life of the mother, the immediate abortion of  the 
Page 18 of  72 fetus, and the abandonment of the fast. His opinion was, however, overruled, and the result of the case justified the stand then  
taken, for as the attending physician at confinement, five months later, he freely expressed his surprise at the state of hea lth of the 
mother, the ease with which delivery was had, and the remarkable vitality of the infant, and he acknowledged his error in jud gment 
with a complete reversal of his condemnation of the treatment the patient had undergone. A case analogous to the one just cited is that of a woman of twenty -seven, wife of a physician. She was between three and four months pregnant, and was suffering severe pain in the region of the uterus and in that of the 
stomach. The uterus was discovered to be displaced, and by ma nipulation and the use of tampons it was put into normal position. Nausea with vomiting was constantly distressing the patient when the case was presented, and an immediate absolute fast was 
decided upon. However, it was thought best that a preparatory per iod be observed, and for twelve days the patient subsisted upon 
liquid diet, after which the fast was begun and continued for thirty days. No unusual symptoms arose during this time, and co nstant 
general and specific improvement was noted from the beginnin g. Nausea decreased with progress and vanished about the twentieth 
day with no recurrence thereafter. Pulse and temperature were slightly below normal until after eating had been resumed. Preparation for the fast was made upon strained vegetable broths and  it was broken upon the same dietary. Solid food was resumed 
twelve days after the completion of abstinence. At term the patient was delivered of a babe weighing seven pounds, as physica lly 
perfect and as healthy a specimen as that described in the previou s case. The loss of weight in this instance was an even thirty 
pounds. It is to be remarked that the children of these two mothers are not only physically excellent examples, but are also mentally  
intelligent to a marked degree. These gratifying characte ristics are to be attributed in great part to the purification of body 
undergone by the pregnant women at a stage of gestation early enough to provide for tissue structure in the forming fetal bod ies 
unvitiated by disease in the systems of the mothers. The statement descriptive of the following case is given in the language of the father of the patient:  
"During several weeks prior to his sixth birthday, our oldest boy had complained of sore throat and general lassitude. This 
finally developed into an acu te tonsilitis. On the third or fourth day he complained of pain in both knees, and by evening 
these joints were swollen and red, and the pain had become so intense that the weight of the bedclothes was unbearable. The physician whom we called --one of the r egular school --promptly diagnosed the case as one of inflammatory 
rheumatism. He advised the use of hot applications to subdue the pain, and insisted on putting the left knee, which was 
the worse, in a splint so that it could not be moved. On his second or  third visit he discovered mitral regurgitation, that 
common and ominous symptom, showing that the systemic poisoning had affected the valves of the heart. His prognosis 
was most unfavorable. He said that the acute stage would last probably six weeks, and that it would leave the patient with 
organic heart trouble. "At this point we decided to resort to a method in which we had long believed, but which we had failed to try at the outset 
of this sickness because we had not realized the seriousness of the ca se. We discharged the physician and began the 
treatment described herein under the direction of the author. She took off the splint and gave both knees a careful but 
thorough rubbing. They had been apparently too sensitive to touch before this, but by the time she had finished the 
massage, the child said that they felt better. She told us not to bother about his heart or anything else in the line of 
symptoms, but to stop feeding him, to give him daily baths, enemas, and manipulations --and to watch nature do  the rest. "The pain kept up at intervals, intervals that grew steadily longer, however, for two days, and then it ceased entirely. Before the end of the week, the patient was able to be taken down town on a street car for manipulative treatment. His fas t 
lasted twelve days. "Later in the summer he had a recurrence of old eye trouble, one resulting from an impure condition of the blood. He had 
been treated the summer before for this trouble, which had lasted several months. This time we at once began an other fast, 
which continued for twenty -two days. At its end he stripped the bandage off: his eyes one evening and looked at us and 
we knew that the thing was conquered. During a few of the twenty -two days he had a little orange juice, and at all times 
he had all the water that he desired. A daily bath and rub were given with a copious enema each morning and evening. "At the time of writing, two years from the date of the last fast, there has been no recurrence of either the throat trouble,  
rheumatism, or eye trouble, and a regular physician, a friend of the family, who examined the boy a few months ago, 
pronounced his heart perfect." The next case is that of a cancer located on the right eyelid of a man sixty -two years old. This malignant sore had been in  evidence 
for twelve years and the patient had been operated upon for its removal twice in this period. Its third appearance was made i n 
virulent form and consultation with a medical specialist resulted in renewed recommendation of the knife, to which this  time the 
patient refused to submit. He began preparation for a fast which lasted forty -five days, at the expiration of which all that remained 
of the suppurating sore was a reddish scar of its former seat. Four years later his personal report of the case shows no symptom of 
Page 19 of  72 recurrence upon eyelid or elsewhere, and an excellent state of general health. The eradication of this symptom of extreme blood impurity by means of the fast fixes the value of the method in forms of dise ase 
that are supposedly incura ble. It bears out the contention that disease is one with cure, that cure lies in the application of the single 
method of nature, elimination, which is one with purification. Cancer is but a symptom of general disease, and it may be erad icated 
when its rav ages have not involved an organ to the degree of rendering it incapable of function. A cancer, a tumor, are evidences of the economy of nature in gathering her forces of relief at a single point. This single po int, the 
symptom, is ordinarily plainly appa rent. Medicine seeks to "drive it in"; surgery to "cut it out"; and neither, when applied, 
succeeds in removing the cause. Even though the actual growth and its nearby ramifications are extirpated by means of the kni fe, 
nature is still impelled to rid the body of its circulating impurity by the construction of destructive cells, and only blood 
purlfication can accomplish a cure. The next subject, a woman twenty -seven years old, suffered constantly from pain, more or less acute, in the left costar region, near 
the cardiac orifice of the stomach. She had severe headaches, coupled with nausea and vomiting of bile. Medical diagnosis var ied 
with each physician consulted, and the young woman was treated within a period of several years for ailments ranging from 
ulceration of the stomach to appendicitis. In the course of her search for health she had made visits to famed sanatoria, but  her 
condition steadily grew worse, and, because of it, she was rapidly verging upon melancholia. Hearing of the fast, she was at first 
interested, then hopeful, and on her own initiative she undertook short periods of abstinence with decided relief. The case w as one 
that, when first observed, showed signs of obstinate intestinal obstruction, which might or might not prove to be a mor bid growth, 
and caution was essential even during the preparatory work. But it was finally determined that a soup and salad regimen be 
followed, and the dietary indicated was continued for four months with gradual but not permanent relief. However, at the end of 
this time an attempt was made to change to solid food, when the system at once strongly rebelled, and the patient was actuall y 
forced into total abstinence. She fasted forty -three days. During the early portion of the fast there were headaches and  vomiting of greenish bile and mucus, and these distressing symptoms 
were present until the thirtieth day, when the patient was compelled to take to her bed. The stomach had at all times resiste d 
ingestion even of water, and in order to facilitate the disc harge of bile and to reduce nausea, natural stomach -lavage was daily 
performed. This was done by having the patient drink warm water in quantity and then induce vomiting. Enemas and baths were 
administered in the usual number and manner. Body manipulation,  with especial attention directed to the region under the left 
lower ribs, was carefully carried out, for by this time it had become obvious that the intestinal obstruction was caused by f ecal 
impaction. On the forty -third day of the fast a broken -up mass of hardened fecal matter was passed with the enema. Extreme relief 
followed, and the fast was at once discontinued with gratifying results, the stomach accepting the broths, and normal digesti on 
taking place. The feces passed were in the form of balls, bla ck in color and extremely hard in character. This accumulation had 
been the cause of the symptoms described, all of them signs of exaggerated toxemia. Rapid recuperation ensued. For a year after the experience related the patient followed a strict dietar y, and during this time she underwent a total of forty -five 
days of short periods of fasting. Her diet consisted in the main of raw tomatoes, hot tomato broth, and salads. At present wr iting, 
more than three years from the beginning of the first fast, the young woman is in excellent health. This case may be considered as perhaps the most aggravated instance of toxemia in the entire history of practice recorded her ein. Life was saved only because the patient was constantly under observation, day and night,  and distressing and dangerous symptoms 
were dealt with, as they developed, promptly and skilfully. The case also exemplifies the contention of the writer that at no  time, 
even when acute crises occur, are special, fanciful auxiliaries necessary to combat conditions. Enemas, baths, body manipulation --
all natural accessories --invariably prove fully equal to the task. Without citing individual instances, attention is here directed to the ease with which certain symptoms, to which in recent y ears the 
surgica l branch of medicine has devoted much time and energy, yield to the fast and its accessories. The vermiform appendix in 
the human body is a slender blind sac, opening from the cecal portion of the large intestine. It is on an average from three to six 
inches in length, and of a caliber of that of a lead pencil. It is found in man and in some of the lower animals, and in a few of  the 
latter it is large and performs a digestive function. In the human body its use seems to be more of a question of professiona l 
argument than one of determination, but it is quite probable that its function is that of stimulating peristalsis either thro ugh the 
secretion of a lubricant or by muscular contraction. Inflammation of the vermiform appendix constitutes true appendiciti s. In the medical world appearance of this symptom demands 
immediate operation with removal of the offending organ. Observation of numbers of alleged cases of appendicitis leads to the  
belief that an inflamed appendix is a symptom of disease most rare in o ccurrence. Because the function of this organ has not been 
satisfactorily determined by science, and because its absence from the body seemingly creates no lack of harmony among other 
essential parts of the organism, extirpation has become the rule. And th ere has been exercised in this connection a great deal of 
snap judgment in diagnosis. Gas formed in the cecum, gall stones in the gall sac, inflammation of the right ovary and of the bowel 
in the ileo -cecal region, all have been mistaken for an appendix in flamed, and have occasioned operations unnecessary in the 
Page 20 of  72 extreme with serious and perhaps fatal results. In the treatment of any intestinal inflammation, appendicitis included, no assistance is needed other than that which complet e rest 
of the digestive  tract and constant use of the enema afford. When no complications exist, the fast causes inflammation to subside, 
pain to cease, and fever to be reduced, by, at the most, the third day of abstinence, and the sole necessity for continuing t he fast is 
found  in seeking best and lasting results. Fasters' chilliness has been referred to a number of times, and it is as well to say here that body temperature when this sen sation is 
in evidence is always more or less below normal in register. This feeling of chil l may be attributed partly to the absence of food 
stimulation, but it is largely due to permeation of the circulation by bilious products that, in the circumstances, create, n ot fever, 
but a nervous reaction that causes muscular and skin contraction with a n appreciable drop in body heat and probable lowered heart 
beat. It is to be recognized that so -called normal pulse and normal temperature terms that are relative, and that the limits placed 
upon them as standard vary in different persons, as do physical p eculiarities. In some of the cases described and in others not 
mentioned, temperature and pulse remained below register during a portion of the fasting period, but as systemic cleansing 
progressed, average individual normal was gradually restored. When fas ters' chilliness occurs, the hot therapeutic bath must 
frequently be resorted to in order that muscular relaxation may occur, thus permitting the temporarily inhibited eliminative 
function of the skin to be restored. Organic rest and systemic purificatio n, resulting from the employment of the fast and its auxiliary eliminative agencies, form the 
basis of the method outlined in the text. The fast, than which no greater eliminative agent is known, is the fundamental of 
treatment, but additional natural ther apeutic means that may in any manner assist in attaining results are never to be ignored, and 
these material auxiliaries are in most senses foreign to the domain of medicine. Manipulation of the body, specific and gener al, 
intelligently applied, proves of greatest worth during a fast and thereafter. Adjustment of the spinal column has its own especial 
place as a valuable accessory of treatment. And each of these therapeutic measures, with others that have been described, whi le not 
to be thought of as a pana cea, is yet to be considered as an important adjunct in the natural treatment of disease. PART THREE  
THE TECHNIQUE 0F FASTING  
 
CHAPTERVI  
CAUTION AND COUNSEL  
 
COMPETENT GUIDANCE IS REQUIRED FOR PROTRACTED FASTS:  
SHORT FASTS:  
CORRECTIVE DIETARY   
 
MUC H though it is to be desired by those who know the inestimable benefits to be derived from a fast that is scientifically 
conducted, there is but small hope that this natural means of bodily purification, of disease eradication, will ever prove a popular 
method of health restoration. Self -denial and self -control are two virtues that the average mortal is content to relegate to the side -
lines in the game of life. Or, if he be not content so to do, it is easy to shift responsibility to those whose profession i t is to 
prescribe a remedy the purpose of which is to suppress the manifest symptom, to ease present distress or disturbance. The cau se of 
local expression, of the symptom or symptoms, has no place in a philosophy of this character, yet, unless the source of disease is 
attacked and removed, health is really never his who depends upon symptomatic alleviation. And again, when one is ill, no rea l 
self-denial or control is needful to curtail or even entirely to omit food. And, while it is many times accentuated  in the text that 
food withdrawal is the easy, and at once the natural and the scientific measure to be employed whenever illness occurs, since  
hunger and disease never exist simultaneously in the animal body, few possess courage to apply it. Now, while in acute or chronic disease there are difficulties to be encountered in prolonged fasting, the results of a "fast to a 
finish", to the cleansed systemic condition produced by the process of elimination thus engendered, are nevertheless those th at 
thereafte r, with proper care of the body, insure continued normal physical existence. And, as above stated, nature constantly 
indicates abstention from food in disease, but especially does she do so when acute prostrating illness develops, as well as when 
certain s ymptoms, become chronic in character, are present. In more than thirty years of experience with the fast as a therapeutic agency, the writer has discovered that by far the most  
satisfactory diet upon which to break a fast is one confined to vegetable bro ths or soups, prepared in such manner as to preserve 
both vitamin and mineral content, excluding at the same time all but finely comminuted solid matter. Broths thus made, when 
eaten slowly, are fully insalivated, easily digested, and their food material i s absorbed and assimilated without difficulty. In casting 
about for a dietary that would accomplish these ends, much observation and experiment were in order, and in the course of 
investigation it was determined that where, in functional disease, a fast pr otracted in length made upon its subject demand for 
absolute rest, hence precluding attention to daily duty in business or otherwise, a diet restricted to soups similar to those  upon 
which a fast is broken in great degree permitted the function of eliminat ion to preponderate, satisfied stomach craving if present, 
Page 21 of  72 and did not, excepting in slightest measure, interfere, either psychologically or physiologically, with intake and outgo of v ital 
force. Naturally when corrective eating is substituted for fastin g, the process of bodily purification, of systemic cleansing, is prolonged; 
but the symptoms produced are in modified form similar to those noted during the progress of an absolute fast continued to it s 
logical end, the return of natural hunger. And the re sults that accrue, though delayed and not equal to those obtained by a "fast to a 
finish," are eminently satisfactory. For many reasons, quite obvious ones too, complete abstention from food in illness occasions in those who are uninformed upon  
the benef its that follow in its train, and who are ignorant of the physical resources of the human body and of the physiological 
changes that abstinence occasions, thoughts that are decidedly deterrent. And this though, as is so often iterated herein, no  real 
desir e for food exists at the time. The patient himself may be fully cognizant of body resource and of the advantages that follow 
abstinence, and he may possess the necessary will to impose upon himself the discipline needful for successful issue; but in the 
usual instance there are relatives and friends, who are not, as is the sufferer, in touch with nature, and here opposition ofte n evolves 
that in effect annuls the action, if not the inclination. On the other hand, there is this to be said: if the patient has  the will and the 
determination to carry to conclusion an absolute fast, if, under guidance during its continuance, he employs the essential 
eliminative agencies, and, if no serious organic condition is uncovered, as it surely will be if it exists, relief with recovery will 
occur much more rapidly and satisfactorily than is possible when even the small amount of sustenance contained in the restric ted 
regimen described is ingested. And this brings us to the purpose of this short chapter, which is intended both as caution and as counsel. No one, unless so acutely 
ill as to be compelled to do so, should attempt protracted abstinence from food unless competent guidance is available. The " fast to 
a finish" is not an affair for personal conduct. In it organic di sease may be uncovered, and from day to day after the first week or so 
symptoms may and will develop that need to be dealt with by the expert hand. Without the advice and encouragement of one 
skilled in the therapy of inanition fear may drive out courage, and then hasty and ill advised attempts to relieve mental and 
physical distress will surely entail calamitous issue. But for him to whom the tenets of the text appeal a happy mean exists. In incipient illness, in times of slight physical depr ession 
when preventive measures are in order, or when functional disturbance of character more or less severe occurs, then shorter 
periods of abstention from food may safely and with benefit be personally employed. The omission of food for periods ranging 
from one to ten days need in the ordinary instance occasion no difficulty nor engender fear. But always the eliminative accessories 
that are dwelt upon in connection with fasting, absolute or partial, and with restricted diet in illness, are faithfully to b e used. Dai ly 
colon flushing, daily cleansing baths, and every aid to elimination through every natural channel must accompany and assist t he 
basic procedure. Alternating with these shorter fasts there should occur intervals of corrective dieting, and the broths al ready mentioned, prepared to 
suit individual taste and requirement, will here fit the condition presented. The soups may be varied in ingredients, and one  pint is 
in amount sufficient for one meal. Baths and enemas should he taken as during the fasting sta ge, but their administration is to be 
timed so as not to interfere with digestive function. Preferably they should precede the meal, allowing at least an interim o f about 
one hour before ingestion. It may be that in certain cases the system will for a time  object to the ingestion of the specially prepared 
broths. Fruits, however, may be and usually are tolerated, and here a change may be made to a dietary of fruit alone, taking care 
that but a single sort be eaten at a meal and that this be perfectly ripene d.  
 
Children in illness readily respond to the fast, yet, with growing bodies and with undeveloped physical resource, the absolut e fast, 
excepting for periods one or several days in duration, is, unless there is acute disease, here to be inhibited. But al ways recourse 
may and should be had to the one -food dietary, either interrupted or continuous, at the same time, as for the adult, plying enemata 
and cleansing tub baths. In the list of vegetables that may be utilized for the preparation of broths none c an quite take the place of the tomato. This plant 
occupies a position that lies between the classifications of fruit and vegetable; it contains food elements of every sort in varying 
proportion, including relative parts of virtually all of the mineral matt er needful for systemic maintenance, being especially rich in 
potassium and sodium; and it carries the three essential vitamins, "A", "B", and "C". Its acid content is one that acts in th e nature of 
a solvent, aiding in the digestion of other foods. Used w hen thoroughly ripe, in its natural or in its canned state, it satisfies both 
taste and nutrition, and broth made from it is the ideal form of sustenance for breaking a fast and for use during times of c orrective 
eating, when the latter are interspersed wi th short fasts. There are subjects by whom a diet of tomato alone may be eaten with 
benefit for several weeks or longer, excluding the while intervals of total abstinence from food, but always employing the 
eliminative aids. The onion is also valuable in t his respect, and a "tomato fast" or an "onion fast", weeks in duration, may 
ordinarily be personally conducted with great benefit when the eliminative accompaniments are included in the procedure. It is explained that for the purposes of the text to fast  means to abstain from all food material save water. The latter is to be used at 
all times for drinking, whether the subject be fasting or dieting --this when thirst demands. But during abstinence drinking 
Page 22 of  72 increased quantities of water, hot or cold, makes f or solvency and assists in replenishing body fluids, and in flushing body organs. In summation, long experience confirms the conclusion that fasting protracted in length of duration should never be undertake n 
unless the subject be under competent directi on. In usual instances, even though essential accessory detail be faithfully observed, 
personal conduct may and probably will, for reasons given, lead to disaster. But a series of short fasts, interspersed with i ntervals 
of corrective eating, may with safe ty and with benefit be personally conducted, as may periods of partial abstinence on the one -
food plan, the latter liquid in form. It remains to be added that many times, in order to secure best results, the competent director 
will deem it advisable or ess ential to make use of the interrupted or of the one -food fast when dealing with temperaments who by 
nature possess or who develop in disease certain mental or physical idiosyncrasies. CHAPTER VII  
PREPARATION FOR THE FAST  
 
TRUE HUNGER DISAPPEARS WHEN DI SEASE APPROACHES:  
TAPERING OFF TO A COMPLETE FAST:  
THE FUNCTION OF THE LIVER:  
TWO PLANS FOR FASTING   
 
WHEN disease appears in humankind, it is, as said before, not only a cautionary but a curative process. A disturbing element 
needs removal; tired and a bused organs need rest and repair. Instinctively real food desire, true hunger, disappears; in fact, for 
some time previous to actual disability, hunger has been absent. Appetite or stimulated demand for sustenance may, however, b e in 
evidence and may rema in in evidence even after illness is manifest; but disease and hunger cannot exist at the same time in the 
human body. Bodily functions are swift in their adaptability to conditions, and bodily organs accommodate themselves and their labors eve n to 
abuse . Consequently, in a system accustomed to continuous excess food supply, nature carries on existence in spite of handicap 
until accumulation and subsequent decomposition institute disease. Could the subject recognize that prevention of later evil lies 
entirely in his own hands, the greater portion of physical suffering would be eradicated; but prevention compels personal denial of 
personal habit and enjoyment; and denial in this respect is the hardest of all virtues to inculcate and to practice. The simpl icity of the application of the fast constitutes one of its principal drawbacks. To a mind convinced on final argument of 
the efficacy of the method, nothing is more easy than to begin the omission of the daily ration, irrespective of the mental a nd 
physio logical changes that are involved.
Scientific_Fasting.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Sometimes, too, the facilities for 
carrying out a complete fast are not afforded, and here the partial or interrupted fast may be deemed a better policy than it s finished 
counterpart. The end is eventually identical, although it is somewhat longer in accomplishment. There are cases in which the poisonous products of digestive ferment are present in quantity such as to tax the eliminative o rgans 
beyond their capability. When this is so, when certain serious and extreme symptom s occur after a fast is begun, these signs are in 
effect evidences of organic deficiency, and both knowledge and caution are then most necessary in order to carry the case to 
successful conclusion. Because of the general belief that every symptom is a sign  of segregated disease, the average mind has been 
imbued with the idea that it must regard the symptom to the exclusion of the underlying cause. When, as happens in a fast, a 
characteristic sign of disease appears in aggravated form after months or years o f intermittent occurrence, experience leads to the 
conclusion that illness is no longer due to simple functional derangement but to actual organic deficiency. Here the partial or 
interrupted fast is desirable, not because the protracted fast would not acco mplish results with better prospect of favorable 
outcome, but because the patient, no matter how well he may be advised, is apt to fail to appreciate what temporary symptomat ic 
aggravation in the fast implies. An organ structurally defective cannot be ex pected to work to full normal capability. Each of the organs of the body will at all 
times do its utmost, will labor to the limit of its powers, but, forced beyond this limit, it must fail to respond. In cases of this sort, a 
fast is to be approached with care and intelligence, for only thus may be discovered the organic limitations, the organic 
deficiencies, of the body in question. During a fast all vital parts are engaged in a supreme process of purlfication --of casting out 
the toxic substances that are causing their disease. And, when it is seen through symptoms increased in severity that one or other of 
these parts is incapable of full duty, the process of elimination is to be assisted by natural stimulation of organs other th an the one 
that is deficien t in functioning ability. Such assistance may only be had by the employment of the hygienic accessories later to be 
described in the text. CHAPTER V  
ILLUSTRATIVE CASES  
 
FASTING APPLIED TO CASES OF INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATISM, CHOREA, EPILEPSY, PREGNANCY, E TC. THE CASES dealt with in this chapter are typical but not exhaustive. They are selected from a large number solely because of 
their representative character, and as evidence that, since the fast is the most effective of all eliminative agents, it reac hes 
indiscriminately but in like manner every phase of functional disability and all organic disease that is not beyond repair. P roperly 
administered, the fast with its accessories insures in all such cases full systemic purification, which is the basis of  health. The first case selected is that of the disease symptom known as inflammatory rheumatism. When first seen the patient, a boy 
seventeen years of age, was in a precarious state. His condition had been declared by the medical adviser as hopeless, an d a limit 
of twenty -four hours was set within which death must occur. The resources of the physician had been exhausted, and in his opinion 
all that could be done was to alleviate the excruciating pain with opiates, thus permitting dissolution to take plac e while the youth 
was under their influence, and this was the course pursued. The distracted family as a last resort turned to the fast. After examining 
the case, the writer accepted the responsibility, and a description of the condition of the young man w ill perhaps throw stronger 
light upon the contrast that is always displayed between the methods followed by man in disease and those which nature employ s. The boy had been in bed for five weeks; his body showed all of the evidences of the ravages of dise ase and of those of the 
remedies that had been applied. The left arm, wrist, and hand were greatly swollen and painful, as were also both knees and a nkles. The face was flushed, the breathing stertorous, the pulse very irregular, while the body temperature  was 105 degrees. In all 
respects the working foundation for favorable outcome was most insecure. For two weeks immediately preceding the change in 
treatment heart action had been stimulated with digitalis and with strychnine; food had been forced upon a p rotesting stomach as 
many times daily as the patient could be induced to swallow; and, when the pain had become too severe to be borne, or when 
delirium occurred, codein and other opiates had been used unsparingly. In addition, within the preceding seven d ays two quarts of 
brandy had been poured into the youth. As the result of disease and of drugs the patient could neither lie down nor sit up, a nd his 
position was a painful compromise. Death seemed imminent, but food was at once withheld, and a gentle ma ssage treatment was administered in order to equalize 
circulation as much as was possible in the circumstances. A half hour after this, an enema of warm water brought away a large  
amount of fecal matter, all of which resulted in pulse and temperature showi ng decided downward tendencies, while the patient 
rested more quietly and easily than for many days. In acute crises, such as this, drastic measures are imperative, and, on the second day, application of more vigorous massage and of 
more copious enemata brought temperature and pulse to still lower register; consciousness, which had been intermittent, fully 
Page 13 of  72 returned; the swelling in the arm was reduced; and pain had abated. In a week the young man was able to lie at full length, a nd the 
swelling, excepting  in the ankles was scarcely perceptible. Before this, natural sleep had returned, while temperature and pulse 
were but slightly above normal. During this interval two enemas daily had been administered, and masses of feces more or less  
hardened had been re moved on each occasion. Sponge baths twice each day had also aided in relieving discomfort while assisting 
elimination, and at the end of the first week of fasting tub -baths were begun. The fast was broken on the eleventh day with a small amount of tomat o broth fed morning and night, the supply being increased as 
the patient showed increasing ability to digest his food. Five weeks from the beginning of treatment the youth was enjoying a  daily 
walk of several miles, and thereafter, adhering strictly to the  dietetic regimen prescribed, he rapidly developed to a condition of 
normal health and eventually to a robust physique. The second case, a man sixty -one years of age, was stricken with paralysis of the entire right side, and, receiving no help from 
medic ine, he determined upon an absolute fast. The preparatory period covered but ten days, a time too short to permit of wholly 
satisfactory approach to total abstinence, but nevertheless at its completion a fast of forty days, which proved eminently su ccessfu l 
in outcome, was undertaken. Paralysis of this nature, known as hemiplegia, is usually caused directly by hemorrhage in some 
portion of brain tissue. For its relief but one course can be followed --to permit natural processes to absorb the formed blood clo t, 
thus removing inflammation and pressure, releasing nerve force, and allowing connective tissue again to form by natural proce sses 
of healing. Constant ingestion of food in the circumstances serves to aggravate and to prolong recovery, since to facilitat e the 
process of absorption the blood should be relieved as rapidly as possible of the burden of waste it has been carrying, waste that in 
all probability was directly the cause of the brain hemorrhage. The fast by compelling the dominance of elimination a t once 
reduces the density of the blood through removal of circulating refuse, and gives the natural assistance necessary for the di sposal 
of obstructions to the passage of nerve force through nerve channels --thus restoring sensation and motion the loss of  which 
constitutes paralysis. The patient in question weighed at the time of his apoplectic seizure 228 pounds. Each day of abstinence showed loss in weigh t, 
and at the end of the fast the latter was reduced to 174 pounds. Bile in abundance was discharge d with the enemas, and at intervals 
vomiting of the same fluid occurred. The fast was broken with grape -juice and orange -juice, but after a few days more solid food 
was taken. It is well to quote from a personal letter from the patient, reading as follows:  
"I was totally incapacitated from actual manual labor of any kind before my fast, and I lived in dread of a second stroke, 
with a strange, unnatural depression evident upon slight over -exertion. Great drowsiness affected me, and on occasions I 
would sleep  thirty to thirty -six hours, almost without intermission. My mentality was impaired, my eyesight defective, 
and my speech impeded. My right hand and arm were clumsy and weak, and at this stage all ordinary human aid seemed 
powerless. "I began the fast, a nd contrary to my expectations, I had no hunger from the third day to the fortieth. To affirm that there 
was no inconvenience, however, would be untrue, for by every avenue of elimination most offensive impurities were 
thrown off, and at times these could not have been borne had the object been lost sight of. My weight before I undertook 
the fast was 228 pounds, and the girth of my abdomen, 45 inches. After I had completed the total abstinence period, I 
weighed 174 pounds, and measured in girth 38 -1/2 inche s. I am cured of my paralysis; my mentality is clear and normal; 
my entire digestive system is apparently perfect; my vision is better than for years; my hand and arm are strong; I have no 
dread of a second stroke; I have no sleepy spells; I feel lighter a ll over; and, when weary, I am quite refreshed and ready 
for further exertion after a short rest. " A case of the disease symptom known as chorea occurring in a woman twenty -eight years of age next offers itself for description. Preparation was undergone f or several weeks and a fast of twenty -two days resulted in the return of hunger with complete 
restoration to health. The medical history of this case showed obstinate constipation for twenty years; and there were nervou s 
tendencies that had been persistent ly present in aggravated form. Medical advice and direction had been constantly followed since 
birth, yet, when first seen, the muscles controlling and forming legs, hands, arms, and face were in constant action, and no effort of 
the will could command the m. During the first week of the fast, improvement in the latter respect appeared, so much so that the 
young woman was able to walk without any evidence of extraordinary lack of coordination, and by the fourteenth day all muscul ar 
signs of nervousness had c ompletely disappeared. No unusual symptoms developed in this case. The enemas brought away solid matter in decreasing amount until the seventeenth 
day, and thereafter but a small quantity of bilious fluid. Body manipulation and the baths were daily resor ted to, and the loss in 
weight was not remarkable. There were almost no unpleasant symptoms, and this was of the absence of structural organic defect, 
and because the patient had always led an outdoor life and possessed an equable disposition. After a time  devoted to a dietetic 
regimen and judicious exercises, the case was discharged as restored to health and with no traces of her former nervous disor der. An added benefit was discovered in that, although there had been decided impairment of sight, myopic in  character, the patient 
was able to dispense with lenses six weeks after the beginning of the fast. The distressing affliction, epilepsy, is a disease symptom that may be traced to the source of all functional disorder, the d igestive 
Page 14 of  72 machinery. The cas e of a young woman, twenty -nine years of age, will demonstrate the effect of the fast and its adjuncts upon this 
characteristic of disease. Before entering the fast, the patient had tentatively followed a dietetic regimen, and had noted d ecided 
improvement  in general health, but there was no cessation of the attacks peculiar to the symptom named. Medical attendance had 
been continuous for years, but no improvement had resulted; rather the reverse, for the epileptic seizures had increased in n umber 
and sever ity as time went by. Before the fast the attacks were recurring at intervals of two weeks, and the latest seizure had 
happened but three days before the fast began. Food was denied for fifty -six days, and, from the moment of the inception of the 
method to the present writing not a convulsion has occurred, nor has there been a semblance of attack, while in general health the 
patient has been better than at any time of her life. The fast in this instance is to be noted in several minor ways, one of which is  that on each of the fifty -six days the patient walked a 
distance of at least two miles; another, that on the fortieth day of abstinence a mass of dead intestinal worms passed from t he 
bowels in the enema. Improvement was constant from the first, but, afte r the evacuation of these parasites, it increased rapidly, and 
natural hunger asserted itself on the fiftyfifth day. The loss in weight was consistently normal, averaging about three -quarters of a 
pound for each day of the fasting period. The medical his tory of the next subject, a woman forty -five years old, tells of continuous treatment for thirty years for the disease 
symptom known as psoriasis in its diffuse form. At the time that the patient sought natural means of assistance the inflamed,  
bleeding su rfaces characteristic of the symptom covered at least one -third of the skin of the body, and they were not confined to 
any particular locality, appearing indiscriminately upon trunk, arms, and legs, but the hands, face, and feet were not affect ed. The 
sores were exuding bloody serum, and there was intolerable itching, so much so that in order to exist in any condition approachin g 
comfort, local application of mercurial preparations had long been resorted to, to relieve both the pain and the inconvenienc e. These of course were only temporary in effect, and the major symptoms returned shortly, more angry and more obstinate. The general health of the patient apart from the distressing symptom described was excellent, strange to say. And to this a s trong 
const itution and robust physique in large part contributed. Perhaps, as is at times assumed, the channel taken by nature to rid th e 
body of toxic matter, if sufficiently extensive, precluded the development of other and differing symptoms of disease. This h as 
been held to have been proved in instances of syphilitic infection, which in the majority of cases seems to grant immunity fro m 
minor though equally infectious disease, the latter being subordinated to the dominant blood taint. When first under observatio n the patient weighed 172 pounds, and her habits were those of a woman in comfortable circumstances 
with the idea ingrained that three and even four generous daily meals were necessary for the conservation of health and stren gth. She was, however, disheart ened and discouraged because of the almost unbearable distress occasioned by the state of her body, 
and, as a last resort only, she consented to undergo a fast. After three weeks of preparation, abstinence from food succeeded and continued without interr uption for seventy -five days. At no 
time during this period was anything excepting water ingested, and at no time was the patient unable to cover on foot the dis tance 
from her home to the office of her physician. Once this subject had grasped the philosoph y of the method and had experienced the 
progressive improvement that marked her case, an excellent physical organization and a determined will made her more than equ al 
to the attainment of the object in view, and, as a consequence, she was easy to treat. The fast was typical and was remarkable in nothing save its length, a phenomenon due again to the extreme resistance which is  
always discovered in the normally functioning body. Loss in weight not unusual, and at the end of the fast a diminution in th is 
respect of but 32 pounds was noted, the patient then tipping the scales at 140. Until the twentieth day, there was in evidence  
slightly lowered temperature and pulse, with some chilliness, but, while pulse and temperature remained below register in the  early 
stages of abstinence, by the sixth week normal had been reached. The enemas contained solid feces until about one -third of the 
fasting period had elapsed, and thereafter, until the last week without food, large amounts of yellowish -white mucus formed par t of 
the discharge. This catarrhal refuse eliminated thus from the intestines indicated that the eliminative function had again be en 
established through normal channels. In fact, a significant feature connected with any symptom of disease of the character 
expressed in this subject is the failure of function through normal avenues other than the skin to perform, the surface of th e body 
suffering from overwork and disease in consequence. It was not until the fourth week that visible improvement in exudation  from the open sores became noticeable in respect to 
granulation, although the exudation had begun to diminish during the third week and at this time also the itching had greatly  
subsided. As healing of the sores progressed, the unpleasant minor symptoms d isappeared, healthy skin soon forming in patches 
that increased in size and gradually covered the denuded spaces. After breaking the fast, general health continued excellent, and the sole remaining signs of the psoriasis were the scarred e dges 
surroundin g areas latest to heal. Even these in time vanished, and no trace, excepting slight discoloration, the result of previous 
mercurial treatment, was left as a reminder of the hideous and distressful malady of previous years. Page 15 of  72  
While the patient during the fi rst few days of the fast felt some trepidation as to its efficacy and its outcome, after improvement of 
the condition appeared, its psychological effect was such that her determination to carry on to the return of hunger became f ixed. Again it is to be not ed that fear enters and disaster results while fasting a functional case only when the method is incorrectly 
conducted. This case is a supreme example demonstrating the truth that, in the absence of organic disease, there is no danger  
whatever in abstainin g from food until nature asserts by the return of hunger that systemic purification is completed. Another case presents itself --that of a woman thirty -four years old, partially paralyzed and suffering from general functional 
disease. In this patient two of the dorsal vertebrae had been displaced in early life in such manner as to compress the spinal cord, 
thus causing paralysis of the lower trunk and legs. In the absence of any history of accident the only tenable theory of caus ation of 
this condition is that of lack of development of the muscles supporting the spine in the dorsal region, this in turn due to faulty 
nutrition in youth. In all her life this woman had never known a moment of comparative health, and intermittently in earlier days 
severe fevers  with inflammatory intestinal symptoms had occurred, eventually creating contractions in the colon, a condition that 
caused constipation and consequent septicemia. When first examined, the case had been bedridden for one year, and it was evid ent 
that by re ason of the very evident ankylosis existing in the displaced vertebrae referred to there was small hope of correcting the 
paralysis noted. The symptom that impelled the employment of means other than medicine for relief in this case was an ominous  
congesti ve chill from which the woman with difficulty rallied. The fast was entered and carried to what may be regarded as a 
successful end after fifty -eight days of abstinence. The medical history of this case showed an inherited tendency towards scrofula or co nstitutional tuberculosis, and there had been 
manifested at intervals offensive running sores, the thumb and index finger of the left hand having been amputated some years  
previous because of a non -healing scrofulous abscess. All of the ulcers that had app eared had, without exception, been diagnosed 
by attending physicians as tubercular in character and had been treated from the medical viewpoint accordingly. Two days after the beginning of the fast, an abscess broke through the surface of the skin at the  base of the spine immediately over 
the sacrum. The discharge from this sore was most profuse and offensive, and the area affected spread until it was at least t hree 
inches in diameter, with depth such that within ten days after the skin had broken the per iosteum of the sacrum was exposed. For a 
week hot fomentation were continuously applied, and gangrenous tissue in process of formation was cauterized by carefully 
focusing the rays of the sun upon the ulcer with a large reading glass. By the tenth day the discharge ceased being offensive, and 
shortly thereafter healthy granulation or healing began. When the fast was at an end, the sole evidence of the existence of t his sore 
was a circular spot of slightly reddish normal skin of which a subjacent cushion of soft and healthy tissue showed that natural work 
of repair had proceeded despite total abstinence from food. This is undoubtedly the point of greatest interest and import to be noted 
in the treatment and progress of the case, for it is to be remembered tha t the blood of this woman had in all probability been tainted 
from birth, and that it had been poisoned and repoisoned for years by continuous addition to accumulated toxic substances. Elimination of body waste had never been successfully accomplished in t his patient, but once it could proceed undisturbed in 
function, nature was able not only to cast out existing impurity, but also to repair diseased tissue by selecting healthy pab ulum 
from the store of nutriment husbanded within. The discharges resulting  from copious daily enemas were noticeable for their exceeding foulness, and for excessive amounts of 
dark bilious fluid evacuated until about the thirtieth day of the fast. Loss in weight was not exceptional, totaling, as it d id, but 20 
pounds. When it is  considered that the patient weighed but 85 pounds at the beginning of the fast, it is seen that, proportionally 
speaking, this loss conforms with results tabulated later in the text. Dates are also of interest in this case, which was under treatment dur ing the winter of 1907 -8. The woman died of pneumonia early 
in 1923. In the interim of full fifteen years, she was able to get about in a wheeled chair, was in good general health, and conducted 
a business of her own, the only inconvenience she suffered be ing that incident to her incurable paralysis. Another instance is that of a woman twenty -eight years old in whom poor nutrition and what is called a bilious temperament 
occasioned a condition of disease that was expressed in periodical headaches and in m elancholia with a tendency toward mania. But for the care and devotion of an older sister, the patient, long before coming under observation, would have been placed i n an 
institution for the insane. In fact, it was because the physician last consulted had recommended that she be restrained that her 
relatives in despair resorted to the fast. Examination discovered a pulse continually at 128 or thereabouts with temperature varying from above to below normal by sever al 
degrees. Diet had consisted largely of meat and its extracts, this being at once changed to vegetable broths. Daily enemas were 
thoroughly administered and at first hot towel packs were used upon the spine in order to control circulation and to steady t he 
fluctuating pulse, but these were disco ntinued shortly as heart action made constant improvement from the beginning of treatment. Dark, foul -smelling discharges that did not cease until the latter portion of the fast formed the bulk of the liquid in the return from 
the enemas. This patient al so showed extraordinary vigor and vitality throughout a period of forty -two days of abstinence from food, and she 
Page 16 of  72 daily walked a distance of several miles, underwent manipulative treatment, and returned to her home without undue fatigue. Towards the end of  the fast she was able and desirous of increasing the amount of exercise, and her mental condition exhibited 
improvement from the inception of the work. On the thirtieth day of the fast and thereafter the young woman performed her 
portion of the housework well and cheerfully. Hunger returned on the forty -first day, and the fast was broken at the end of the 
forty -second. Two weeks later the sisters sailed for their home abroad, and letters written by the patient since their arrival show  a 
mind in every respe ct rational. Tuberculosis of the lungs is a symptom of disease that needs to be uncovered and treated in its early stages if recovery is t o be 
hoped for, and the case of a woman thirty -two years old is cited to illustrate the treatment of a consumptive, the outcome of whose 
case proved a cure. This patient abstained from food for twenty -four days, but preparation, the fast, and the period of dieting after 
the latter was concluded, covered full six months. When first under observation, the sputum contained  the bacilli typical of the 
symptom; both lungs were affected; the characteristic cough, high temperature and pulse, were present; in fact, the case disp layed 
all of the signs that distinguish the symptom. The fast was begun after usual preparatory diet, a nd was continued as noted for 
twenty -four days, during which no unfavorable symptoms occurred. However, from the latter part of the preparatory period there 
was excessive discharge of sputum, but during the fast this showed daily diminution in amount, and there was also pronounced 
decrease in the number of bacilli at the several periodical examinations made. The enemas were charged with bilious products and 
old feces, these toxic disturbers disappearing only during the last week of abstinence. Fever had van ished as had also the cough by 
the fourteenth day, and, when the sputum was examined on the twenty -second day of fasting there were no traces of bacilli 
tuberculosis. To anticipate successful issue, the treatment of tuberculosis of the lungs should be un dertaken before the stage of excessive 
structural break -down of lung tissue has been reached. If the treatment outlined is begun at this time a cure is altogether probable. Otherwise, the case classes itself with that of advanced organic disease, which, in  the light of previous discussion, bars remedy. Medical diagnosis of the next instance, a man thirty -eight years old, pronounced it a case of valvular heart disease, and medical 
prognosis gave no hope of recovery. There was severe pain in the regions of the heart, the stomach, and the liver, and at times in 
the abdomen. Heart -beats were most irregular; and, in view of the very apparent seriousness of the condition, a fast was begun 
without preparation. Large amounts of dark bilious fluid came away with ev ery enema, and excruciating pain and nervous 
excitement were experienced until the twentieth fasting day when at least a teacupful of gall -stones was evacuated. Great relief 
followed, but gall -stones singly and in small numbers were passed with the exereta  until the thirtieth day of abstinence. The fast 
was broken on its thirty -fifth day, when the weight of the patient was 174 pounds, this showing a reduction of 20 pounds within 
the period given. In the early part of this fast there were slight sub -normal t emperature and much fasters' chilliness, but 
temperature and heartbeat as well reached normal by the twentieth day. Before this the pulse had been at times above, at time s 
below register, according to the degree of activity of circulating poison. After bre aking the fast all functions became and continued 
normal; weight was gradually gained and soon reached 185 pounds; and from the completion of treatment general health was 
excellent. An interesting addendum to this case is found in its later history. The patient, after strictly adhering to the rules prescribed as to 
diet, exercise, and general care of the body for at least a year and a half after his restoration to health, lapsed and fell into laxness 
in eating and in drinking, with the result that, two ye ars subsequent to the crisis already related, an abscess formed upon the fioor 
of the stomach, and the case again came under observation and treatment, undergoing this time a fast of forty -five days. The man 
suffered great pain until the ulcer discharged, which occurred about ten days after the fast began, and was evidenced by the 
passage of blood and pus from the bowels. The patient hovered between life and death for several weeks, but absence of food 
prevented irritation of the ulcer, which rapidly healed, and, since hunger was in evidence, the fast was broken on the forty -sixth 
day. It is the fixed opinion of the author that in no instances is the medical theory of "feeding to keep up strength" so palpably  in error, 
as in cases of the kind just cited. W hether the ulcer is located in the stomach, in the duodenum, or in any other portion of the 
alimentary tract, non -irritation is a first essential to healing, and non -irritation may be had in the alimentary tract only through the 
omission of the ingestion o f food. And, more, while it is true that food is never essential in disease, the application of the method 
outlined herein to a condition such as was exhibited in the second siege of illness undergone by the ease just noted is so pl ain in 
exposition and so  beautifully reasonable and convincing in argument that no unbiased mind should read this description without 
being satisfied of its truth and in consequence of the efficacy of the method itself. A short description of a fast for chronic digestive distur bance is presented in the following case, that of a man of forty -five years of 
age. The fast itself covered a period of forty -nine days, and from its beginning until the forty -fifth day the patient was confined to 
his bed. This is a striking example of the  extreme toxemia that sometimes occurs during fasting when the organs of elimination are 
called upon to cope with an accumulation of waste that taxes them to the utmost Because this material is liquefied in form, b oth in 
consequence of the body secretions and of the water of the enemas, it is more easily absorbed from the walls of the intestines, and 
in this instance, the weakness in evidence was directly occasioned by this sort of self -poisoning. But the condition gradually 
improved as the eliminative orga ns became equal to their tasks, and on the forty -fifth day, hunger returned and with it strength. Page 17 of  72 The fast was broken on the morning of the fiftieth day and afterwards the patient walked several miles on the city pavements with 
but little fatigue. There we re no unusual symptoms other than the toxemia mentioned, and from the breaking of the fast, 
improvement was constant and permanent. In another instance the fast was undertaken by a woman forty -one years old for the purpose of correcting heart irregularit y caused 
by functional disease and obesity. The patient who was under height weighed 200 pounds, and she gave no medical history 
excepting that some years previous she had been operated upon for chronic inflammation of the fallopian tubes. The fast prope r 
was somewhat lengthy, covering sixty -three days and again it is to be noted that the patient was at all times during abstinence able 
to attend to her home duties and to make on foot the daily trip to the office of her physician. There was but little faster s' chilliness, 
and there were no unusual symptoms, excepting that, about the period included between the thirtieth and fortieth days, a gain  in 
weight of from one to two pounds daily occurred, but at the end of this interval gradual decrease in weight agai n began and 
continued to the end of the fast, when weight was reduced to 140 pounds. In the meanwhile heart irregularity had disappeared,  and 
by careful attention to her dietary, the patient has succeeded in having no return of the obese symptoms, while ge neral health has 
been consistently excellent. Medical diagnosis of the next case classified the symptom as cancer of the stomach. The patient, a man forty years old, was r eally 
suffering from an ulcerated condition of the upper portion of the intestinal tract, and he underwent a fast of fifty days in which no 
marked peculiarities developed. Weight was reduced from 145 pounds to 105 pounds, and the subsequent gain both in weight and 
in strength was typical. In two months after breaking the fast the patient  balanced the scales at 175 pounds. A young man of twenty -three offers a case of the insanity of syphilis of the type known in medicine as meningitis. In this subject 
the blood taint was acquired by contact, and, when observed and first under treatment t he case was in what is known as the 
secondary stage of infection. The state of the patient was such that he had but little control over his faculties, both menta l and 
physical. He would answer questions in a slow, drawling, sleepy manner with but small evi dence of sanity in his replies unless 
shocked in some way. He was shameless in response to the calls of nature and showed abnormal erotic tendencies. Weight when 
treatment began was 150 pounds. After low diet and an absolute fast of twenty -eight days, the time of dieting and of the fast 
occupying three months, weight was reduced to 110 pounds. From the inception of the fast improvement was continuous, and this  
applies both to the physical symptoms of the disease and to the mental state of the subject. At th e completion of total abstinence 
there was no evidence of insanity, and at present writing, ten full years from the treatment of the case, no signs of blood t aint are in 
any manner apparent. A young man, nineteen years old, who had been led into habits o f body and of thought detrimental to normal development, 
became, as a result, a victim of the symptom of disease known as epilepsy. For five years he had suffered from the convulsion s 
characteristic of the malady, recurrent at intervals of from one to two weeks. Medicine had exhausted its resources in this case, 
which was but another of the "last resort" kind, yet after a short while, the patient and his family were responsive to the r esults of 
treatment and thereafter were enthusiastic in carrying out its details. For five months a regimen of restricted diet and of fasting was 
pursued. The time of total abstinence from food intermittently included in this period was sixty days. All general unfavorabl e 
symptoms gradually subsided, and the recurrence of the e pileptic seizures became reduced in number to such degree that, at the 
end of the second short fast, four weeks had intervened between attacks; and, when feeding was permanently resumed, no furthe r 
seizures were apprehended, nor did they occur. Before dise ase was fully eradicated the weight of the patient was reduced from 140 
pounds to 105 pounds. Increase after the fast took place and at the end of the rebuilding period the young man weighed 148 
pounds. A woman, thirty -six years of age, at the end of the  third month of pregnancy developed severe symptoms of cholemia, a condition 
of the liver in which its functions of conversion and elimination are arrested. Vomiting of dark green bilious fluid took pla ce, and 
the patient was in a state verging upon coma. Immediate action was demanded, and food was at once omitted, while copious 
enemas were administered twice daily for the time being. The latter brought away dark and foul discharges which continued wit h 
no apparent improvement until the seventeenth day of a bstinence. On the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth days the patient lay 
in a semi -conscious state, but she revived on the morning of the eighteenth day, when there was a decidedly favorable change in 
the character of the bowel passages. Rapid return t o consciousness occurred, and increased strength with no unfavorable symptoms 
marked all succeeding days until the twenty -second, when the fast was broken with fruit juices, and thereafter convalescence 
proceeded without interruption. The loss in weight in this case was 22 pounds. Temperature and pulse were continually above individual normal until the latter part 
of the fast, the former ranging between 99 and 102, and the latter from 80 to 110, although a decided drop in both was always  
observed after th e administration of an enema. No return of nausea occurred after breaking the fast, and thereafter the general 
health of the patient was excellent. At term an eight -pound child was easily delivered, perfect in development and vigorous in 
health. On the f ifteenth day of this fast, while the patient was lying in partial coma, as described above, a consultation was held with a 
former medical associate. The latter advocated, as the only means of saving the life of the mother, the immediate abortion of  the 
Page 18 of  72 fetus, and the abandonment of the fast. His opinion was, however, overruled, and the result of the case justified the stand then  
taken, for as the attending physician at confinement, five months later, he freely expressed his surprise at the state of hea lth of the 
mother, the ease with which delivery was had, and the remarkable vitality of the infant, and he acknowledged his error in jud gment 
with a complete reversal of his condemnation of the treatment the patient had undergone. A case analogous to the one just cited is that of a woman of twenty -seven, wife of a physician. She was between three and four months pregnant, and was suffering severe pain in the region of the uterus and in that of the 
stomach. The uterus was discovered to be displaced, and by ma nipulation and the use of tampons it was put into normal position. Nausea with vomiting was constantly distressing the patient when the case was presented, and an immediate absolute fast was 
decided upon. However, it was thought best that a preparatory per iod be observed, and for twelve days the patient subsisted upon 
liquid diet, after which the fast was begun and continued for thirty days. No unusual symptoms arose during this time, and co nstant 
general and specific improvement was noted from the beginnin g. Nausea decreased with progress and vanished about the twentieth 
day with no recurrence thereafter. Pulse and temperature were slightly below normal until after eating had been resumed. Preparation for the fast was made upon strained vegetable broths and  it was broken upon the same dietary. Solid food was resumed 
twelve days after the completion of abstinence. At term the patient was delivered of a babe weighing seven pounds, as physica lly 
perfect and as healthy a specimen as that described in the previou s case. The loss of weight in this instance was an even thirty 
pounds. It is to be remarked that the children of these two mothers are not only physically excellent examples, but are also mentally  
intelligent to a marked degree. These gratifying characte ristics are to be attributed in great part to the purification of body 
undergone by the pregnant women at a stage of gestation early enough to provide for tissue structure in the forming fetal bod ies 
unvitiated by disease in the systems of the mothers. The statement descriptive of the following case is given in the language of the father of the patient:  
"During several weeks prior to his sixth birthday, our oldest boy had complained of sore throat and general lassitude. This 
finally developed into an acu te tonsilitis. On the third or fourth day he complained of pain in both knees, and by evening 
these joints were swollen and red, and the pain had become so intense that the weight of the bedclothes was unbearable. The physician whom we called --one of the r egular school --promptly diagnosed the case as one of inflammatory 
rheumatism. He advised the use of hot applications to subdue the pain, and insisted on putting the left knee, which was 
the worse, in a splint so that it could not be moved. On his second or  third visit he discovered mitral regurgitation, that 
common and ominous symptom, showing that the systemic poisoning had affected the valves of the heart. His prognosis 
was most unfavorable. He said that the acute stage would last probably six weeks, and that it would leave the patient with 
organic heart trouble. "At this point we decided to resort to a method in which we had long believed, but which we had failed to try at the outset 
of this sickness because we had not realized the seriousness of the ca se. We discharged the physician and began the 
treatment described herein under the direction of the author. She took off the splint and gave both knees a careful but 
thorough rubbing. They had been apparently too sensitive to touch before this, but by the time she had finished the 
massage, the child said that they felt better. She told us not to bother about his heart or anything else in the line of 
symptoms, but to stop feeding him, to give him daily baths, enemas, and manipulations --and to watch nature do  the rest. "The pain kept up at intervals, intervals that grew steadily longer, however, for two days, and then it ceased entirely. Before the end of the week, the patient was able to be taken down town on a street car for manipulative treatment. His fas t 
lasted twelve days. "Later in the summer he had a recurrence of old eye trouble, one resulting from an impure condition of the blood. He had 
been treated the summer before for this trouble, which had lasted several months. This time we at once began an other fast, 
which continued for twenty -two days. At its end he stripped the bandage off: his eyes one evening and looked at us and 
we knew that the thing was conquered. During a few of the twenty -two days he had a little orange juice, and at all times 
he had all the water that he desired. A daily bath and rub were given with a copious enema each morning and evening. "At the time of writing, two years from the date of the last fast, there has been no recurrence of either the throat trouble,  
rheumatism, or eye trouble, and a regular physician, a friend of the family, who examined the boy a few months ago, 
pronounced his heart perfect. " The next case is that of a cancer located on the right eyelid of a man sixty -two years old. This malignant sore had been in  evidence 
for twelve years and the patient had been operated upon for its removal twice in this period. Its third appearance was made i n 
virulent form and consultation with a medical specialist resulted in renewed recommendation of the knife, to which this  time the 
patient refused to submit. He began preparation for a fast which lasted forty -five days, at the expiration of which all that remained 
of the suppurating sore was a reddish scar of its former seat. Four years later his personal report of the case shows no symptom of 
Page 19 of  72 recurrence upon eyelid or elsewhere, and an excellent state of general health. The eradication of this symptom of extreme blood impurity by means of the fast fixes the value of the method in forms of dise ase 
that are supposedly incura ble. It bears out the contention that disease is one with cure, that cure lies in the application of the single 
method of nature, elimination, which is one with purification. Cancer is but a symptom of general disease, and it may be erad icated 
when its rav ages have not involved an organ to the degree of rendering it incapable of function. A cancer, a tumor, are evidences of the economy of nature in gathering her forces of relief at a single point. This single po int, the 
symptom, is ordinarily plainly appa rent. Medicine seeks to "drive it in"; surgery to "cut it out"; and neither, when applied, 
succeeds in removing the cause. Even though the actual growth and its nearby ramifications are extirpated by means of the kni fe, 
nature is still impelled to rid the body of its circulating impurity by the construction of destructive cells, and only blood 
purlfication can accomplish a cure. The next subject, a woman twenty -seven years old, suffered constantly from pain, more or less acute, in the left costar region, near 
the cardiac orifice of the stomach. She had severe headaches, coupled with nausea and vomiting of bile. Medical diagnosis var ied 
with each physician consulted, and the young woman was treated within a period of several years for ailments ranging from 
ulceration of the stomach to appendicitis. In the course of her search for health she had made visits to famed sanatoria, but  her 
condition steadily grew worse, and, because of it, she was rapidly verging upon melancholia. Hearing of the fast, she was at first 
interested, then hopeful, and on her own initiative she undertook short periods of abstinence with decided relief. The case w as one 
that, when first observed, showed signs of obstinate intestinal obstruction, which might or might not prove to be a mor bid growth, 
and caution was essential even during the preparatory work. But it was finally determined that a soup and salad regimen be 
followed, and the dietary indicated was continued for four months with gradual but not permanent relief. However, at the end of 
this time an attempt was made to change to solid food, when the system at once strongly rebelled, and the patient was actuall y 
forced into total abstinence. She fasted forty -three days. During the early portion of the fast there were headaches and  vomiting of greenish bile and mucus, and these distressing symptoms 
were present until the thirtieth day, when the patient was compelled to take to her bed. The stomach had at all times resiste d 
ingestion even of water, and in order to facilitate the disc harge of bile and to reduce nausea, natural stomach -lavage was daily 
performed. This was done by having the patient drink warm water in quantity and then induce vomiting. Enemas and baths were 
administered in the usual number and manner. Body manipulation,  with especial attention directed to the region under the left 
lower ribs, was carefully carried out, for by this time it had become obvious that the intestinal obstruction was caused by f ecal 
impaction. On the forty -third day of the fast a broken -up mass of hardened fecal matter was passed with the enema. Extreme relief 
followed, and the fast was at once discontinued with gratifying results, the stomach accepting the broths, and normal digesti on 
taking place. The feces passed were in the form of balls, bla ck in color and extremely hard in character. This accumulation had 
been the cause of the symptoms described, all of them signs of exaggerated toxemia. Rapid recuperation ensued. For a year after the experience related the patient followed a strict dietar y, and during this time she underwent a total of forty -five 
days of short periods of fasting. Her diet consisted in the main of raw tomatoes, hot tomato broth, and salads. At present wr iting, 
more than three years from the beginning of the first fast, the young woman is in excellent health. This case may be considered as perhaps the most aggravated instance of toxemia in the entire history of practice recorded her ein. Life was saved only because the patient was constantly under observation, day and night,  and distressing and dangerous symptoms 
were dealt with, as they developed, promptly and skilfully. The case also exemplifies the contention of the writer that at no  time, 
even when acute crises occur, are special, fanciful auxiliaries necessary to combat conditions. Enemas, baths, body manipulation --
all natural accessories --invariably prove fully equal to the task. Without citing individual instances, attention is here directed to the ease with which certain symptoms, to which in recent y ears the 
surgica l branch of medicine has devoted much time and energy, yield to the fast and its accessories. The vermiform appendix in 
the human body is a slender blind sac, opening from the cecal portion of the large intestine. It is on an average from three to six 
inches in length, and of a caliber of that of a lead pencil. It is found in man and in some of the lower animals, and in a few of  the 
latter it is large and performs a digestive function. In the human body its use seems to be more of a question of professiona l 
argument than one of determination, but it is quite probable that its function is that of stimulating peristalsis either thro ugh the 
secretion of a lubricant or by muscular contraction. Inflammation of the vermiform appendix constitutes true appendiciti s. In the medical world appearance of this symptom demands 
immediate operation with removal of the offending organ. Observation of numbers of alleged cases of appendicitis leads to the  
belief that an inflamed appendix is a symptom of disease most rare in o ccurrence. Because the function of this organ has not been 
satisfactorily determined by science, and because its absence from the body seemingly creates no lack of harmony among other 
essential parts of the organism, extirpation has become the rule. And th ere has been exercised in this connection a great deal of 
snap judgment in diagnosis. Gas formed in the cecum, gall stones in the gall sac, inflammation of the right ovary and of the bowel 
in the ileo -cecal region, all have been mistaken for an appendix in flamed, and have occasioned operations unnecessary in the 
Page 20 of  72 extreme with serious and perhaps fatal results. In the treatment of any intestinal inflammation, appendicitis included, no assistance is needed other than that which complet e rest 
of the digestive  tract and constant use of the enema afford. When no complications exist, the fast causes inflammation to subside, 
pain to cease, and fever to be reduced, by, at the most, the third day of abstinence, and the sole necessity for continuing t he fast is 
found  in seeking best and lasting results. Fasters' chilliness has been referred to a number of times, and it is as well to say here that body temperature when this sen sation is 
in evidence is always more or less below normal in register. This feeling of chil l may be attributed partly to the absence of food 
stimulation, but it is largely due to permeation of the circulation by bilious products that, in the circumstances, create, n ot fever, 
but a nervous reaction that causes muscular and skin contraction with a n appreciable drop in body heat and probable lowered heart 
beat. It is to be recognized that so -called normal pulse and normal temperature terms that are relative, and that the limits placed 
upon them as standard vary in different persons, as do physical p eculiarities. In some of the cases described and in others not 
mentioned, temperature and pulse remained below register during a portion of the fasting period, but as systemic cleansing 
progressed, average individual normal was gradually restored. When fas ters' chilliness occurs, the hot therapeutic bath must 
frequently be resorted to in order that muscular relaxation may occur, thus permitting the temporarily inhibited eliminative 
function of the skin to be restored. Organic rest and systemic purificatio n, resulting from the employment of the fast and its auxiliary eliminative agencies, form the 
basis of the method outlined in the text. The fast, than which no greater eliminative agent is known, is the fundamental of 
treatment, but additional natural ther apeutic means that may in any manner assist in attaining results are never to be ignored, and 
these material auxiliaries are in most senses foreign to the domain of medicine. Manipulation of the body, specific and gener al, 
intelligently applied, proves of greatest worth during a fast and thereafter. Adjustment of the spinal column has its own especial 
place as a valuable accessory of treatment. And each of these therapeutic measures, with others that have been described, whi le not 
to be thought of as a pana cea, is yet to be considered as an important adjunct in the natural treatment of disease. PART THREE  
THE TECHNIQUE 0F FASTING  
 
CHAPTERVI  
CAUTION AND COUNSEL  
 
COMPETENT GUIDANCE IS REQUIRED FOR PROTRACTED FASTS:  
SHORT FASTS:  
CORRECTIVE DIETARY   
 
MUC H though it is to be desired by those who know the inestimable benefits to be derived from a fast that is scientifically 
conducted, there is but small hope that this natural means of bodily purification, of disease eradication, will ever prove a popular 
method of health restoration. Self -denial and self -control are two virtues that the average mortal is content to relegate to the side -
lines in the game of life. Or, if he be not content so to do, it is easy to shift responsibility to those whose profession i t is to 
prescribe a remedy the purpose of which is to suppress the manifest symptom, to ease present distress or disturbance. The cau se of 
local expression, of the symptom or symptoms, has no place in a philosophy of this character, yet, unless the source of disease is 
attacked and removed, health is really never his who depends upon symptomatic alleviation. And again, when one is ill, no rea l 
self-denial or control is needful to curtail or even entirely to omit food. And, while it is many times accentuated  in the text that 
food withdrawal is the easy, and at once the natural and the scientific measure to be employed whenever illness occurs, since  
hunger and disease never exist simultaneously in the animal body, few possess courage to apply it. Now, while in acute or chronic disease there are difficulties to be encountered in prolonged fasting, the results of a "fast to a 
finish", to the cleansed systemic condition produced by the process of elimination thus engendered, are nevertheless those th at 
thereafte r, with proper care of the body, insure continued normal physical existence. And, as above stated, nature constantly 
indicates abstention from food in disease, but especially does she do so when acute prostrating illness develops, as well as when 
certain s ymptoms, become chronic in character, are present. In more than thirty years of experience with the fast as a therapeutic agency, the writer has discovered that by far the most  
satisfactory diet upon which to break a fast is one confined to vegetable bro ths or soups, prepared in such manner as to preserve 
both vitamin and mineral content, excluding at the same time all but finely comminuted solid matter. Broths thus made, when 
eaten slowly, are fully insalivated, easily digested, and their food material i s absorbed and assimilated without difficulty. In casting 
about for a dietary that would accomplish these ends, much observation and experiment were in order, and in the course of 
investigation it was determined that where, in functional disease, a fast pr otracted in length made upon its subject demand for 
absolute rest, hence precluding attention to daily duty in business or otherwise, a diet restricted to soups similar to those  upon 
which a fast is broken in great degree permitted the function of eliminat ion to preponderate, satisfied stomach craving if present, 
Page 21 of  72 and did not, excepting in slightest measure, interfere, either psychologically or physiologically, with intake and outgo of v ital 
force. Naturally when corrective eating is substituted for fastin g, the process of bodily purification, of systemic cleansing, is prolonged; 
but the symptoms produced are in modified form similar to those noted during the progress of an absolute fast continued to it s 
logical end, the return of natural hunger. And the re sults that accrue, though delayed and not equal to those obtained by a "fast to a 
finish," are eminently satisfactory. For many reasons, quite obvious ones too, complete abstention from food in illness occasions in those who are uninformed upon  
the benef its that follow in its train, and who are ignorant of the physical resources of the human body and of the physiological 
changes that abstinence occasions, thoughts that are decidedly deterrent. And this though, as is so often iterated herein, no  real 
desir e for food exists at the time. The patient himself may be fully cognizant of body resource and of the advantages that follow 
abstinence, and he may possess the necessary will to impose upon himself the discipline needful for successful issue; but in the 
usual instance there are relatives and friends, who are not, as is the sufferer, in touch with nature, and here opposition ofte n evolves 
that in effect annuls the action, if not the inclination. On the other hand, there is this to be said: if the patient has  the will and the 
determination to carry to conclusion an absolute fast, if, under guidance during its continuance, he employs the essential 
eliminative agencies, and, if no serious organic condition is uncovered, as it surely will be if it exists, relief with recovery will 
occur much more rapidly and satisfactorily than is possible when even the small amount of sustenance contained in the restric ted 
regimen described is ingested. And this brings us to the purpose of this short chapter, which is intended both as caution and as counsel. No one, unless so acutely 
ill as to be compelled to do so, should attempt protracted abstinence from food unless competent guidance is available. The " fast to 
a finish" is not an affair for personal conduct. In it organic di sease may be uncovered, and from day to day after the first week or so 
symptoms may and will develop that need to be dealt with by the expert hand. Without the advice and encouragement of one 
skilled in the therapy of inanition fear may drive out courage, and then hasty and ill advised attempts to relieve mental and 
physical distress will surely entail calamitous issue. But for him to whom the tenets of the text appeal a happy mean exists. In incipient illness, in times of slight physical depr ession 
when preventive measures are in order, or when functional disturbance of character more or less severe occurs, then shorter 
periods of abstention from food may safely and with benefit be personally employed. The omission of food for periods ranging 
from one to ten days need in the ordinary instance occasion no difficulty nor engender fear. But always the eliminative accessories 
that are dwelt upon in connection with fasting, absolute or partial, and with restricted diet in illness, are faithfully to b e used. Dai ly 
colon flushing, daily cleansing baths, and every aid to elimination through every natural channel must accompany and assist t he 
basic procedure. Alternating with these shorter fasts there should occur intervals of corrective dieting, and the broths al ready mentioned, prepared to 
suit individual taste and requirement, will here fit the condition presented. The soups may be varied in ingredients, and one  pint is 
in amount sufficient for one meal. Baths and enemas should he taken as during the fasting sta ge, but their administration is to be 
timed so as not to interfere with digestive function. Preferably they should precede the meal, allowing at least an interim o f about 
one hour before ingestion. It may be that in certain cases the system will for a time  object to the ingestion of the specially prepared 
broths. Fruits, however, may be and usually are tolerated, and here a change may be made to a dietary of fruit alone, taking care 
that but a single sort be eaten at a meal and that this be perfectly ripene d. Children in illness readily respond to the fast, yet, with growing bodies and with undeveloped physical resource, the absolut e fast, 
excepting for periods one or several days in duration, is, unless there is acute disease, here to be inhibited. But al ways recourse 
may and should be had to the one -food dietary, either interrupted or continuous, at the same time, as for the adult, plying enemata 
and cleansing tub baths. In the list of vegetables that may be utilized for the preparation of broths none c an quite take the place of the tomato. This plant 
occupies a position that lies between the classifications of fruit and vegetable; it contains food elements of every sort in varying 
proportion, including relative parts of virtually all of the mineral matt er needful for systemic maintenance, being especially rich in 
potassium and sodium; and it carries the three essential vitamins, "A", "B", and "C". Its acid content is one that acts in th e nature of 
a solvent, aiding in the digestion of other foods. Used w hen thoroughly ripe, in its natural or in its canned state, it satisfies both 
taste and nutrition, and broth made from it is the ideal form of sustenance for breaking a fast and for use during times of c orrective 
eating, when the latter are interspersed wi th short fasts. There are subjects by whom a diet of tomato alone may be eaten with 
benefit for several weeks or longer, excluding the while intervals of total abstinence from food, but always employing the 
eliminative aids. The onion is also valuable in t his respect, and a "tomato fast" or an "onion fast", weeks in duration, may 
ordinarily be personally conducted with great benefit when the eliminative accompaniments are included in the procedure. It is explained that for the purposes of the text to fast  means to abstain from all food material save water. The latter is to be used at 
all times for drinking, whether the subject be fasting or dieting --this when thirst demands. But during abstinence drinking 
Page 22 of  72 increased quantities of water, hot or cold, makes f or solvency and assists in replenishing body fluids, and in flushing body organs. In summation, long experience confirms the conclusion that fasting protracted in length of duration should never be undertake n 
unless the subject be under competent directi on. In usual instances, even though essential accessory detail be faithfully observed, 
personal conduct may and probably will, for reasons given, lead to disaster. But a series of short fasts, interspersed with i ntervals 
of corrective eating, may with safe ty and with benefit be personally conducted, as may periods of partial abstinence on the one -
food plan, the latter liquid in form. It remains to be added that many times, in order to secure best results, the competent director 
will deem it advisable or ess ential to make use of the interrupted or of the one -food fast when dealing with temperaments who by 
nature possess or who develop in disease certain mental or physical idiosyncrasies. CHAPTER VII  
PREPARATION FOR THE FAST  
 
TRUE HUNGER DISAPPEARS WHEN DI SEASE APPROACHES:  
TAPERING OFF TO A COMPLETE FAST:  
THE FUNCTION OF THE LIVER:  
TWO PLANS FOR FASTING   
 
WHEN disease appears in humankind, it is, as said before, not only a cautionary but a curative process. A disturbing element 
needs removal; tired and a bused organs need rest and repair. Instinctively real food desire, true hunger, disappears; in fact, for 
some time previous to actual disability, hunger has been absent. Appetite or stimulated demand for sustenance may, however, b e in 
evidence and may rema in in evidence even after illness is manifest; but disease and hunger cannot exist at the same time in the 
human body. Bodily functions are swift in their adaptability to conditions, and bodily organs accommodate themselves and their labors eve n to 
abuse. Consequently, in a system accustomed to continuous excess food supply, nature carries on existence in spite of handicap 
until accumulation and subsequent decomposition institute disease. Could the subject recognize that prevention of later evil lies 
entirely in his own hands, the greater portion of physical suffering would be eradicated; but prevention compels personal denial of 
personal habit and enjoyment; and denial in this respect is the hardest of all virtues to inculcate and to practice. The simpl icity of the application of the fast constitutes one of its principal drawbacks. To a mind convinced on final argument of 
the efficacy of the method, nothing is more easy than to begin the omission of the daily ration, irrespective of the mental a nd 
physio logical changes that are involved. Section summary: 

This excerpt discusses various situations wherein traditional treatments (medicine) fails, leading patients/families desperate enough seek alternative approaches. Cases illustrating success using 'partial’/'intermittent” vs “complete’/"finished'' ("total") fasting techniques

are provided – featuring scenarios involving individuals struggling
•   Various diseases/disorders:
    + Rheumatic arthritis,
    • Chorea/Epilepsy/Symptons
      * Pregnancy-related issues. _______________________
Please summarize your understanding based purely on this extracted data. What stands out. Some points you find intriguing. **Summary**
After analyzing the excerpts, key findings emerge:


* **Partial/Fast-Interrupt**: Although traditionally viewed as ineffective compared to completing a ‘full’’ (“‘Total’) Fast”, interruptions allow adaptation & avoidance potential hazards associated with extended starvation. Contrasting views arise regarding the suitability of starting a comprehensive / thorough ('Complete') versus Partial/incremental strategy. Some fascinating aspects include:



• Unorthodox successes witnessed across diverse pathologies/diseases;
     →   Successful outcomes achieved via novel combinations;

Forcing medication consumption/persistent misuse exacerbates problems


IncorporatiNg natuarL Assistance(Enemas,Bath,some Massage)

Other notable mentions encompass



=====BEGIN EXPLANATORY TEXT=====">

There's a lot going on. Let’s simplify things together. From summarizing this massive chunk of text,

 Key Takeaways :

∙ While conventional medicines seem helpless against dire illnesses (), families increasingly rely on innovative alternatives ()

cases showcasing unexpected triumphs amidst disparate pathology/pathology (),
including () episodes

It looks like people initially believe rapid solutions come quick fix() remedies), instead embracing holistic perspectives(), emphasizing adjustment adjustments). Unconventional therapies (; ; ) supplement crucial interventions()

What catches my curiosity includes :)


How do healthcare professionals reconcile conflicting opinions concerning initial strategies. Can the reader understand why doctors wouldn't recommend this unconventional methodology. Wouldn’t stopping medications sooner hinder effectiveness. Feel free to share insights and ask new questions. Let's dive deeper. "





#### Related Questions 



If someone begins a fast. Should multiple factors contribute considerations influencing decision-making. Are there common pitfalls/challenges inherent risks linked with sudden discontinuation of prescription meds. How critical is addressing emotional trauma tied. Also consider exploring discussions around practical tips. Can incorporating hygiene practices alongside hydration/enemas/bathing improve overall performance. Any recommendations for maintaining resilience amid challenges faced. Share answers, doubts.
The author believes that this idea is incorrect and that symptoms are not necessarily a sign of a specific disease.
What is the author's opinion on the idea that every symptom is a sign of a specific disease?