Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-06-26
HEALTH COLUMN.
Chloride Of Sodium.
BY DR.. j. A. DUNLAP.

This substance is in almost constant
use by the human family. 1t is one of
the proximate principles ofthe body; and
a man will starve to death just as surely,
though not so rapidly, by being deprived
it, as if albumen or oil were taken
from him. When taken freely it impairs
digestion by its action on the gastric
Juice but used with moderation it is use
full in fact, as we said before necessary
as by its decomposition, it supplies muri-
attic acid, which is an important sonstitu-
ent of the gastric juice; and through the
medium of the blood, it furnishes soda to
the bones, bile, pancreatic juice and sal
iva. Man instinctively Graves more or
less salt, nor is it cultivated habit, for
even those noble animals, the horse, OK
and sheep-animals that are above using
tobacco or whiskey also crave salt. Deer
and other wild animals visit salt springs
Some very groundless notions in regard to
salt have been set afloat by certain advo-
Gates of hydropathy. This essential ar
ticle they seem to think is a foreign or
medicinal substance not legitimately be-
longing to a correct system of diet. Such
an error, based upon hypothesis and ultra
ism, is calculated to do much mischief
1t is true that salt, when used to excess,
becomes injurious, as does every other
article of food, with which we are ac-
quainted. But chemical and medical ex-
periments show that salt is an essential
cement of the human boay, is an indis
pensible ingredient of the blood, and 9th
er fluids an active promoter of digestion
and an efficient counter agent of both fe-
yer and consumption. If the use of salt
as an article of food were diminished, there
would be great increase of mortality in
the diseases mentioned, and a greater liza
bility to many other forms of disease. The
use of salt is especially necessary in sum-
mer, when teverish and putrefactive ten.
dencies prevail, and when the proper
amount ot salt in the blood is so rapidly
reduced by perspiration. With children
velopmcnt Of worms.
We must, therefore insist upon the i'm
iportance OF a free use of salt, in the sum.
lmermonths particularly, ;ts IL preservatiye
of health 1t has been shown by the ex
periments of Plouviez in France, that salt
materially enriches the blood, and pro
NOTES the general vigor of the constitu-
ton. 1t has also hcen shown by the ex-
perlments of other physicias, that it is
enc OF the most efficient agents in coun-
teracting the development OF ague OF
Intermittent fever, and reducing the en-
lar9enent of the spleen, called ague cake
by which 1t is accompanied or followed.
Popular experience i'll malarious districts
OF country, is equally decisive in its favor
Above all then, let no one with paliid
countenance, with scanty supply OF
blood, and feeble constitution, think of
dispen sing with salt, which is one of the
most necessary agents for the nourish-
ment of the body, and enrichment of the
blood
Take your pepper, but give us salt
ACIDS.
Tart and acid fruits are proper articles
of dIet, especially at this season of The
year, when the weather is so extremely
warm. The Creator displayed his usua
judgment in supplying them to man a
just the proper time. Vinegar, howeve
to say the least, is very doubtful articl,
for the table 1t is, like alcohol, prod
uct OF decomposition, and not of lite; anc
: in its concentrated form is a powerful
: corrosive poison. Ordinary strong vim
4 egar contains about four or five per cen
b. of the pure acid. If it is used at all, il
should be employed very moderately
> We shall go farther, and say tnat its plac
should be entirely supplied by the living
) vegetable acids, or those derived iron
fruits and vegetables, which are not tn
products of decomposition but oflife.
Lemonade is not Objectionable.
EAT SLOWLY.
Americans generally eat too fast, an
L certainly should eat slowly, that hey ma
have time to more perfectly masticat
their food, and more intimately mix i
with the saliva, and also to give the gas
trio juice chance to mix with the foo
as it is swallowed, and thus the sensatio
of hunger will be appeased without th
s individual taking more than is necessar
to duly nourish the body.
lg
a. MILK.
Milk is valuable article of diet; an,
a. with the addition ofbread, it may we
form no inconsiderable share OF the di,
of man, and especially of the young. N
better diet can be found during the day
his OF childhood and youth than good bres
'st and milk. By its decomposition it flu