The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-06-23
HOW TO AVOID FAT.


book has made its appearance. setting forth
the causes and the remedy of inordinate fat.
The book is by DR.. Dancel of Paris, and
has already reached its third edition in a
country, where the human race appears to
be dwindling away both in numbers, rotun-
dity and stature. We have heard of Fall
staffian EngliShmen and of fat Germans,
but it was long ago conceded fact-in
England-that on one pair of English legs
do march three Frenchmen-that is, a
Frenchman is but one third part Of an Eng
lshman in blood, muscle and pluck. Such,
at any rate, used to be the opinion in Eng
land, and, though the Crimean war may
have produced some modification of It in
regard to valour, it certainly showed that
the French soldiers are very diminutive
specimens of humanity. With due defer
ence, therefore, think DR.. Dancel would
better write work: '.How to become fat"
instead Of "How to avoid fat" and 1t will
be equally useful and popular in France and
America.
In lieu Of such volume, the next best
thing is to take Doctor Dancel's rules for
avoiding fat, and reverse them, SO as to en-
able lean persons to become corpulent.---
According to the doctor, sedentary life
promotes obesity; so also, great fondness
for farinaceous, starchy and sugary diet,
want of thought, great absorption of fluids
by drinking much by frequent tepid baths,
or even by constantly breathing damp air.
The chief cause mentioned, however, is
eating and drinking more food than enough.
Almost every one takes more food than is
requisite for the support of the system; such
as have good Digestion says the learned
writer, convert the surplus into fat while
those who have not, transmute it into pains,
cramps and headaches.
To diminish fat our physician directs the
patient to live principally on meat, eating
little else, and drinking as little as possible.
Vegetables, soups, puddings. tarts, fruits,
breads and cakes, in their protean forms,
have carbon and oxygen for their principal
bases, and water is the protoxide of hydro
gen; all of which substances are the ele-
ments of fat. The principal base of meat
is azote or nitrogen, which does not enter
into the com iSisition of fat; hence lean
meat is good diet for the aspirant after
leanness. Carniverous animals are never
corpulent, and pigs are fattened by meal,
vegetables and milk, rather than meat
The smallest possible quantity of liquid is
an Indispensable condition.
In addition to these counsels of DIR. Dam
eel, we are told that soap pills and aikalis
are administered to aid in relieving the sys-
tenn from fat, though, with the caution that
the remedy is sometimes worse than tho
disease. 1t is stated that some terrible
cases of fat have been cured through read
ing this book, and that, among others, a
monster baker, so fat he could not walk or
lie down, was enabled to loose forty pounds
in three months, and to diminish his abdo-
minal equator about forty centimeters.-
The treatment prescribed for him was-for
breakfast beef steak or outlets, cup of
coffee and very small quantity of vegeta-
bles-for dinner, plenty of meat and little
else and bottle or bottle and half of
liquid per day.
We think, then, we cannot be far wrong
in recommending our lean and shadowy
cOuntrymen to take the doctors directions
to fat people, and violate every one of them.
Eat farinaceous food think as little as
possible delight in bread and vegetables,
and devour little meat--especially while
the weather is SO hot and the prices so high
and only use soap pills on the surface of
the body. Then shall we have men about
US that are fat, and women, substantial aud
genuine, like the solid danes of our early
history, from whom sprang the giants of '76.
DESPERATE FIGHT WITH RoBDERs.-.T The
San AntOnia (Texas) papers of the Both
ult., are filled with the most exciting ac-
counts of recent dreadful encounter with
band Cf ruffians, in that city, during
which FIVE persons were killed, and one
wounded. 1t appears the Sheriff, with a
posse, surrounded house in which party
| of well known thieves and other despera-
does were found concealed. and a desperate
fight ensued. The Texan says:
"A man named Fieldstrop killed one of
the deSperadoes, and was shot through the
head Ly another. At this awful junctare.
| Jim Taylor, than whom a braver man never
lived. gave orders to some three of his COM
rades to follow him. and at the same mo-
ment he broke through the Window into tho
! darkened room. As he entered, Bill Hart,
| a notorious character, shot him through tho
breast, and at the same moment guu was
pointed at Bill Hart by another person,
when Taylor exclaimed. '.hc has shot me,
let me shoot him. and fred. Both fell
Citizens commenced rushing in well armed,
as well as many of the desperad0cs, aud
the shooting became general. The gang of
rowdies broke from the room by "a back
door many of them who came up after the
melee commenced, Immediately fed, fuding
that they were coming to close quarters
| By this time at least three hundred citizens
! had collected, all well armed-fOr it was
| well known that this gang of rowdies could