Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-04-12
VEGETABLE DIET, PROTECTION AGAINST
EplDEMICS


A friend has called our attention to the fol-
lowing extracts from the work of John Satl
in regard to the best food for man. As th,
Cholera will most likely visit our countr, the
coming year, they may be of some advsntag,
to our citixens.
Howard, the celebrated philanthropist, was
probably more exposed to the influence OF pes
tilential causes than any other human being
that ever lived 'In the period of sixteen OIL
seventeen years." says his biographer, she
travelled between fifty ard sixty thousand
miles, for the sole purpose OF relieving the dis.
tresses OF the most wretcbed OF the human
race. The fatigues, the privations he under
went or encountered, Tor the good OF others
were such as no one else was ever exposed to
| In such cause, and such as few could have
| endured. He often travelled several nights
and days in succession, without stopping,
over roads almost impossible, in weather the
| most Indictment, with accommodations the
meanest and most wretched. Summer and
winter, heat and cold, rain and snow, in all
| their extremes alike failed to stay him for
moment in his course; while plague and pesti-
lence and famine, instead OF being evils that
he stunned were those with which he was most
familiar, and to many of whose horrors he vol
uutarily exposed himself; visiting the foulest
dungeons, hlied with malignant infection;
spending forty days In filthy and Infected lazar-
etto; plunging into military encampmsnts whore
the plague was committing its most horrid raw
ages, and visiting where none of bis conduc.
tors dared to accompany him" Through all this
he subsisted entirely on most rigi dly abste-
mious diet carefully avoiding the use OF wine
aud all other alcoholic drinks; and such was
the result of this mans experience and observa-
ton, that he earnestly advised others who were
exposed 10 the ague to abstain entirely from
the use of animal food. this IL cannot be SUP
posed he would have done, had he DOT been fully
eonhdent OF the correctness of such advice both
from what he had experienced himself, and
from what he had seen ia others. And it must
be remembered, that Towards opportunity to
test the correctness of his opinion was neith-
tr brief nor limited, but the most extensive,
varied, and long during, ever experienced by
any one mau; and such were the accuracy of
his observations, aud the sounduess OF his
Judgment. that although not himself a physi-
Dian, he was more successful IN treating the
plague than any of the physicians where he
went. Howards opinion GU such IL subject ia
therefore of the highest value. "She abste-
m'ous diet which at an early period of his life
he adopted, from a regard to his health" says
his biographer, "he afterwards continued and
increased in its rigor, from principle and from
choice. as well as from conviction of the
great advantages which he derived from it,"
And, after all his ex perieuce, near the close OF
ms life, he made the following record ia his
diary ~ am fully persuaded, rs to the health
Of bodies, that herbs and traits will sustain
nature, IN every respect, far beyond the best
flesh"
"But the most signal demonstration of the
truth OF the principles which am contendiue
Tor" says Mr. Graham, twas afforded in the
'ity OF New York, during the prev lenee of the
cholera, In the summer OF 1892. The opinion
had been imPorted:from Europe, and generally
'eceived in our country that generous diet
large proportion of Ill SD. eat aesh
'oups, &C., with q tile good wine--and strict
ID tnence from most fruits aud vegetables, |
were the very best means ta escape TN attack
If that terrible disease. Nearly four tbs be-
ore the cholera appeared in New York, gave |
a public lecture on the subject, in that CITY: |
n which conteuded that an entire abstinence |
rom hash meat and tesh sonps, and from all |
ilnoholic and narcotic ligours and su BIS tances
md from every kind of purely stimulating sub
tances, and the obsorvances of n correct gen-
aral regimen in regard to sleeping, bathing,
clothing, exercise, &c, would constitute the
Unrest means by which any one could ration
llly hope to be preserved from an attack of that
disease. ! repeated this lecture, after the
hoera had commenced its ravages in the city;
md, notwithstanding the powerful opposition
. the opinions which advanced, a very con-
iderable number of citizens strictly adhered
o my advice. And it ID an impor tant fact,
hat OF all who followed the prescribed regi-
len uniformly and consistently, not one tell
ictim 20 that fearful disease, and very few had
ligbtest symptoms of an attack. The following
tatements, which were received from respect
bile individuals soon after the disease had
disappeared fom the city, may be relied on
With the fullest confidence: