114 OF FOOD, AND THE DIGESTIVE PROCESS. 



a remarkable degree of vigor was sustained for upwards of eighteen years, 

 upon no other nutriment than 16 oz. of flour (containing about 14 oz. of dry 

 solids) made into a pudding with water, no other liquid of any kind being 

 taken. There are probably few, however at least among those whose avo- 

 cations require much mental or bodily exertion who could long persevere 

 in such a diet. Still it is certain that life with a moderate amount of vigor 

 may' be preserved for some time on a very limited allowance of food ; this 

 appears from the records of shipwreck and similar disasters. In regard, 

 however, to those who have been stated to fast for a period of months or even 

 years, taking no nutriment, but maintaining an active condition, it may be 

 safely asserted that they were impostors, probably possessing unusual powers 

 of abstinence which they took means to magnify. 



70. Of the quantity which can be devoured at one time, this is scarcely 

 the place to speak; since such feats of gluttony only demonstrate .the extra- 

 ordinary capacity which the stomach may be made to attain by continual 

 practice. Many amusing instances are related by Captain Parry in his 

 Arctic Voyages; in one case a young Esquimaux, to whom he had given 

 (for the sake of curiosity) his full tether, devoured in four-and-twenty hours 

 no less than 35 Ibs. of various kinds of aliment, including tallow candles. 

 A case has more recently been published of a Hindoo, who can eat a whole 

 sheep at a time; this probably surpasses any other instance on record. The 

 half-breed voyayenrs of Canada, according to Sir John Franklin, and the 

 wandering Cossacks of Siberia, as testified by Captain Cochrane, habitually 

 devour a quantity of animal food which would be soon fatal to any one un- 

 used to it. The former are spoken of as very discontented, when put on a 

 short allowance of 8 Ibs. of meat a day; their usual consumption being from 

 12 to 20 Ibs. That a much larger quantity of food than that formerly speci- 

 fied, may be habitually taken with perfect freedom from injurious conse- 

 quences, under a particular system of exercise, etc., appears from the ex- 

 perience of those who are trained for feats of strength, pugilistic encounters, 

 etc. The ordinary belief that the Athletic constitution cannot be long main- 

 tained, appears to have no real foundation; nor does it appear that any ulti- 

 mate injury results from the system being persevered in for some time. That 

 "trained" men often fall into bad health on the cessation of the plan, is 

 probably owing in part to the intemperance and other bad habits of persons 

 of the class usually subjected to this discipline. The effects of trainers' regi- 

 men are hardness and firmness of the muscles, clearness of the skin, capa- 

 bility of bearing continued severe exercise, and a feeling of freedom and 

 lightness (or "corkiness") in the limbs. During the continuance of the 

 system, it is found that the body recovers with wonderful facility from the 

 effects of injuries; wounds heal very rapidly; cutaneous eruptions usually 

 disappear. Clearness and vigor of mind, also, are stated to be results of 

 this plan. 1 The injurious effects observed in those who suddenly engage in 

 trials of strength and endurance, as in rowing, running, and gymnastics, are 



1 The method of training employed by Jackson (a celebrated trainer of prize 

 fighters in modern times), as deduced from his answers to questions put to him by 

 John J3ell, was to begin on a clear foundation by an emetic and two or three purges, 

 lieef and miiUo.ii, the lean of fat meat being preferred, con.-tituted the. principal food ; 

 veal, lamb, and pork were said to be less digestible ("the last purges some men "). 

 Fish was said to be a " watery kind of diet :" and is employed by jockeys who wish to 

 reduee weight by sweating. Stale bread was the only vegetable' food allowed. The 

 quantity of fluid permitted was :!.', pin Is JUT dion but fermented liquors were strictly 

 forbidden. Two full meals, with a light supper, were usually taken. The quantity 

 of exercise employed was very considerable, and such as few men of ordinary .-trengtli 

 could endure ThU account corresponds very mueh with that which Hunter gave 

 of the North American Indians, when about to set forth on u long march. 



