Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-08-24
From the ". Y. Albion, of August IS.
CHnT EDa

CHOLEKA.
We have received the following excellent letter
from British Army Surgeon, who has seen and
JeH cholera In its native home, India.
we must entirely concur in his general doctrine,
mat man beng an omnivorous animal requires u
diversity of food-for the due nutrimcnt of his no.
dy, and proper admixture of fish, flesh and fowl
and OF animal and vegetable. An anatomical and
physiological inspection of tho teeth is sufficient to
prove this. Throughout the prevalence Of the di
sease, we have always recommen ded that no change
In the mode OF living, with those in of he ath
should he made, and we have seen the best effects
follow this regularity of living with those who were
previously regular; and on the contrary have seen
several instances where persons have deranged the
digestive functions, debltated their systems, and
rendered themselves liable to an attack, by going
on false system of dieting. We repeat, then, that
those who are already in good health, and live with
regularity should be cautious how they change
their mode of living.
But the recommendation of Dr. Stevens and the
Board of Health to abstain entirely from the use OF
fruits AID vegetables is SO Objectionable when
properly considered 1t was the general beliefth that
the disorder would be of short du ration-and know
ing how prone people are to indulge themselves in
the qualification of the appetite, particularly child
rem, it was thought that lesser evil would be en-
oouniored by prohibiting the Of those articles in
TOTO Tor a lew weeks than by running the risk of
their indiscriminate and improper use. The plan
OF our CORES pondent then, is, we conceive best
adapted TO persons who have proper command of
themselves, and will partake of the bountes Of nu
ture with moderation, while that of the Board of
Health seems better calculated for the indiscrimi
nate mass of 100000 persons who inhabit this
city.
UrPER CANADA, 9th August, 1892
10 the Editor of the Albion
Sill sec by the newspapers that your medical
men in New York, in their dietary instructions to
the pubic, have, like our Canadian DOCTORS forbid
den fruit and vegetables during the present dis
tressing epidemic. DR.. Stevens the President of
your Medical Council, advises total abstinence
from call fruit fresh urae a,d
vegetables"
Now with every feeling of respect for Dr. Ste
vens motives. doubt the propriety of this advice
nay more, morally certain that il is calculated
to do more harm than good. Its plain tendency is
TO make people fearful and fastdious as to the in
salubrlty of esculents OF which they had lived in
good health all their lives. In nervous individuals
this will degenerate into morbid constituencies and
nice balancing OF what is what is not proper TO
be eaten: thus imaginary dangers will be created,
yet sufficiently real to disturb the digestive powers
to impair that mental and moral fortitude which
these times require, and by making such persons
bypochondriaeal to render them the eptble and
probable victims of the pestcnce
Having seen cholera professionally in Bengal in
1917, and subsequently at the Isle of France and
in other parts of the world, perhaps may be per-
united to assume that have had some experience
In what relates to this disease. The question how
ever, appears not to be much matter of expert
ence az of reason and common sense.
we all know, as well from his structure as from
universal habit, that man is and was intended to be
an omnivorous creature. Formed capable of adapt
ing himself to the atmospherical vicssiudes of all
climates, his stomach can master and assmiate all
kinds OF animal and vegetable food. The mixture
of both is found to be equally mastcabe, palatable,
and nutritious.
When in times of public alarm, then, we are ad.
vised to disturb this natural arran cement to abstain
from an entire class of edible substances formerly
grateful and nourishDg which we relish, have
long used and on which we silave grown strong
and healthy, some good reason ought to be assign
cd TO satisfy us OF the proprety of the deprivation
And what reason has or can be given? None
by Boards of Health, amongst whose voluminous
instructions have sought for it in vain. They all
merely copy from each other the veto against fruit
and vegetables, but they favor us with no REASON
except their arbitrary dictates.
IL may be urged that unripe fruit is deleterious-
so is raw meat to every body but Camuc. Crude
vegetables are unwhoesome. True--why eat them
crude, that is raw? Fruit creates acidity and indi-
gostion when eaten in great quantities or Rute in
the oveDiug.-It does, and ought TO be forbidden
under such circumstances.
But to argue the absolute CATION of any edible
substance from its possible abuse, is a mode OF ra-
tocluation moro suitable for Sancho Panza's Phy-
stefan, when Governor Of Baratara, than for sci
entihc men. Poor Sancbo, moecover had some
cause assigned for the banishing from his table of
his most savoury dishes at the touch Of his Doctors
wand.
For what do these official instructions direct ma
to dot To reIinquIsh the proportion Of Potato, or
Turnip, or Carrot, or Caulidower, or Green Peas,
which has tremendously amalgamatcd with our
Beef, and Ham, and Chickens, and Mutton and
Veal, and Lamb, for some twenty or forty Years,
To abiure the ripe and grateful fruit (showored by
Providence in greater profuson recording the heat
Of the season or citrate if expressly designed To
temper it) which has mixed with and mellowed our
blood through our whole lives prophylactic
against cholera. No-no--the step would be false
one-the necessity for it is altogether imaginary or
factitous. BY doing so, we might reasonably ex-
Pect TO put stomach into III humor for want Of
its grateful and accustomed aliment; TO produce
heartburn, and cosiveness, and alyine Irregular.
ties; and in fact, and in truth 10 accomplish the
identical thing we anxious 10 avoid-viz:
pTedePoso tho lntectindl canal to an invasion If
cholera,