The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-09-17

dietetc point Of view. At one time it is
fish then oatmeal, then tomatoes, while milk,
cream, cheese, rye bread, etc. all have their
advocates. One of my friends ussurcs me
that no man can be healthy who does not
eat plontluiy Of salt another thinks the fat
Of meat exceedingly strengthening, and still
another insists upon il that no man can main
tim health for any heightened period with
out stimulants Of somo kind Now, | MAIN
tain that no argument has yet been put forth
in regard TO the necessity for certain kinds
If food that cannot he dsproycd by facts
Most Americans and Englishmcn believe
that animal food is absolutely Necessary for
men taking strong muscular exercise yctthc
hardy. athletic peasantry Of the northern
parts of Europe scarcely ever see it. The
Russian soldiers ration. cons st of black
bread, oil and salt and very little else; yet
hewil bear fatigue and priyations that would
kill an English soldier. The Chiian miners,
who undergo tremendous cxerton, live eX-
clusively on beans, parnie1 corn and fls.
The KraQmen OF Jle African coast, Il syIau-
did race of men physically, live ON rice, vans
and little fish Yet we are told that one
cause of the def,ri,~,.i &c eastern ma
tions is a rice dot Dr. d lows, high al.
thority, thinks that a highly carbonized diet
such as fat mea,e. sweet pastry, mills, etc,
produces heay condition O. 'Jty
and mind. 1t may o. SD many cases, but
certainly not in all. The writer is acquainted
with a remarkably thin brisk talkative old
lady, who eats nothing but the fat of meat,
pudding and bread from one years end to
another, She sleeps very little, and is seldom
unwell. Fish, says Agassiz and Dr. Lambert,
builds up the brain, but no one, | think,
are smarter than those who don't see fish ten
times year. Drink ale and you'll think
ale, said an English teacher of eminence yet
some of our greatest scholars have been large
consumers of beverage. The German peas
ants and many of them are remarkable
specimens of physical strength, live at home
on potato soup, potatoes, curdled milk and
rye bread with occasionally little bacon.
The Irish peasant gets little beyond potatoes
and milk, and though he certainly does not
seem to love labor flew people do) yet he is
not wanting in muscle. We are told wonder
ful stories of the physical power of the Greek
and Turkish porters, who will carry don't
know how many pounds at 4 load, and who
live on bread, grapes, dates, etc, rarely
touching animal food. 1t is quite possible,
however that these last were exceptional
cases, and that their great muscular power is
| inherited.
Turning TO the lower animals, we also find
that scarcely any of our nations in regard to
food hold good. Corn meal is poor food for
horses, says the Englishman it does not con-
tain enough Of the matchmaking substances.
Yet our city cars and omnibus horses which
certainly do much hard work, seen TO thrive
on it. Mr.. l.. W. Miller of Stockton, New
York, winters his cows on corn meal, and
| finds that they do well on it, both as regards
milk and flesh. The horses, and even cows,
on certain portions of our eastern coast, and
in Iceland, are sometimes fed on dried fish
Drovers dogs in Great Britain get fed on
bread soaked in beer, yet by nature they
| are carnivorous.
| Now all these facts seem to show that no
| absolute rule can be laid down in regard to
diet. Liebig's belief that the quantity of nj
trogen passed from the system indicated the
waste Of muscular tissue is exploded. Nj
trOgenous food plays n less important part
in the animal economy than was formerly
supposed. A certain quantity of it there
mast be, but go beyond Il certain point, and
| it will be found, as those who tried Banting-
ism discovered, that most serious complca-
| tions will result thereirom -Brights disease
of the kidneys among Others The infer
ence, then, that deduce from all this that
the old adage-"What is one mans meat is
another mans poison" is pretty nearly true.
One person thrives on rye bread another
must have roast beef The high-bred horse
wants his oats and fine hay; the welsh pony,
the mule and the donkey get fat on thistles.
The difference in vital powers and nutri-
tive system of different individuals will alone
account fer the fact that one man must have
certain articles of diet to maintain health
and strength, while another can do without
them Hence no rule of diet can be laid
down except this: Try by experiment what
best suits you, and adhere to that.
Let me say word in conclusion, in regard
to the manner in which the value of certain
articles ofdiet is frequently estimated. Many
ignorant persons are apt to think that if
a certain kind of food keeps off the feeling
of faintmess n hunger Cor a long time, it
must, therefore, be very nourishing. This,
of course, is quite wrong, and would involve
the acceptance of the absurd theory that a
tough beelsteak is more nourishing than a
tender one. Country Gentleman.