The Forty-Five Day Fast of a Welsh Miner
Seeking a cure for chronic throat trouble, a local man attempts an extreme medical fast under the guidance of a physician.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
For fifty-three days the Reverend H. Hughes, pastor of the Welsh church here, has taken no food. Mr. Parry’s long fast was taken upon advice of a physician, who is treating him for a chronic throat trouble. He began on Monday, May 18, and has taken no nourishment of any description, ever sipping water freely, but for the last few weeks has taken it only in small quantities. Mr. Parry is extremely weak but he believes that his harsh treatment will relieve his trouble. He is 62 years old.
“Mr. Parry is extremely weak but he believes that his harsh treatment will relieve his trouble.”
This story highlights a time when medical desperation drove patients to extreme, unverified dietary interventions—a precursor to today’s wellness culture where 'biohacking' and restrictive diets often promise cures for chronic illness without rigorous clinical oversight.
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