The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-07-02


seventy or eighty in the short space of an
hour ;the young and old scrambling for plac
es to see well, as if they had been at play.
She also observed, that to see two or three
cart loads of dead and perfectly naked bod
les go by her window in the course of a
morning was no uncommon circumstance.
English Magazine.
TEMPERANCE.-BY A PHYSICIAN.
Having intimated in my former number,
that incorporate eating is no less criminal
! nor less destructive to health, than excess
sive drlnk1ng, must now pursue this sub
IJect with as much brevity as is consistent
with perspicuity.
Eating too fast is one Of the greatest evils
in IFS effects upon health. Thousands suf-
fer the tortures Of dyspepsia or indigestion,
from this cause alone; and | have cured
scores by simply requiring them to sit an
hour at table for each meal, thus affording
time for them TO chew their food Indeed,
this very distressing malady, which is ac-
conpanled by a train Of symptoms I'M
pleasant the extreme, is seldom produc-
ed by any other cause than that of eating
too fast or eating too much, and the latter
grows out Of the former invariably.
The necessity of mastication, or the pro-
| cess OF chewing, and thereby mixing with
the appropriate juices of the mouth, may
be argued by the structure of the organs
concerned, but must be obvious even at
superficial glance, from the circumstance
that this state of admixture with the saliva
is indispensable to the process of digestion.
Now, although digestion in the human
body resembles very much in its sensible
phenomena, the process of fermentation
and putrefaction, yet it is essentially differ
ent from both. Indeed, so great is this
difference, that either of these latter pro-
cesses is incompatible with the former.
For healthy digestion can never take place
with articles of food which are either fer
menting or putrefying, or which are over
taken by these processes before the func-
ton OF digestion shall have terminated.
If the food, and especially animal food be
swallowed without chewing, its solution in
the stomach requires SO long a time, that
putrefaction or fermentation commences,
and then the food is incapable of healthy
digestion. BY these processes of decompo-
sition, gases are evolved, which produce
the several symptoms of cholic, fatulence,
eructation, hiccough, fetid breath, &C.,
while the acids thus generated develope
heartburn and Its accompanying phenome-
ma. The whole is then thrown off as ex-
crementitlous, either by the stomach, bow
els, Kidneys or skin, and of course no part
is asslmllated or appropriated to the uses
OF the system. Hence we have debility
and emaciation, the characteristic accom-
paniments of a diseased stomach and diges-
tive organs; and hence, also, we have that
tram OF nervous symptoms so annoying to
the valetudinarian.
1t is impossible TO do more than give
few hints on this subject, through this me-
dunn; the field is SO extensive and so inter-
esting, and to attempt to amplify, would
consume too much of my time and that of
my readers. | hope, however, the items
thrown out will be found ineligible, and
improved upon by those who are interested
in promoting their own health, or that of
others. 4
Persons of sedentary habits, or occupa-
tons which deprive them of suitable eXer-
else, are the most frequent subjects of the
distressing symptoms of indigestion, few
of which have been just enumerated. The
reason of this is, that for want of exercise,
such individuals are capable of disposing on
ly of a small quantity of food, and if much
devoted to literary pursuits, they acquire
habit of boiling their victuals, or swallow
ing them before chewing, and thereby eat
ing rapidly Hence they take greater a
mount of solids into the stomach than this
organ is capable of managing, and their ex-
penditure ofanimal life being small by rea
son of their little physical exertion, very
] little nutrition is requisite, and by far the
greater part Of their food is rejected as ex-
crementitious. The mildest articles are there
fore preferable for sedentary persons, and
animal food should be sparingly INDUCED in.
| 1t IS an axiom among students, that alb
stinence from animal food is a necessary
prerequisite to any high intellectual effort,
and every man must have discovered, that
after dining heartily upon meat of any kind,
there are superinduced stupor and lassi-
tude unfiendly to mental pursuits of any
kind. The fact is probably the foundation
OF the doctrine taught by some of the dis
ciple5 OF Pythagoras, that man partakes of
the nature of the animal upon whose flesh
he feeds. They contented, that in proper
ton as man lived upon hog flesh, he APP
proXimated to the nature of hog in his de-
sres, appetites, and habits; and in like
manner with respect to the flesh of other
animals. And this notion, however laugh
able, receives confirmation from the fact,
that the most carnal, ferocious, and brutal
of mankind, have always been proverbial
for their beastly excess in eating animal
food. Hence abstinence and fasting have
been so ftly advised and so advantageously
practsed, by those who desired reforma-
ton from excessive indulgence Of carnal
and beastly appetites; and hence may be
: argued the propriety of temperance in the
use of animal food by those who regard
health of body and victory over immortal
propensities and habits.
As general rule it may be remarked,
that animal food will be found necessary
and indispensable for men whose daily nvo-