The fasting doctor in New York is now believed to
have con- tinued without any food, except whatever may be contained in water, for thirty-two days, in which period of time he has lost weight to something like the amount of a pound a day. He still drives out, but is feeble, and cannot, apparently, endure the irritation of ordinary visitors, so that only the medical men and the reporters see him. It is said that he is not yet in any way emaciated, and that the pressure of the blood in the pulse is full and satisfactory. The experiment seems to us a very foolish one, but being voluntary and spontaneous, we must say we think it far preferable to cruel experiments on animals which have no choice given them whether they will or will not endure severe suffering for insignificant results. If " scientific experiments on the living" are to continue, we trust that Dr. Tanner's manly example will set the fashion for the future. To torture yourself on the chance of increasing scientific knowledge may be noble, even though fruitless. To torture innocent victims is certainly ignoble.
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