Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-11-08

"S ~'AD6 ~Ss'sS A"o oA Ah
teresting article on this subject, from
which we quote:
EAT LRIsURRLY.
If to digest our food we should en-
JOY it, 1t should of course, DO taken
leisurely, and in a pleasant frame of
mind. The cheerful society of friends
should not be absent. Chatted food,
the proverb says, is half digested. -
And the longer time spent over the
meal thus socially enjoyed, has its
part in the benefit. Next to anxiety,
tho worst foe to digestion is hurry;
and this for several reasons. The
stomach, in its normal action, con-
tracts on each morsel as it is swallow
ed, and relaxes again to receive the
next. insufficient time allowed for
this, interferes with the rhythm Of its
movements, and destroys the play of
its muscles. Cramps and painful feel
iugs of dlstension, could have no more
likely cause. That haste cuts short
mastication is obvious, and on the per-
lection of that process. chiefly de-
ponds the rapidity with which the So
luton Of the food can be Affected
Again, it creates an artificial thirst,
partly by not allowing time for the
due admixtures Of saliva; and above
all, it deprives US of the natural guide
to the proper amount of food, and re-
mits almost to chance decision than
which scarcely any is more important
to our we'll being For the natural
indication OF suficiency of food is
the feeling Of satisfaction, not sati-
ETY. which is always a symptom of ex-
cess, but feeling of perfect comfort,
the true luxury of eating. This feel
ing the hurried eater connot know; it
never exists for him. Either the un-
natural violence to the stomach in
duces premature feeling of repletion,
and stints him Of his due supply, or he
eats on until the warning (Which ever
comes too late) Of safety arrests him.
But perhaps it is vain to protest, to
hurried men, against hurry In their
eating; and it is we'll, therefore, that
there exists means by which its ill
effects may DO, to great degree es-
capped. Meat may be eaten rapidly, if
cut small, even with very little masti
cation. Animal food, if we'll divided,
may be, without much risk, almos,
bolted; but vegetable food may not.
The reason of this difference is that
the digestion of the former is carried
on entirely by the secretions of the in
ternal organs; that of the latter de-
ponds in considerable part upon the
action Of the saliva.
THE QUANTITY REQUIRED
In respect to the quantity Of food
required to support life in the bes
l. way, some reliable information has
been obtained by experiment. Thu
precise amount which in the adul
maintains the weight Of the body I'm.
changed during a life of moderate ex
ercise in theoretically the right avera g
quantity Of course, it varies with tn
kid OF food Employed; some articlel
furnishing much more nourishment in
+ IN cqu~l weight than others. On ,
: diet of fresh meat, bread and butter
with coffee or water for drink, DR.
alton found the entire quantity re-
CURED during twenty four hours by
!, man in full health, and taking free ex
r ercise in the open air, to BET.
, meat, l ID; Of bread 1 ID 3 OF; 0
butter or fat, 81 OF; water 3 La lbs
That IS to cay, rather less than 2 l.:
los of solid fo~ d, and rather more thai
t 3 pints Of liquid. These weights
would Of course be exceeded if les
! ! nutritious substances, such as rice, DO
tatoes, or fruits, formed any consld
cradle portion Of the diet. DR.. Ham
mond found that he maintained hi
, exact weight by daily consumption
Of l ID Of meat, 10 OF Of bread, 6 OF
of soup, 4 OF beet roots, OF of but.
) ter, with salt, drinking at the sam.
time 8 pirts of water ana 10 OF Of COZ
fee, with cream and sugar. ANY ex
cess Of this caused an increase q
wei hit, any dminuton caused loss
Remembering that the doctor is 6 fee
2 inches in hight, and weighs IA stone
we May take this quantity as fail
average for strong man somewhat be.
yond the ordiaa.y stature.
Generally speaking, the average
amount of food Necessary for healthy
men is estimated at II OF of beef, 81
OF Of bre ID, with about l-2 OF of but
ter These articles contain e force
capable, if applied BY T. machine, of
raising fourteen million pounds weight
to h=igh: Of one foot; that is, oxidi-
cation Of the elements contained 10
thea woald give rise 20 an amount Of
heat equivalent to that effect, But in
the human body. though i. far sur
passes all machines In economy of
force, the utmost amount of power at
tainab BILE from them is not more than
equivalent to three and half millions
Of pounds raised to the height Of a
foot; and an average days labor does
not exceed two millions Of pounds thus
raised. The difference is mainly due,
doubtless to the number Of internal ac-
tions which are carried Cd In the Living
body, such as the CIRCULATION, the
movements Of respiration and the pro-
duction Of snimal heat. These con-
sumo great part Of the force Of the
food, and leave only a remainder to be
disposed of in muscular exertion.
But no average ia Of much practical
avail; individuals, in this respect, diff
fer very widely, as much as different
brca,ls of cattle. Some can he kcnt