Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07
Is Pork Unwholesomei

Some thirty years ago, New England was
all agog with new isms that claimed to be
based upon science. The chief these among
we're Phrenology and Grahamism, Of neither
of which is much now left, except an occa-
sional humorous reference to "bumps," IN
the one case, and name for unbolted
-four in the other.
Sylvester Graham, dyspeptic as thin as
a rail, went about the land declaiming against
& meat diet, and praising bran bread as
specific for all ills. lie denounced pork,
especially, as the cause of scrofula and cou-
sumption, yet died out OF the last, in spite
of his vegetarianism.
Yet this notion about pork still prevails,
and probably will prevail, as popular
superstition, long after this generation is
under the sod. 1t is no use to say that the
Jews suffer from scrofua and die Of cousump-
ton, though they have eaten no pork since
the days Of Moses 1t is no use to point to
both negroes and whites in the South and
West, bred up on hog and hominy, yet sufi-
erng far less from scrofulous and tubercu-
lous disease than the "mincing" Yankees.
1t is no use to compare families, and show
the unhealthy condition Of those that study
every quackish publication upon diet, and
regulate themselves accordingly, alongside
of others that take no heed Of anything but
having enough to eat, "and that which is
good" with plenty of outdoor exercise and
fresh air, aud who are plump, vigorous and
rosy The theory will remain bigger than
all opposing facts with those who are once
brought to believe in the specious talk Of
the diet quAcks.
There has never been particle Of scien-
tifc evidence that pork is any more unwhole-
some than any other article OF diet. There
is some proof that fat meat is somewhat
harder Of digestion than that which is both
lean and tender. But pork is not so hard
to digest with most people, as many vege'
tables-beans and cabbage particularly
1t is such sweet and tender meat that
people are often tempted to over-eat Of it,
and over.eating is injurious.
Science shows that fat and -four, cooked
together, as in pies, doughnuts, shortened
bread, and various fried dishes, are very
difficult of digestion because the fat which
cannot be digested IN the stomach, prevents
the -four, etc., from being digested there
enveloping as it does every particle with
thin coating Of grease. Fat is digested II
the bowels belsw the stomach, and should
never be so intimately Incorporated with am
food that it will not separate and flow of
when subjected TO tho hoat and movement o.
the stomach, leaving the farinAceous, saccha
rne and albuminous portions Of the foo'
free to be acted upon by the fluids Of tha
organ.
An abundance Of fat food is essential t
health in every cold climate, and those VIII
refuse it as food will usually have chRnc
9 to try il as a medicine, under tho form o
: cOd.liver oil. The prejudice against ia
. that exists among us is, far more than ou
climate, the cause Of consumption in Ne'
: England. Plenty of fat, properly eater
plenty of Woolen clothing, and enough oui
> door exercise, would Danish consumptio
= from all our rural districts. And pork-fo
u is the healthiest of all the animal iat
Except cream and butter) because it be
comes fluid at low temperature-muC
lower than that of mutton or beef-and
therefore more easily emulsionised or d
Is gested, by the intestinal fluids to which thI
L duty is assigned.
7, We are not advocating the use OF di
u eased pork. We believe that too many hos
u are kept in way that makes the meat uni
70 to be eaten. But the same is true of catt
;, sheep aud poultry. Swine should be f
~ with clean food from clean troughs-shOu
10 have free access to running water, and ha'
!" clean, dry and warm sleeping quarter
u They should not be over.fed, especially
20 20 warm weather, and the meat should not
y, ~ injured by over-salting, over-smoking
" tainting. Observe these points, and sn
~ =, your fingers at the diet quacks.-VermO
ou Chronicle.