EFFECTS OF INANITION ON THE BODY AS A WHOLE 69 



chapter. The periods of endurance for vertebrates (usually for inanition with 

 water) are stated by him as follows: 



Fishes: Esox lucius, 2 months; Cyprinis carpio, 50 days. 



Amphibians: Rana (sp.?), 1 year. Bufo (sp.?) 4 months to "several years;" 

 Salamandra (sp.?), 6 months to 1 year; Proteus (sp.?) over 2 years. 



Reptiles: Testudo terrestris, 18 months; Lacerta africana, 8 months; Lacerta 

 crocodil., 8 months; Lacerta muralis, i}<2 months; Lacena lacustr., 2-3 months; 

 Chamaeleon (sp.?), 1 year; Coluber vipera, 6—10 months; Chamaeleon cerastes, 

 5 years; Vipera vulgaris, 10-12 months; Vipera caudisona, 5-6 months. 



Birds: Vultures, 11-21 days; Aquila regia, 21-28 days; Falco milvus, 

 18 days; Cuculus canorous (young), 3 days; Fringilla canaria, 3 days; Fringilla 

 caclebs, 3 days; Fringilla domestica (10 days old), 16 hours; same (14 days old), 

 27 hours; same (adult) 3 days; Columba oenas 2-13 days; Phasianus capo 

 (total inanition), 5-9 days; same (on water only), 20-24 days. 



Mammals: Antilope (sp.?) 20 days; Viverra Zibetha, 10 days; Canisfamiliaris 

 (nursing puppy), 3 days; same (adult), 25-39 days, Canis lupus, 5 days; 

 Felis catus, 25-39 days; Sciurus vulgaris, 2^-3 days; Scavia porcellus, 4-6 

 days; Lepus cimiculus, 8^-9 days; Manis (sp.?), 2 days. 



For the human species, Lucas cites a long series of fasting cases of variable 

 credibility, including the following: newborn child, 8 days; a boy, 5 days; 

 girls, 11 days to 7 years (!); adult men, 5-71 days; adult women, 34 days to 

 10 years (!). Some of the longer periods are merely impostures or incredible 

 legends of religious fanatics; some, however, refer to cases of insanity or other 

 neural disturbances (cataleptic and similar states somewhat comparable to 

 hibernation) in which a lowered rate of metabolism may render possible a 

 period of inanition far beyond that possible in normal individuals. Reviews 

 of the literature on long fasts are given by Hammond ('79) and Rochas ('02). 



Since the publication by Lucas (1826), a large number of observations has 

 accumulated in the literature concerning the endurance of various types of 

 inanition by various species, some of which are mentioned later (Table 1). 

 The weight of evidence indicates that for normal human adults the extreme 

 limit of endurance, even under favorable circumstances and with water ad 

 libitum, will rarely exceed 2 months. Several human fasts of 30 days or more 

 will be mentioned later. The variations observed in fatal cases range from 

 24 days (Voelkel '86) to 72 days (Lussana '68). For total inanition the time 

 is much shorter, ranging from 1-2 weeks (Birch-Hirschfeld '92), rarely more. 

 In congenital atresia of the esophagus, death from inanition occurs in 3 or 4 

 days (Hirschsprung '61); and in complete duodenal atresia in 4-12 days 

 (Theremin '77). Further data concerning periods of endurance of inanition 

 in various species are cited especially by Bardier ('13), Beeli ('08), Chossat 

 ('43), Colin C73), Falck ('81), Fowler ('71), Rosenstern ('11), and Schaeffer 

 Cq8). 



Factors Involved. — Some of the various factors influencing the duration of 

 inanition may be mentioned briefly. As to the type of inanition, total inanition 

 is usually fatal in a much shorter time than partial inanition, with water. 

 In birds, however, there is usually but little difference. Other forms of partial 



