The Lake County star., 1877-05-24
Water as q Beverage.

No one can exist without cOnsu ming
q certain quantity of water, which Is
the essential basis Of all drinks. It
has been calculated that the body of q
man Weighing eleven stone contains
sixty-six pounds of solid matters and
eighty-eight pounds Of water In twen-
ty-four hours, and this loss of water
must be supplied in his food and drink.
In the ordinary physiological processes
nothing passes into the blood, and
nothing passes out of IL, without the
Intervention, In some way or other, Of
water as q solvent. 1t will thus be
seen that water plays most impor-
tant part In relation to animal life and
nutrition. It is also the agent by
which the body Is cleansed inwardly
as wellas outwardly, and 1t is as neces-
sary, though not quite 80 obvious, that
the interior of our bodies should be
washed and made clean as the exterior.
In the processes Of nutrition-in the
physical and chemicsl changes upon
which life depends-effete waste pro-
ducts are constantly being discharged
into the blood from the tissues Of the
body, and these have to be got rid Of;
for If they are permitted to accumulate
in the bloed the body becomes poison
ed by them, and life IL destroyed -
certainly as II q large dose Of prussic
acid or opium were introduced from
without. Men do indeed frequently
die, poisoned by toxic agents which
they manufacture within their own
taken into the body as q beverage, Is
to dissolve these effste products Of the
work of the organism, and so to con-
yoxy ~, an, ont ~ th< h<~Axx ~ %, ho
action Of the secreting organs. Water
is readily absorbed into the blood and
Is rapidly discharged from It. In its
rapid course through the body It
washes, 80 to speak, the circulating
fluid, and carries away, through the
channels of excretion, substances the
retention of which In the blood would
prove in the highest degree harmful.
It may readily be imagined that pure
unadulterated water performs that
function better than any modification
of IL which we may drink as bever-
age. .e.qgr tilll .yif ag
It Is, however, quite true that some
slightly mineralized waters pass
through the organism with even great
er rapidity than pure water ON account
Of the stimulating action they most Of
them exercise on certain Of the excre-
tory organs. Mild alkaline waters
may also, under certain circumstances,
prove more cleansing than pure water,
on account Of their greater soivent ac-
ti0n on some substances The quanti-
ty Of. water we need In the form Of bev-
erage depends greatly on the nature Of
the other substances we consume ~
food. With dietary composed large
ly OF succulent vegetables and fruit,
very little of any kind of beverage n
required, Much also depends on the
manner in which our solid food is
cooked-whether. In the case of ami
NAL food, the natural juices of the
flesh are retained In Il or not ; much,
too, will depend on those atmospheric
and other conditions which determine
the amount Of fluid lost by evapora-
tion from the surface Of, the body.
The sensation Of thirst II the natural
warning that the blood wants water.
/ may here remark, incidentally, that
it IL not wise custom TO take exces-
sive quantities Of any fluid, even SIM
pie water, with our food, for by 30 do
Ing we dilute too much the digestive
juices, and 90 retard their solvent 40
tion on the solid food we have CON-
sumed: A draught Of fluid, however,
toward the end Of digestion is often
useful In promoting the solution and
absorption Of the residuum OF this pro
cess, or In aiding its propulsion along
the digestive tube. Hence the custom
OF taking tea few hours after dinner,
or seltzer or soda-water 3 little before
bed time.--Fbrtnt0ktxv Rsvtcsc.