Page:Linda Hazzard - Fasting for the cure of disease.djvu/281

 symptoms was concerned. This fact is held to be proved in instances of syphilitic infection, for here all outward evidences of disease are invariably subordinated to the direct blood taint.

When first under observation 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 meals daily were necessary for the preservation of health and strength. She was, however, discouraged and disheartened because of the intolerable distress occasioned by the state of her body, and, as a last resort, considered what, to her, meant living death, the fast.

After three weeks of preparation, the period of abstinence began, and continued without interruption for 75 days. At no time during this interval was any food ingested and at no time was the patient unable daily to cover on foot the distance from her home to the place of osteopathic manipulation. Undoubtedly this was partly due to her magnificent physical organization, as well as to a will power equal to the attainment of the object in view. As a consequence the case was easy to treat and, with the gradual