The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-06-29
OUR DIET.

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most of the summer diseases that prevail in
this latitude, aud have seen nothing that
induces change of opinion upon this sub
Ject. In towns and cities where the con-
veniencc and variety of market can be had,
there are perhaps such changes in diet that
diseases may not be traced to ibis source for
their causes. But how is it il the village,
and on the farms where a vasG majority of
our readers live? Brother farHer, what did
you cat for dinner to-day? Was your bill
OF fare made up Of cooling, nutritious, whole,
some, antifcbrilc dishes? OF was it var
iety OF vegetables, potatoes, greens, beans
and so on to the end of tho chapter, all boiled
pretty much in the same pol, with a huge
piece of Northwestern bacon in tbs, centre,
like diamond il caskct of jewels? Sog.
gy corn bread, greasy vegetables, and the
inevitable chunck of bacon constitute tho
average bill of fare for dinner aIlsthc sum.
mer, while not much better baked bread
and fried ham or bacon arc the bulk of the
morning and evening meals. Unless u man
has stomach like grst mill is it any
wonder that such food creates indigestion,
fever, disease and death?
We are told that negroes live Oh suck diet,
and grow fat. True; but no argument can
be taken from that premise to reach SINH
lar conclusion as to the white race. A negro
will cover his head with four folds of a blan
kct and stick his head in hot ashes and sleep
comfortably. They and we have not the
same physical structure, for while they can
digest and assimilate the strongest diet, they
can also weather the storm on RIOTS aud ber.
ries, as doubtless many of them .re doing to.
day. But our race is required to be more
select in what they eat, if VIC desire to pro-
mote health. IT'S said that the first order
MIR. Calhoun issued after he was appointed
secretary of war was to destroy every frying
pan in the army, for it was killing more SOL
dlers than battle was. So We think, and
hence advise our readers to be little more
delicate at this season in their diet than
they have been heretofore.
The following extract from tie Now York
Tribune is so forcble upon this point, that
We commend it to the careful perusal of all
our readers
Ihe thermometer may be used to cer-
tain extent as guide in the selection of
food. With the mercury at 40 degrees
below zero, healthy stomach will crave an
abundance OF esrban@sssess @ ms.ssr ta supply
the thermometer at 80 degrees in the shade,
VIC want slight help from food to keep the
blood at its normal temperature Of SO de-
grccs, but tho wastes of nerve and muscular
tissue may still require large supplies for
re enforcement. The falling off Of the ap-
petite in springtime is fitting preparation
for the heats of summer close at hand, and
everything that suggests GOODNESS and light
ness of dietis grateful to US. A natural divis
ion of foods is into those which maiitain the
heat Of the body and those which 10 to the
production of muscular and mental force
Carbon, in ono form or another. is he basis
of all heat-producing food, and nit'pgen is
the basis or muscle making food. In we'll
proportioned food carbon stands to nitrogen
in the ratio of five to one that is, Ye swal-
low five ounces for warmth to, .6e for
strength. But this ratio yariosSA4i SA4is already
intimated, with the height of die mercury.
In winter starchy foods, oils, ffs, are in de-
mand. In summer acids, lean meats, curds
and such other articles as Aeep up the
strength of the body without obrheating it.
Every housekeeper should undi irstand how
to feed the various members Of her house
hold with food convenient for Them. An
alyses of blood, of muscle, of br3n and nerve
tissues, and of the various food which have
been made, render this kno}ledge quite
possible to her if she will seek !. For illus.
tration Suppose she has half ddozen hun
cry farm laborers to feed, she I'll not give
them chicken croquettes, tonguds Sandwiches
and ice cream, for this would nd feed them
She would rather place before hem corned
beef we'll done, cabbage, onionb beans, po.
tatoes, buttermilk. and breat~and butter.
In the CORE Led beef they would hive for every
hundred grains eaten fifteen grins of nitro
gen, which would go at once to epair mus
cular waste; in cabbage, every hukired parts
would give them four parts of nitrogen; in
onions they would have five parts II nitrogen
in every hundred parts; in beam about the
same, and in potatoes both nitogen and
potash, thoughin smaller prorotbns. The
buttermilk, besides affording ctGDg acid,
is "a refreshing beverage, since ev&y constit-
uent of milk but the fatty partis present
in it. A piece of apple pie wouIlftiy close
tho repast. Bnt such meal would not suit
the brain-worker; it is too harty, and
makes larger demands on the diestive Or
gans than would be agreeable to hm. For
him the food should be at once liebter and
more concentrated. cupfui Of nutritious