Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-12-30
NEW BOOKS
q" How Not to be Sick"

maxim the volume before us Win the ABOVE
title is worth several pounds of remedies.
Some time since we noticed a book, entitled
:. the Philosophy of Eating" written by DR..
Albert J. Bellows, work which has excited
much criticism among professional men, but
which had in it great deal Of practical phil.
osophy about both our food and the manner
and time OF eating. Messrs Hurd and
Houghton of New York. have just issued an
other volume in which DIR. Bellows tells us
how, in his opinion, we can prevent much Of
the sickness which always wastes, and some
times destroys life. Below Will be found
chapter on
THE DIFFICULTY OF OBTAINING NATURAL FOOD.
1t may lie thought impossible, in fat and
starch eating community like ours. to get
supply of natural food, and get it properly
cooked. And in the derang,d d condition OF
country. when half Of all the grain raised is
converted into whlskey and b er, and half of
the other ialf deprived, by boiling, of many
OF it, essential elements, and three fourths
of all the mi IS converted into butter. it
might be difficult. at first. if should ali
reform at once, to get supply of natural
food ; but any man, or family, who sincerely
desires to live according 10 philosophical
principlss, finds the means of doing So, and
supply always follows demand In everything.
But It is more difficult, especially in travel
ling, to get pure water, or the unfermented
juices OF fruits, to supply the liquids reqai-
site to preserve perfect health but this is
not impossible, with access, as we generally
have, t. milk and fruits. which contain from
eightv-fve to ninety-tive per cent. Of water.
In Boston, where our water is almost az
pure as distilled water, except where 1t l.
contaminated bv contact with lead, zinc, or
copper, in our service pipes and household
apI liauces, and where blessed, the
We round. with abundance of apples, pears,
peaches and other fruits. either fresh, can
lied. desIccatcd, and all the meats, fish, veg
etabce and grains that ask for, and where
we have, in most parts clean streets, and
we'll, entilatei houses, we might have almost
perfect exemption, not only from dyspepsia.
but from all other diseases, except, perhaps,
thuee which come from external causes.
emnlI-pox, measles, whoOping-cough, &c
and these would have no terrOrs for families
who fortified their systems by the use OF
natural food and natural drinks
The main difficulty is found in getting n
constant supply of the uniermented juices OF
fruits, as, in the common mode of keeping
them, they so readily ferment, when in con-
tact with the air, that, though ca~k or a
bottle of purified cider wine will remain
unfermented while tull, when part is drawn
out its place is filed with air, the oxygen OF
which produces fermentation W hat We
need Is an arrangement by which the air
shall be excluded from the cask or bottle as
it is being emptied, and its place occupied by
n medium obtaining no oxygen, or not able
so to impart it - produce fermentation.
Such a medium is carnonic acid gas, which
IL, luckily. of greater specific gravity than
common air; 50 that Icing introduced into
a room or vessel filled only with air, it will.
like water, or any otEer liquid, rest On the
bottom Of the room or vessel, and exclude
the air.
If these casks or bottles are placed in a
small room or box like a refrigerator, air
tight except at the top, and that room or box
Is kept flied with carbonic acid gas, we
draw out the wine or cider the space will be
occupied with the gas instead of air; and by
the use of ice. these juices, and those of any
other fruits or berries, may be kept the year
round. On this principle, on large scale,
are constructed the fruit houses invented by
Professor Nyce, in which are preserved the
year round, apples, grapes, and vegetables,
and by a slight modification, also meats, fish,
and game OF all kinds while the more ten
der fruits and berries are preserved for long
time, so as to furnish a variety every
son Of the wear and there is no difficulty of
applying the principle, on smaller scale, to
any house or ship. at an expense not much il
any greater than tLat of common refrigera-
tor OF equal size. Indeed. in the greater con-
veniencc of taking out arti les at the top and
saving the gas. the smaller preseryator would
have the advantage.
Does anv ore say he cannot afford such
luxuries? Let any man calculate the expense
of the butter and sugar and fine flour that is
wasted in his family, and the causes, besides,
the loss Of his children, and the disease and
suffering which these heating articles pro-
duce.-to say nothing of his expenses for
sickness and doctors fees, &c ,-a and lie will
find that ie can have everything necessary to
Ike . his family in health. raise all his child
rcu, fully devcloI cd in mind and body, have
every luxury necessary to enjoy to tie fullest
eA'.>s all the gu-tatory pleasures of which
lie Il ciIaile, all have money left
But what II there should he trouble and
expense in getting the necessary means of
preserving health and furnishing all these
bleseirg- t. his family,-cOuld trouble and
expense be dev ted to a better purpose?
There are certainly troubles and expenses in
the evils and sufferings resulting from indul
eence in I'M atural luxuri, 6, and from neg
lecting to furnish food and drink which are
Tree from unhealthy qualities. In many
Ilaccs there is more trouble in obtaining wa
ter free from Injurious clements than IN OBJ
tainlng food ard 10 save this trouble, men
everywhci blind their eyes to the evils re-
sultI, q from bad water, and II axe themselves
b lieve that however others may suffer, their
water is we'll enough but all physicians
know and will tesUty, that any water, how
ever C ear and apparently pure, is unhealthy.
and causes much disease and suffering, II IL
be hard, or contain any earthly. or mineral,
or organic combinations. (See Philosophy OF
E,ting. pages l90-c05.) And yet almost
rf,- world is drinking such water, and
will drink 1t till it is absolutely undrinkable,
rather than take the trouble to get good wa
ter.
In coral islands, where no drinkable water
can be had. except rain from the clouds dl-
rectIv. and where it rain only small part
of the time no expense is spared in catching
and preserving that water, and l have seen
arrangements for roofing and cementing els
terms for catching and preserving that water
which had cost the owner three times as
much as the house he lived In.
1t seems to be the design of Providence,
that not only nece ssary food, but pure wa
ter, should be had only by the sweat OF the
face and at great expense. And even the
air e breathe is kept pure and tealtLful In
cold climates by care and expense In ventila-
tion. and in warm climates by care and cx-
p, nse in keeping street and apartments
clennsed rom vegetable decomposition and
all manner Of impurities. And thus iood,
water, clothing, pure air, and all our bless
ings are furnished only ON condition that
we work for them Eut by beautiful com
pensatory provision, our health and happi-
ness are promoted by all these necessary Ia
bors and they who are ne iessarlIy most