The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-06-09
Temperance in all ThIngs

There died in Massachusetts, last
week a man we'll known as a most rig
Id vegetarian For years he had lived
on fruits aud vegetables, believing that
the use Of meat was not consistent with
the health. He had written numerous
books in support Of his theory Of veg
letarianism, and had delivered lectures
on the subject in most Of the North
ern States. Well, what was the result
Of the experiments made upon himself
in carrying out his theory Of diet?--
Why, after leading life Of the great
est abstemiousness, he died at tho age
Of 81. Dr.. Graham, Of brown-bread
notoriety, died when about 30 years
| old. Now 6t is undoubtedly a good
old age, and ono which a majority Of
people by no means attain; but there is
no good reason for believing that Dr..
Alcott would not have lived quite as
long as be did, had he used what is ter
med a mixed diet--ons composed Of
meats and vegetables.
Vcgotarians have always claimed much
for their system, They commence by
saying that the teeth of man show that
he is fruit-eoting animal Then they
say that fruits and vegetables make bet
ter blood than meat does; that meat
stimulates the system, heats the blood,
and to a certain degree impairs the ac-
ton Of the mental faculties; that this
unnatural stimulus weakens the sys-
tenn, renders it liable to disease, and
shortens tho term Of human life. The
data from which they are led to these
conclusions are, however, very unreli-
able. They arc taken from individual
cases, and from the effects produced
under peculiar circumstances.
II is very evident that in warm eli
mates man requires but little meat
! He needs what is termed a cooling
diet--one composed principally of
fruits and grains. In these climates
may be found races who use no animal
food, and who apparently enjoy the
highest state of health, As We leave
the tropical regions and enter the tenn.
perate ones, we find the food Of man
consists of q mixture of animal and
vegetable matter, of which the former
constitutes a large proportion. As we
90 still further north, we find that
his diet is again changed, and that ii
consists almost Of animal food A wise
Providence has not prescribed the use
of any one particular diet for all man
kind, but has adapted the wants Of
man to that region of the earth in
which he may happen to live, This
fact at once shows the folly Of the
theory maintained by the vcgetarians
The lower classes of the Irish seldom
taste meat They live on potatoes and
\ little milk. This appears to answer
the purposes of life during childhood,
but after this period, the stimulus nee
essary for keeping the system in order
is severely felt, and as animal food con-
not be procured, whisky is substituted
There are many also in the highlands
of Scotland who live on oatmeal and
milk, and the majority of the Chinese
live on rice and occasionally little fish
| Now these are extreme cases, andall they
prove is that man can live, and some
times do we'll, using only a slight pro,
portion Of animal food.
! Though the human body may bC
thus sustained, and though the muscles
may be developed without a full anima
diet, yet it is apparent that the harmo
ny Of the system, that just balance Of
the mental and physical systems which
!. constitutes the finest specimens of the
human race, is only produced by wha
is termed a mixed diet. Psychologist
tell US that the best specimens of ou,
race are found in the temperate regions
where the diet is composed Of every va
ricty Of the earth's productions. Th'
T vegetarians may assure us of tht
clearnoss Of mind which they eIper
ienco after leaving off the use Of ami
: nal food, but this sensation is rather Il
be attributed to the greater regard the,
have paid to the laws Of health sine
they have confined themselves to th
use of fruits and vegetables. 1t cal
+ easily bo imagined that a person VIII
+ has used meat too freely, and who, II
, consequence, has felt tlanguid and heavy
% will experience a great relief by adopt
. ing NteelAOlG uleJ' 4AD meJ AS0
f; stronger, and his mind may becom
I more active. It by no means follow
that his health would not have bee
equally as good had he been temperat
b in his use of meat. We all know tha
3 for many abstinence is easier than TEN
o perance, and hence it is that so muc
has been said in favor Of Vegetarian
ism and spare diet. Louis Cornarc
who, at tho age of forty, was misoro
bic invalid, by a duo regard to tn
quantity Of food he consumed, r,
gained his health, and lived to upward
OF one hundred. He did not oon6r
himself to vegetables, but lived on
mixed diet. He was wise man, an
from him we may all learn lesson
The Creator has given us a great abuuC
auco and a great variety Of food I'll
n best Of men in all ages have used I'll
gifts thus bestowed upon us, and thel
y is no reason for believing that the al
Of any Of them is prescribed.
g wvvre ne Ohio