3 Doctors Urge Chavez to Consider Ending Water-Only Fast

Three doctors examined Cesar Chavez on Monday and urged the farm labor leader to consider ending his nearly monthlong fast.

“We are extremely concerned about the possibility of irreversible damage to his health,” the physicians said in a prepared statement. “The longer he continues his water-only fast, the closer he comes to reaching the point where his life will be in danger.”

According to one of the three, Dr. Marion Moses, Chavez told them “he’ll think about it.”

She added that Chavez, whose fast was in its 30th day, has not suffered irreversible damage even though he has lost 30 pounds, 17% of his original 174-pound weight.

But the joint statement signed by her, Dr. Fidel Huerta and Dr. Augusto Ortiz said Chavez was weak, dizzy, his uric acid level remained high and he was having increasing difficulty maintaining proper fluids and electrolites.

Chavez began his fast to call attention to the UFW’s boycott of California table grapes.