food; in other
words, _starvation_. Dr. Chestnut also has stated that the case
was taken out of his hands, and Ritter installed as medical
adviser, by what was virtually a dismissal. Dr. Chestnut was
summoned again when the condition of the woman became critical,
after twenty-five days of fasting, but she became rapidly weaker
with violent convulsions and vomiting, and was beyond medical
aid.

"She had never been treated for cancer of the stomach, which
Ritter says he thinks she may have had, although she had a
valvular affection of the heart which had existed for some time.
But the fact that the cause of her death was officially attested
by the family physician as due to her long fast contradicts
flatly the position taken by the self-constituted healer, who
made the following statement last night:

"'I have seen all the members of Mrs. Meyer's family to-day, and
they are entirely satisfied that my treatment was in no way
responsible for her death. I was called in at their urgent
request, as their own relatives were numbered among the cures to
the credit of the fasting treatment, as well as Mr. Thress. I
accept no money for my work; they knew it was a labor of love,
and the family physician, Dr. Chestnut, agreed with them as to
the advisability of this system which they had seen tested.

"'Mrs. Meyer improved rapidly for a time, her chronic rheumatism
causing her less trouble than in years, after the first three
weeks of fasting. She had been treated previously for catarrh of
the stomach, and it is probable that a cancer afflicted her. I
am using no new system. The method has been used with very
notable success by Dr. Edward H. Dewey, of Meadville, whose
reputation and standing are distinguished. This is the first
case I have lost out of twelve patients who had been given up as
hopeless by regular physicians. It is Nature's cure, nothing
more; but it was applied too late in the case of Mrs. Meyer.'

"Dr. Chestnut would not allow himself to be quoted because of
the rigid rules of medical ethics. It may be stated, however, in
addition to what has been said, that he does not wish to be
considered as having encouraged the experiment, and that the
death certificate defined his view of the responsibility."

A verdict on the part of the doctor _without a post-mortem_.

Aga