Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-10-06
EATING HABITS.

The most common way to a premature
grave and one of the shortest cuts TO that
destination is down mans throat. There
is a multitude which no man can number,
daily eating immoderately, thus snspping the
constitution and laying the foundation for
innumerable ills and a too early grave. The
wise man does it. and the fool the virtuous
and the abandoned the kind and the cross,
of all climes, are among the errorists. But
there are some who are wise as to this point.
and the number is increasing the number Of
those who are men and women of force who
think for themselves, observe for themselves !;
who have vigor of intellect enough to compare
causes and effects, antecedents and conse-
quents. here is constantly coming to us
the knowledge of mothers, who, by the teach
ings OF this journal, have been led to regulate
their households nationality, and are reaping
ricL reward in the shape of health for them
selves, and what is dearer still increasing
health for their children.
The fret great point in this philosophy Of
eating is to perform that very necessary busi-
ness with the greatest regularity. A young
Scotch trappef, Thomas Gendy, told us thir-
ty years ago. that the Indians with whom he
mad been hunting, ate but once day, and
that was in the early evening; that then a
single individual would consume several
pounds OF meat, smoke his pipe, lie down to
sleep, get up at dawn, hunt all day, eating
nothing until the night again. An old beau
of Washington City took it into his head that
eating was trouble, and that he would per-
form that trouble but once day. On occa-
sions of his being invited out III the evening,
ne ielt compelled to take something, although
he had eaten his regular dinner; but then he
would eat nothing at all next day. These
irregularities were very rare ne died nearly
eighty years of age, sprightly and gallant
old beau to the last. On the other hand,
persons who are regularly irregular, seem to
live good while. Capt. Hall lately stated
to the Historical Society the case of some
ksquimaux, who being carried to sea on a
cake OF ice, ate nothing for the space of thirty
days, when each man swallowed about thirty
pounds of meat and oil, and neither bursted
up nor died. But observation has shown
that, both as to man and beast, regularity in
the hours of eating is indispensable to a
healthful thriving condition.
Most articles OF food require several hours,
to be placed in condition TO be passed out
of the stomach and if new supply Of food
is introduced before this process of digestion,
Of conversion, is completed, the former food
is not passed out until the latter is brought
to it's own condition the result of its being
kept warm SO long is. that it begins to decay,
gas is generated, and the whole mass is cor
rupted Those who eat often, who eat be-
tween meals, always have wind in their stom-
sch, and other places but il it cannot escape,
it c,uses feeling Of weight or oppression,
and this is dyspepsia, that horrid hag which
has a thousand ails in her train. Half the
girls have dyspepsia before they are seven
teen, in consequence of their everlasting nib
bling at everything in the house. The most
natural and heslthful times for eating would
seem to be at daylight, noon and sundown
the last meal being very light indeed. .-HaWs
Journal of Health.