The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-03-22
Fat Meat as Food.

lit use OF lat mutton anu OeeT. Al nOtelS
und in private families, the fat meat TO which
persons are served, is usually left, and the
lean only eaten. Those who purchase meat
Of course select the lean, instead of the fat
ter pieces, and butchers, accommodating
themselves to the demand kill all sorts of
lean and ill-ted animals, ...
The losses resulting from this are many.
In the first place, it is contrary 10 public
economy. the number Of lean animals sacri-
feed to secure a given weight of meat, be-
ing twice as great as would be required, III
all the animals slaughtered for food were well
tattcned The cost of raising animals far ex-
ceeds the cost Of fa>tening them, and there
fore pound of lean meat costs more 80 the
producer than pound of fat. besides the un-
necessary waste of animal life involved.- =
Another disadvantages resulting from the use
OF lean meats exclusively, is in the fact, that
lean meat, whatever the quantity used. will
not supply the place of the fat, especially
in winter. Food is required for two purpo
ses-one is to supply materials for the growth
Of the body, and to repair the waste which
labor, and all our activities occasion the
other use is to supply fuel for the mante-
nance of animal heat, the amount required
for the latter purpose being much greater in
cold regions, and in the colder portion of the
year. The fat Of animals is, in many re-
spects for man, the best and cheapest OF all
the hea t-producing articles of diet. In high
latitudes, there is no substitute for it. or pos
Sibiity Of doing without it; and the same
thing is true, though not to the same extent
in temperate climates during winter
Strangely enough, in this variable climate
our diet is made comparatively uniform by
fashion and habit, instead of varying with
The changes of temperature. In summer, we
Use too much of carbonaceous, or heat pro-
ducing food, and liver diseases and various
feverS, are the consequences; while in winter,
SuffiCency of such food is not supplied,
and hence the prevalence of pulmonary af-
fectionS.
Life and health are much more involved
in this matter, than some imagine. In the
last January number of the Ohio Medical and
Surgical Journal there is an article, that was
read before the American Medical Assoca-
tion, by DR.. Hooker which shows conclu-
Sively, that persons abstainng from fat meat,
are much more liable than others to lung dis
eases, and especially consumption while
those who are in the constant habit of using
an abundance of fat meat, are almost un-
touched by this terrible destroyer Multi
,udes of facts, within the knowledge of eve
~ one. are referred to by this writer, in sup
port of his conclusions. placing the matter,
one would suppose, beyond doubt.
What then, is the conclusion of the whole
matter? Just this let farmers sac to ii,
that the animals designed for the butcher, are
properly fattened let butchers. no have a
r'gard for their reputation, buy only good
animals, and let those butchers be discoun-
tenanced, who will continue to murder such
as are nnied; let consumers use due pro-
portion of fat meat with the lean and let
the proportion be larger in winter than in
summer; and especially, let those who have
constitutional tendencies to consumption,
learn to eat good, fat meat and if their pres
'nt tastes are averse to it, let them struggle
10 overcome this aversion, as though life de-
pended upon it. How much better is good
fat beef, than cod liver oil ;-how much bet
L. Il L l.: l..