Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-12
ANIMAL AND yEGETARLE FOOn.

How to form healthy human blood
the year round in the most economical
and satisfactory way, Is a matter of
great Importance. DR.. BertillOn has
lately published paper on the Food
of the French Working People" illus
trating among other things, the value
of animal food in an industrial estab-
hshment employing $50 men, who lived
principally on vegetable food in the
Department Of the Tarn. This diet
was deficient in nutritive matter, and
much sickness was the result.
M. Talabot, who was the director of
the establishment, about the year 1885
found that the sick fund, established to
give the men during illness half the
amount of their ordinary wages, was
constantly in debt; he took measures
for the introduction of butchers meat
into the food Of the men, and the effect
was so great that the average loss of
time per man on account of illness or
fatigue was reduced from fifteen to
three days per annum. The animal
food had saved twelve days work a
year per man. The following table is
given by Dr. Bertillon, to show the rel
ative consumption of animal food, as
compared with vegetable-the latter
being taken at 100:
Per cent.
English workman. ..................37 .7
french sailor. ..........s.... ..... oil
Agricultural labOrer in the Vaud. go. 1915
laborer in the north of France. III
" " Correze. ....... As
Vaucluse. SO
Lombardy workman. ............. 90
Nor does the French peasant obtain
the basis of his food from the most nu-
tritive Of the cereals-wheat; entire
departments depend principally on
buckwheat, maize, nlillet, chestnuts, etc
If laboring men and women employed
in factories properly warmed and ven
tilated, had a full supply of such veg
etable food as beans, peas, cabbages
and wheat bread, the want of meat
would hardly be felt. But to feed
mainly on potatoes, chestnuts, millet
and maize or corn, with only one per
cent or little more of flesh, is to re-
duce human blood, and invite all posi-
BILE weakness and disease. Fortunately,
we know very little of peasant fare in Eu-
rope. But poverty, low diet, and suffer
ing, with many bodily infections, are not
entire strangers in this country. Our
rapid increase of population, intemper-
ance and other vices, are changing
American society and steadily approx
mating it to that OF the Old World.
Among the millions of colored people |
in the South, we have abundant ma
terial for the manufacture of paupers,
and the propagation of pestilence.
1t is now fair and open question
whether all this blood, as well as that
Of the white race, shall henceforth be
made worse or better. 1t is easy to
hope that all human blood Will be i'm
proved by deep and general purifica-
ton. But what is hope good for
when all our conduct is clearly against
reform in our daily habits? We
,oolly assume that our blood
must be contaminated, though
our offspring and race perish.
One gallon of artificial spirits co 1coc-
ed in 1873, will poison more blood, IN
lame and derange more reason in man
han a hosshead of pure whisky dis
5illed forty years ago. Madness, and
many other diseases, are due less to any
lefect in animal or vegetable food than
o pestilent narcotics, stimulants, and
whatever puts virtue and conscience
,sleep, that crime and wickedness may
.ule supreme. The public mind should
20 enlightened on this momentous SUBJ
ect.