The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-11-18
Something About Sugar.

shall come, and to the equal surprise,
doubtless, of many fond and cautious
parent, the eating of sugar is now consid
cred, by high medical authority, as not
only not injurious but positively beneficial.
One of the ablest and best known English
psychologists, DIR. Bridges Adams, investi-
gated this subject some time ago in man
ner that left him in no doubt as to the
value of sugar in its relation to food.
Knowing, by experience, the difference in
nutritious effect produced by the flesh of
tired cattle on march, and those slain in
a condition arising from abundant food
and healthy exercise-that, in the former
case, any amount might be eaten without
the satisfaction Of hunger, while in the
latter smaller amount realized that pur-
posc-his investigations led to the discov-
cry that certain other food, of different
quality, such as grape sugar and fruit,
would help the tired meat to assimilate,
and thus remove hunger. He asserts,
therefore, that buildings and fruit tarts are
not to be regarded as simple batteries Of
the appetite or palate, but as really diges-
tive agents, provided that they are not
themselves made of indgestible materials
The fondness of artisans for confectionery,
and the inclination of patients just dis
charged from hospital to ask for sweet
rather than for substantial food, are exam
amples of correct instinct and in the
case Of children in whom the requirements
Of growth call for a rapid and efficient
transformation of food into tissue there is
no doubt that natures demand for sweets
is very imperious, and parents should,
therefore, understand that the jam-pot in.
creases the amount Of nutrition extracted
from beef and mutton.
This view of the nature and effects of
sugar was entertained by the late Professor
Liebig, who was accustomed to say that,
instead of sugar being us thought by some,
the most dangerous constituent in pastry,
it is in reality the least so; that is if not
added in too great quantity to cakes and
tarts, sugar is transformed into Tactic acid,
and assists the stomach in digesting Both
by sugar and honey, indeed, Liebig as
serts, is the quantity of the digestive juices
increased and the digestion promoted; it
also, while being digested, enriches the
gastric juice with substance which assists
in dissolving the aliments-for the sugar,
on coming in contact with the saliva, has
been partly transformed into Tactic acid,
which acts upon the alimentary principles
in the same manner as does the hydro
choloric acid of the gastric juice.
In regard to the effect of sugar on the
teeth, the correctness Of the popular be-
lief is met and refuted by the fact that the
teeth Of the West India Negroes COM
munity remarkable for the amount of su-
gar consumed among them-are of
bright white. The reasoning of medical
science is, that phosphate of lime being
the chief constituent of the bones and
teeth, but not before adulterage, an in
crease Of the phosphate of lime is the es-
sential characteristic Of the development
of the bones Of children, and as Tactic acid
dissolves the phosphate of lime of the food,
sugar indirectly supports this solution, and
facilitates the conveyance Of lime in the
teeth.
In frequent cases white sugar has been
employed as efficaciously in remedying
drunkenness as ammonia. No rationale
of very satisfactory character has as yet
been adduced for the action of SO sim pie
substance as sugar under these crcum-
stances, except that it serves to bring on
a different fermentation from the existing
one in the stomach, and to neutralze, by
the formation of new compounds, the ac-
ton of the liquors. Per contra French
chemist has found by experiment that,
under certain conditions, electricity pro-
duces the same effect on sugar as fermen-
tation does-transforming it into alcohol
that is, it was ascertained that, by passing
an electrict current through very sugary
white wine, the wine loses all its sugar and
becomes much more alcoholic. 1t ap.
pears, however, that the effect of the &C.
tion of light on absolute alcohol is, under
some circumstances, to transform a por-
ton of the alcohol back into sugar; the
alcohol becoming very sugary, and losing
seVerai ueBreeS oI strength.
The antiseptic property of sugar is now
well known; fruits, flesh, etc., may be in
definitely preserved in syrup Of sugar,
as they also can in honey or glycerine. A
curious fact has long been observed, name
ly, that the life of animals which breathe
in water is incompatible with the presence
therein of even an inconsiderable quantity
of sugar. One Of the explanations of this
phenomenon is that of the diffusive ten
dency of these bodies, which prevents the
life and propagation Of animalcul@, or
foment cells, as these organisms swell and
even burst in syrupy solutions; the high
density Of liquid is, accordingly, of chief
importance in determining its antiseptic
In some parts of Europe one
of the methods pursued in the preservation
of fish consists in removing the viscera and
sprinkling sugar over the interior, keeping
the fish in horizontal position, so that
the sugar may penetrate as much as pos
sible. 1t is said that fish prepared in this
way can be kept completely fresh for
long time, the SAVIOR being as perfect as if
recently caught from the water; and sal.
mon, in especial, treated in this manner
before being sailed and smoked table
spoonful Of sugar to five pound fish
possess much more agreeable taste.
Opera Going in Germany.
In letter to the Chicago Tribune Miss