Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-07-22
A WORD TO THE NoN,MEDIcAL PUBLIC.
FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL MONTHLY.


It Is fairly be presumed that of citizens
within the ranks Of the profession, occasionally look
the pages Of the Monthly We therefore design the
following remarks for their especial benefit We are
take this also from the recollection Of
observation overheard by perhaps inadvertently made
in presence that there any thing in the
Monthly which layman could read with profit Now,
we prepared admit the justice of this remark
is it present intention to refute it by argument
and illustration We simply the occasion and the
mark the text Of what We desire to say to our lay
friends The alarm taken by the community at the ap
proach of epidemic cholera frequently suggests to the
minds of patients the necessity and prudence Of taking
their physicians advice upon the subject Of their regimen
and diet and occurring at present. at season OF the
year when fruit is plentiful question is more frequent
ly asked than Doctor, eat fruitw To our mind
the question Doctor can sleep " would appear to be
as proper and as wise
If we contemplate the harmony and order which pre-
vail in the Of the seasons and the productions
Of vegetable character peculiar each, must arrive
at the conclusion that in providing great variety in
such abundance and Of such grateful and pleasant quail
ties, at this season Of the God in his wise proy
dcnce intended that his creatures should avail themselves
freely OF his abundance and goodness We ind not only
this peculiar supply xAnted In cmate ut this
season, but observe that in other ceunss where the
climate more or less resembles our Summer, the same
benevolent provision Of Buccuent and nutritious fruit OBJ
tains Nor is this all that be said for 1t Is
orally well understood by all intelligent people that there
in every climate and at every season. certain pro-
ductons which peculiarly adapted correcves pos
sessng in fact medicinal well nutritive properties
in addition to their palatable qualities The spices and
condiments Of tropical climates more sparsey produced
temperate regions produced in fne in proportion to
the amount and kind Of vegetable diet growing and en-
ployed by their inhabitants the juicy, and fra
grant orange and berry tribes plentiful in hot seasons
the former In tropical the latter in temperate countries
the melon common to both; pluribus alis We have
written enough for illustration deduction from these
examples s that all this Wholesale and abundant supply
Of nutritious and beneficial articles Of diet has been be-
slowed desgnedy for use, under the circumstances
when they most required and that therefore, it is
only right to eat fruit at this season. notwithstanding
the cholera buthat it would be wrong and ungrateful
abstain from the of that which intended for
our benefit and qualification.
Having said much is necessary that should say
something Whilst advocating the and enjoy
ment of fruits in their season. must not be supposed
give countenance the abuse of them Let be
pct and show what consider to be the abuse which
| we thus strcnuously repudiate
Partaking immoderntely, Of the rpest and best
fruit is injurious drinking excess opium eating,
surfeng Of any kind The eating of unrpe fruit too
much the CUSTOM when prepared by the most skill
fully conducted culinary operations, and entcingy pre-
sened in the garnture Of paste and frosing is unsafe
Eating fruit at improper hours ripe as well as unripe,
highly perncious How njudcious for instance, to par
take Of full repast of fruit Immediately before retiring
rest The nervous supply reqpred by the stomach te
altogether withheld during the hours Of sleep The
old nursery adage "Frut is gold in the morning silver
at noon, and lead at night is not without its wisdom
and pernacity Eating fruit which, however palaable
found by experience to produce any unpleasant effects
upon the system, owing to some popularity (what We
doctors coll diosyncrasy) Of the constitution should be
resoutely avoided
Finally, eat fruit moderately and at proper times lei
it be perfectly rpe yet not decaycd and venture tc
predict that you take the ordinary precautions used by
oil prudent persons at oil times but particularly during
prevalence Of epidemic diseases, viz cleanliness
crcise sufficient rest moderation in diet and abstinence
from a sources Of exhaustion and prostration
taking at the time not to expose the person
heeduly or unnecessarily the influence Of infected 10
caties and we hs$e that you will greater
risk Of contracting dying from the disease than you
would do were you entirely to abandon the participation
Of those beautiful and pleasant gifts Of the Creators
bounty the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind
whose seed is in ITSELF every that is pleasant Il
the sight and good for food"