Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-04-10
From the Ohio cu,,iv,,,,
Adapting Food TO the .ea.oa or IN. Year,

gwen 10 tnlS SUBJECT IN farmers fami
lies, and the results most disastrous
while a few trouble themselves tC
trace effect back to cause, and looI
to their system Of diet, to find The ori
gin Of the fevers and bilious disorder
so prevalent in spring and summer
1t is quite as necessary and rationa
to change the diet with the chang,
OF season, as 10 change the clothing
and this change is indicated by ma
iure, in the fruits and vegetables fur
nished during the warm season, anC
in the indispoSition for abundant and
hearty food, which is experienced tc
a greater or less extent by nearly
all.
Fat pork and hot bread have form.
ed the staple Of food among the ma,
jority Of farmers during the winter
without apparent injury to the health
and as they are more easily pro-
cured and prepared than a diet oI
lean meats and vegetables, and as no
evil consequences are feared, and il
felt are ascribed TO wrong causes,
no change is made until the summer
is far advanced. A moments at
tention to the philosophy and ply
siology Of the matter, we think will
convince our readers that an early
change is desirable, and induce not
only farmers wives TO make the
change, but farmers cheeriully to
furnish the requisites.
Animal fat is composed principally
of carbon. Where much fat meat
is eaten, without causing an increase
Of flesh, the usual excrelions can ac-
count for but a small portion Of the
carbon taken into the system, and
the question arises, what becomes OF
the remainder. A certhin portion
Of il unites with oxygen and hydro
gen gases, obtained from the food and
atmosphere, forming carbOnic acid
gas and water, which are discharged
from the system by the lungs and
skin.
The union Of these gases with
carbon under any circumstances,
generates heat. and the animal heat
of the human body is constantly sup
ported by this combustion, il we may
use this term. A considerable
amount Of carbon is thus consumed
in cold weather, but 10 warm less
fuel is required, and the carbon is ac-
cumUlated in the system, and being
very difficult OF digestion bile is ne
cessarily secreted more abundantly
by the liver, and poured from thence
into the stomach TO assist in the pro-
cess, and bilious levers, bowel COM
plants and diseased livers are the
results.
Pereira tells Us that "fxed oil or
fat, is more difficult OF digestion, and
more obnoxious to the stomach, than
any other alimentary principle. In
deed, in some more or less obnox-
ious or concealed form, ] believe it
will be found the offending ingredi-
ent in nine tenth OF the dishes which
disturb weak stomachs." And Beau
mont says "bile is seldom found in
the stomach, except under peculiar
circumstances" and adds, "that
when the use Of fat or oily food has
been persevered in for some time,
there is generally the presence Of bile
in the gastric fluids"
The frequency Of diseases Of the
liver, in hot seasons and hot climates,
is ascribed 10y Liebig to the accumu-
lation Of carbon in the system. "ln
our climate" he observes, "hepatic
diseases or those arising from excess
OF carbon, prevail in the summer;
in winter. pulmonic diseases, or those
arising from excess of oxygen, are
more frequent"
Out of fifty-six kinds OF food given
by Pereira, hogs fat or lard contains
the largest proportion Of carbon.
As the warm season advances, a
smaller qantity OF food suffices to keep
up the temperature Of the body, and
under the same circumstances, SUBJ
stances containing less proportion
oil carbon are better adapted for the
preservation OF health. and should be
substituted for fatty dishes Of food. |
Fried eggs, doughnuts, and all other
kinds OF food fried in lard should be
or used sparingly until cold
weather again approaches.
The reduced quantity as well as
changed quality OF food recommended
by these authors for the warm sea-
son, must have been noticed by all,
and we are inclined to think it Of
nearly equal Importance with the
other.
We read in the work last quoted,
"that when the external temperature
IS high, less carbon is requisite to sup
port the natural heat OF the body,
and in consequence OF the air being
expanded; we inhale at each inspira-
tion, less oxygen by weight than in
colder climates and seasons. If,