Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-05-22
HEALTH Z COLUMN.
Condiments.
BY DIR. j. A. DUNLAP.

The excessive use of condiments, such
as black and red pepper, allspice, cloves,
mustard, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, &C.,
is one of the most pernicious practices,
and cannot be too severly condemned.
Judging from the amount of them sold
in the groceries of Plymouth, the people
of the town and vicinity are not behind
in their use hence our object in select
ing them as thesis. We are decidedly
of the opinion that they should not be
used at all
Our reasons for thinking so, are suf-
ficiently obvious to the discerning mind
They undoubtedly stimulate the stomach
thereby causing dyspepsia, or chronic in
t1ammation of the viscus, with all their
attendant evils, a result much to be de-
plored. There is no doubt but that the
greater number of the diseases named, are
caused in this way. An examination in
to the history of such cases, will prove
this fact
If any one doubts that these drugs in
jure the delicate organization of the i'm
! portant organ under consideration, let
them apply them to the mucus membrane
of the eyes, nose or mouth, antE observe
the effect upon those parts.
They produce similar irritation in the
stomach, but we 90 not feel it to the same
extent, for the simple reason that this
organ is not SO wei! supplied with nerves
of sensation. The disastrous conse-
quence, however, viii be none the less
on this account.
Food, unadulterated with these sub
stances affords sufficient stimulus to the
salivary glands Of the mouth, and to the
digestive organs, without these ilritative
additions. But, says the reader, it makes
the article to which they are added more
palatable, in other words makes them
tase better. Not to the unperverted ap
petite 1t is only after we have accus-
toned ourselves to their use, and corrupt
ed our natural tastes, that such is the fact.
Present a small child, for the first time,
with an article of food seasoned and one
not prepared with these spices, and it will
prefer the latter.
He alone, who will discard condiments
for q te'o weeks. and eat plain food, will
believe these facts. Try it, and be con-
vinced.
Victuals, devoid of these articles, will
be insipid for while; but in few weeks |
the natural appetite will return, and you
will prefer them in this state
A pie of any kind without these sub |
stances, is as far superior to one with
them, as can possibly be imagined.
We can then tasie the principal ingre
dent, whatever it is, and relish, without
ourling cur mouth, 0sophagus, and
stomach to blister.
No healthy palate can ever be satisfied
with these articles, and it is only by mix /
ng them in with wholesome food that the
nerves Of taste becomes reconciled to their
use, and it only Graves them, when its
natural sensibility becomes so far inn
paired, as to lose the delicate nat
lral taste. But the diseases mentioned
Ill the outset, are not the only ones
produced by condiments. They cause
IN unnatural flow of blood to the mucus ;
membrane of the stomach; increase the
secretion of gastric juice, and thereby
;reate ravenous appetite, which results
n the person taking more food than is
'equired by the system. Bilousness,
;olic, cholera morbus, diarrhea, and dys-
'ntery, headache, and various other dis
Eases and symptoms follow in different
;ases, and the poor victim of a morbid
appetite wonders what could have made {
llm sick. Another evil arising from I
heir use is, that they so obtund the SEN
lblllty OF the stomach as to prevent the
absorption of medicines This is the rea-
on that quinine tails frequently in break
ng the ague. Therefore, to make it pro {
luce its remedial effect, some one of tie |
capsicum or ginger, for in
tance, must be combined with it in order !
0 again arouse the torpid stomach
The vitalenergies of the organ in the G
curse of time actually become exhausted
nd the whole system, failing to receive a
roper nourishment, begin to show evi-
ence Of decay, and finally premature old J
ge and death result
e
.