New York _Sun_:

"The strange case of Milton Rathbun, of Mt. Vernon, who, to
reduce his flesh and generally tone up his system, is said to
have gone without food of any sort for thirty-six days, still
continues to be the subject of more or less discussion among the
medical men of the city. Dr. George F. Shrady, in speaking last
evening of Mr. Rathbun's remarkable exploit, said:

[Illustration: MR. MILTON RATHBUN,

SHORTLY AFTER HIS FAST.]

"'There are three things to say about it. In the first place,
the fact, if it be a fact, as it seems to be, is astonishing;
secondly, it was very foolish; and thirdly, it would be a very
unfortunate and dangerous thing to popularize such experiments.
Now as to whether the gentleman in question actually did go
thirty-six days without taking nourishment of any sort is a
matter I will not discuss. If he were a professional faster, I
would hardly hesitate to say his claim was fraudulent, for I am
fully convinced that all the professional fasters are frauds.
They are simply adept sleight-of-hand men. They work out some
adroit trick by which they may get nourishment into their
systems in spite of the always more or less negligent or
suspicious watchers, and then advertise for a forty days' or
sixty days' 'fast.'

* * * * *

"'Now, mind you, I do not say this Mt. Vernon case is anything
of this sort. I only say that if it is true it is most
astounding. It is in flat contradiction of all the authorities
on the subject of a human being's ability to do without food.
The extreme limit of all well-authenticated cases of total
abstinence from nourishment is from nine to ten days. Imprisoned
miners have been known to go that time and survive.

* * * * *

"'But at all events it was a very foolish thing for Mr. Rathbun
to do. About that there can be no manner of doubt. What will be
the future effect upon him--upon his heart action, upon his
impoverished blood, upon his nervous system, upon his organs of
nutrition, necessarily paralyzed for days? These are grave
questions, the answers to which may be unpleasant to Mr. Rathbun
as they reveal themselves to him in the future. You cannot fly
in the face of Nature and ignore all her laws in that way with
impunity. She exacts her penalties and