The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-05-21
From tie Medical Rsormer.
QUANTITY OF FOOD.


BY JOHN HODGE, MD.
To the question which has been frequent.
ly put-what quantity of food is best adapt.
ed to the preservation of health?-no satis-
factory answer can be given, without re.
ference to the habits, occupation, and age
OF each individual; the degree of health he
enjoys, as well as TO the season of the year,
! and other circumstances. AS general rule,
! it will be found, that those who exercise
much in the open air, or follow laborious
occupations, will demand larger amount
OF food than the indolent or the sedentary.
Young persons, also, commonly require
more than those advanced in years and
the inhabitants of cold, more than those of
warm climates. We say this is general
rule; for very many exceptions are to be
found in each of these particulars. Thus,
we not unfrequently find that one individu.
al requires more food to support his system
than another of the same frame of body
and trade, and who partakes of the same
degree of exercise. In fact, one pefson
will support his strength, or oven become
more robust upon the same quantity of food,
which will occasion in another debility and
emaciation.
Ii we refer to the brute creation, which
are guided in this respect by an instinct
which but rarely errs, we find that one
horse requires more food than another of
similar age and size, and with the same de.
gree of exercise; and if his accustomed
quantity be diminished, he will become thin
and spiritless. The same is true, also, in
! respect to other animals.
Every person arrived at the age of matu.
rity, or even before, should be able to Judge
for himself, as to the quantity of food prop.
er for each meal, as well as to the frequency
with which it should be repeated during the
day. Few appear, however, to be aware of
'ho important fact, that the body is nourfsh.
ed, not in proportion to the amount, or even
to the nutritious qualities of the food which
is consumed, but to the quantity which the
stomach actually digests. All beyond this
disorders the stomach; and if the excess be
frequently INDUCED in, the latter becomes
hnally incapable of converting into nutri.
ment even suficiency for the support of
the system. Most persons act as though the
strength, vigor, and health of the body rise
IN proportion to the load of food they are
capable OF forcing daily into the stomach
and hence, overfeeding is the common error,
at least in our own country. A slight d fici.
ency OF food is, however, far less Injurious
than too great an amount. The old maxim.
"lf health be your object, rise from the ia.
Bile before the appetite is sated," is founded
in truth; and though the Epicure will sneer
tit, yet were he wisely to adhere to it, he
would save himself from many gloomy
hour of pain and suffering.
When the stomach is not laboring under
a'sease' and tho individual is otherwise in
health, the natural appetite is one of the
very best guides-the only one, indeed, as
TO the time for eating. as we'll as to the oman.
tity OF food. Whenever such appetite ex.
lists, wholesome food may, and ought to be
taken; we should cease from eating the mo.
ment it is satisfied.
The eccentric author, Emilius, makes the
following very judicious remarks in refer.
ence to the diet of children:-
"Whatever regimen you prescribe for chill.
dren, provided you only accustom them to
plain and simple food, you may let them eat,
run, and play as much as they please, and
you may be sure they will never eat too
much, or be troubled with indigestion. Blu,
ify you starve them half the day and they find
means to escape your observation, they will
make themselves amends and eat till they
are sick or even burst.
"Oura appetite is only unreasonable, because
we choose to regulate it by other laws than
those of nature. Always laying down arbi-
trary rules, governing, prescribing, adding,
retrenching, we never do anything without
the scales in our hands, and this balance is
formed according to the measure of our fan,
cies and, not according to that of our stom.
achs"
The foregoing remarks will equally apply
to the adult as to the child. II is important,
however that "the balance" of the stomach
be not rendered untrue by the arts of cook.
ery-in other words that an artificial appe-
tite be not created by variety of luxurious
dishes-by sauces, condiments and wine.
1t is surprising how often the stomach
within short space of time, may be artif-
cially excited to renewed desire for food.
The man however who eats under such cir
cumstances must not be surprised at his un-
comfortable feelings and frequent ailments.
He has scarcely more right to expect health
and long life than the individual who would
attempt 10 nourish himself with poison.
BAD EFFECTS OF sMoKINe-I must here en-
and solo.,n,, h.