The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-12-25
Gclett nlisteilann.
Proper use CT Pork for Food,


opinion that " a fat hog is the very quin,es-
sence of scrofula and carbonic acid gas. and
that fat pork was never dcsi gned for human
food, making no red meat or MUSCLE" etc.,
DR.. liolston, of GAINESVILLE, who is ore of the
most intelligent physicians of Ohio, wrote to
the Courier:
a fat hog is truly the quintcsscncc Of
scro!ula, for scroftIla in Greek is hog, and
the dcrvative Scrofulous means hoegi.h The
disease scotn'a was so called when medical
science was in its infancy, from its supposed
resemblance to some diseases of the hog
LScrQfGl produced the hog disease (scrofula. y
1t Is well known. however, that our American
Indians and the llindoos, who never use pork
are liable to this disease: that in Europe it
prevails chiefly among ill-fed poor, who hardly
taste meat Of any kind.
On the other hand, the Chinaman and our
Own pioneers, who hardly eat any other flesh,
are remarkably healthy and exempt from
scrofula-a disease We have much more reason
to suspect as originating long ago from the
hereditary faint of AN uncomfortable disease
favored by irregular living and poor diet.
In the South from their sleek appearance
and exemption from scrofula, YOU can at once
distinguish the bacon-ied negro.
These examples may suffice on that head
Fat pork is not in any sense carbonic acid
but hydro-carbon, a combination OF hydrogen
and carbon. 1t becomes calbon,c acid and
water by combining with oxygen in the act
of being burned Or digcscd, which is much
the same thing giving off during those pro.
ccsses large amounts of heat and light.
1t IS true the fat Of fat pork does not
make blood or red flesh, though the lean
which is always eaten alone, does. 1t is as
Your article says truly, material for breath. -
Well. that is a good deal. 1t is supposed
that if the writerss breath had stopped five
minutes before he took his pen, we should
never have seen his article on fat pork
But it does more. All the fat that goes
into the stomach and thence into the blood
does not undergo slow burnn. in the lungs
by the process Of burning, but is deposited
in the body AS human fat. Now, certain
amount of fat is so necessary for the proper
play "l"'"ll the parts muscles included. that
without IT, me 3."!" like an INCREASED
engine. wears itself ont by its OWN friction
In consumption, the waste of fat is v,nc
alarming and most dangerous symptom. and
the far famed cod liver oil acts perhaps chiefly
by supplying the blood with fat.
am satisfied by experience that fat pork
when the stomach Will receive it--dors just
as well. Moreover, few Of those delicate
persons thot have so great an aversion to pork
or other fat, ever live to see forty years.
They die young, of consumption. Batter,
sugar, starch, vegetable oils, act to some ex-
lent as animal fat, and in tropical climates
are used AS substitutes
But 60 the Arctic regions and see the rein.
ed DR.. Kane and his men devour raw walrus
blnbbcr with gus!o. as we would take
dish Of ice cream, and you will conclude that
" lat pork. particularly IN our Arctic
winters, is not so bad an institution.
We could not live on fat pork alone nor
on sugar and starch--lhoush We could on
bread Bread, the siaN Of hte, contains the
materials both for breathing and making
blood and rcd flesh (muscc) in super eminent
degree, greater even than lean beef or any
other single article Of food and this, or some
Substitute, such as beans, peas, potatoes, etc,
is always eaten with fat pork, so that there
is a sufficient supply Of blood and ilsh.nak-
ing material. However, excess is bad, and
the fat pork must hot constitute the bulk of
II meal.
Chemical analysis is poor substitute for
the observation of facts in the living body,
nor can we even base very much on expert
ments made on Mr. Martin, the man with the
hole in his stomach, by which food can be
introduced and digestion observed, for that
is not natures way Of getting it there, and
stomach with such an unnatural opening is
much like a leaky dinner pot with hold
in the bottom stuffed with rag. Exten.
ded experience alone can settle such a
question.
The Greeks and Romans esteemed pork as
a luxury, and most wholesome diet; their
athlete and sladia'ots (prize.fg lteTs) were te