Fasting fakir flummoxes physicians

[Bozo Erectus]

Doctors and experts are baffled by an Indian hermit who claims not to have eaten or drunk anything for several decades - but is still in perfect health.

Prahlad Jani, a holy man, or fakir, who is over 70 years old, has just spent 10 days under constant observation in Sterling Hospital, in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad.

During that time, he did not consume anything and "neither did he pass urine or stool", according to the hospital's deputy superintendent, Dr Dinesh Desai.

Yet he is in fine mental and physical fettle, say doctors.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3236118.stm

Do you think this is possible? Is it an elaborate hoax? Im keeping an open mind about it, but I think more than 10 days under observation would make it more conclusive either way.

 

[thestonesfan]

I once went 16 days, 5 hours. without passing stool. And there are ways to hide urinating. You don't want to know how, but there are ways.

 

[RoddyVR]

how much you wanna bet that the guy is on an IV?
a hospital cant "starve" a person, cause he'll sue them (or something) so he's proly on an IV.
if he aint eaten for a while then there's no place for "stool" to come from. and as for urinating, well, se theStonesFan's post.

 

[jpowers]

He's got a cheeseburger concealed under that beard.

 

[floppa21]

Sweet! Think of the money saved on food and toilet paper. Think of the time saved not eating or crapping or wiping or pissing... I like this. If I could go the rest of my life without crapping, I'd be a happy man.

 

[stratego]

There's gotta be something in the mouthwash that he absorbed. But still it's amazing that he went 10 days without eating and drinking, (I can't go 10 minutes w/out a snack).

Think of the time saved not eating or crapping or wiping or pissing

Yea, but more time would be wasted on meditating so that you don't have to eat and crap.

 

[Zamphyr]

Pretty strange.....


but great thread title

 

[Archer 007]

I doubt its true.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

People used to say firewalking was a miracle of psychology too.

 

[Eastern Knight]

Those Indians always do this kind of things, it's not surprising.
Can't explain it.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Originally posted by floppa21
If I could go the rest of my life without crapping, I'd be a happy man.

Well, we werent able to achieve a paperless society after all, maybe a crapless society is more attainable
Seriously though, part of me is willing to accept that this MIGHT be possible, because the mind is what controls the body and if you control your mind the body follows. But I think this also would violate the laws of physics wouldnt it? His body is consuming resources and they would have to be replenished somehow wouldnt they? Its like the Third Law of Whatchamacallit or something (conservation of matter?)

 

[floppa21]

Well the hole in the roof of his mouth (which I took to be connected to his sinuses and nasal cavity) supplies him with the moisture condensation he needs to stay alive right? But yah, the body would burn fat and muscle, and would require some sustenance even if all you did was sit crosslegged without moving all day. Whatever. I bet a bullet would still kill him.

 

[philippe]

Thats incredible.The human body can do much....

 

[cgannon64]

Its obvious that he lived without eating, drinking, crapping, or peeing for 10 days. They videotaped him. I can think of alot of ways to hide urinating, but none of which would escape a camera. They said his body absorbed the urine, anyway.

He probably didn't go decades without eating, but I'd say he did go 10 days without drinking, which is still quite a feat.