The No Breakfast Plan and the Fasting-CureDewey, Edward Hooker
Science
The No Breakfast Plan and the Fasting-Cure
Dewey, Edward Hooker
Fasting; Nutrition
"'I have received your letter of the 9th inst., and at last find
time to fulfil the request for a statement. In regard to my
_wonderful cure_ through "The New Gospel of Health," I would
state that the second week after Christmas, 1898, I first had a
paralyzing effect which affected the right side of face, body,
and limbs, also tongue, which nearly prevented my speaking. This
passed over and I again began working at my position as milliner
in a large establishment, and after a short while became so
dizzy and confused that I was compelled to ask my friends to
direct me home. (This was around Easter, 1899.) I was then taken
to a doctor, who at once requested me to stop working, and to
take a _complete rest_, but not for the stomach, as he
prescribed a severe and exacting master to stimulate the _tired
and overworked stomach_ to _renewed life_, and so give the
nerves plenty of pure food, as they were in need of same. I
then, after getting a ravenous hunger, weakened myself still
more and became worse. My stomach felt numb and paralyzed, as
did also my other internal organs, but this was put down against
me as an illusion. So a _professor of nervous diseases_ was
called in consultation, owing to my many desires to die (as life
had no sunshine, flowers, or music for me); I was simply living
a living death of torture which these professors would have were
illusions. My parents were then informed that I must be sent to
an asylum, where I was for ten long weeks. _They_ also told me
that my feelings were illusions, and proceeded to banish the
same by giving the _tired-out nerves a little rest_ and _plenty
of nourishment_ on a _five-meal_ plan per day. If refused (owing
to a loss of appetite), I was threatened to have nature helped
by the aid of a stomach or nasal tube. I lost none of my
illusions while there, as I could not feel any improvement in my
feelings. I left the institution June 28, 1899, feeling no
better; in fact, worse than when I arrived there. I was then
taken from one doctor to another, the one wishing to operate,
the other not; one advising me to go to the seashore, country,
etc., but _none_ to give my stomach the needed vacation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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