The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-05-23
Why DO We Use Salt.

or Of taste, it is n necessary condi-
ton Of animal existence. Hence, it
is II Wise provision that, like that
equally indispensable substance,
water, salt is to be found all over
the globe; existing, especially, in
large proportion in the waters of
great occans as well as on the land,
in sold strata Of rock sNlt, and dis
solved in greater or less quantity in
the water Of its springs.
Indeed, it is so universally pres
cnt that it is seldom we have an OPP.
portuaity of observing &c effects OF
its complete deprivation upon ami
NAL health or life. But, according
TO Warden, in the northern districts
Of Brazil where, doubtless, the solu-
bic salts of the elevated land have
long since been washed into the
ocean in the numerous tributaries OF
the Amazon, the domestic animals
die, if not periodically supplied with
salt.
The central elevated regions OF
Southern Africa, and portions OF
Central Southern Asia exhibit the
anne condition, and here also the
effects Of n deficiency OF salt on the
animal economy may be studied.
Mungo Park long ago informed
US that in the interior Of Africa salt
was sometimes bought with its
weight in gold, and that his own
longings for this substance, after be-
ing subjected to Il strict vegetable
diet for some time, could not be cx-
pressed in words. Indeed, we are
told by other travellers that in sever.
al parts of Africa men were barter
ed for salt, and 4 brother would sell
his sister, for a slave, to obtain this
much coveted substance.
DR.. David Livingston, in his re
cent account Of his explorations in
South Africa, corroboratcs the ac-
count OF Mnngo Park, and states
that not only did he experience u
great longing for suit, or animal
food, after having been restricted
for Il long time to an exclusive veg.
ctab'c diet, but hat the digestive
powers were also alwaysimpaircd.
Dyspepsia thus induced, was east
ly cured by the use Of animal food;
which, even milk or cg5s, always
had Il marked salty taste to the per
son unused to that diet; but it could
be ~ cilcctuaIIy relieved sometimes
by the use Of salt alone.
Knowing how important salt and
It's elenc ltary constituents arc to the
digestion and assimilation Of food,
the question naturally arises, are not
many cases eff dyspepsia occasioncd
by Il too scanty use Of salt with the
food, and may not many cases be
relieved rs were those under the OBJ
%scrvatioa of DR.. Livingston, by Il
more free use Of that salubrious NJ
ticIc?
The salty taste of animal food Is
easily explained by the fact, often
demonstrated by chemical anal ysis,
thatall animal bodies, as well as the
solid and fluid parts Of them, rs well
rs all animal sccrctions and cXcrc-
tons, contain common salt. When
the soft parts Of the animal body are
%incinorated, common salt is found
to form moro than onc-half Of the
weight Of the ash. TIE same is the
case with the ashes Of the blood,
which, like the milk and the white
ofthc egg, not only always contains
this substance us necessary ingrc-
dent, but also u certain constant
proportion Of carbonate Of soda
which is doubtless derived from the
deco nposition Of the st.
1t is, hence, to be easily under
stood why c%arniverous animals and
persons who live on an animal diet, |
are not AS much dependent on the
habitual use Of salt with Il cir food,
NJ those confined to n strictly vcgct-
ablo regimen. tits especially in the
herbivious animals OF tho interior
that this necessity is most apparent
- those living near the sea finding |
usually enough salt in the heritage
and wat'r to supply their wants.
But in the interior the craving for
salt appears to be instructive; lead
ing the wild animals hundreds of
miles through the cane-brakc, in
former times, to the distant salt
ticks, and periodically bringing our
grazing animals, at the call of the
grazcr to receive with eager demon
STATIONS their weekly dole Of salt.
In many respects is II certain
quantity of salt necessary TO tho
animal functions. 1t is always
found in the serum of tho blood in
the proportion ofirom 4 to 5.5 per
cent. in which it seem to be neccs-
sary to tho preservation Of the red
blood corpuscIcs; which, when i'm
merscd in water containing no salt, !
absorb it in undue proportion, burst
and are dissolved. The salt also
gives %solubllity to the aibumcn, ana
restraints the compatibility If the
tibriu. 1t is always accomplished in
the blood, and in albuminous fluid,
as well ~ in milk, with Il certain
proportion of carbonate of soda, by
which mainly the cascum or curd Of
tho milk is held in n fluid state. Ii
tho who'd body it aids the power of
life, as an antiseptic, in r'sisting I'M
duo decomposition; which it greatly
aids in the removal of oilcto mat
ters.
While it is Indispensable in its
formal state, to the very constitution
of the body and its fluids, it furnishes
by its decomposition, under the in
6uence of the nervous polarity ofthe
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