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

ana courier, tEat our diet Is the cause OF
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 dis source for
their causes. But how is it il the village,
and on the farms where vast majority of
our readers live? Brother farper, what did
you cat for dinner to-day? Was your bill
OF fare made up Of cooling, nutritious, whole,
some, anti-febrile dishes? Or 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 poi. with a huge
piece of Northwost6kn bacon in tho centre,
like diamond il a caskct Of jewels? Sog.
gy corn bread, greasy vegetables, and the
inevitable chunck of bacon constitute the
average bill of fare for dinner allsthc sum-
mer, while not much better baked bread
and fried ham or bacon arc the bulk of the
morning and evening meals. Unless n man
has stomach like grist mill is it any
wonder that such food creates indigestion,
fever, disease and death?
We are told that negroes live OH such diet,
and grow fat. True; but no argument can
be taken from that premise to reach simi-
lar conclusion as to the white race. A negro
will cover his head with four folds of a blan-
kct aud 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 dict, they
can also weather the storm on roots and ber-
rles, as doubtless many of them lre 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
dicrs 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 New York
Tribune is so torciblc upon this point, that
we commend it to the careful perusal of all
our readers:
The thermometer may be used to a GER
tain extent as a guide in the selection of
food. With the mercury at 40 degrees
below zero, healthy stomach will crave an
abundance OF ear51nsas:s2Ss s4: matter f. sR'epllY
the Thermometer at 90 degrees in the shade,
VIC want slight help from food to keep the
blood at its normal temperature Of SO de-
grces, but the wastes of nerve and muscular
tissue may still require large supplies for
reinforcement The falling off Of the ap-
petite in springtime is fitting preparation
tbo 80, olaoo Of hopl nd
everything that suggests GOODNESS and light
ness of dietis grateful to us. A natural divis.
ion of foods is into those which mai.tain the
heat Of the body and those which 10 to the
production of muscular and mental force
Carbon, in one form or another. is lhe basis
of all heat-producing food, and nitpgen is
the basis OF muscle making food. IN we'll
proportioned food carbon stands to ritrogen
in the ratio of five to one that is, We swal-
low five ounces for warmth to. ,be for
strength But this ratio variesy1As already
intimated, with the height of the mercury.
In winter starchy foods, oils, fits, are in de-
manl. In summer acids, lean meats, curds
and such other articles as keep up the
strength of the body without oVerheating it.
Every housckeeper should understand how
to feed the various members Of her house
hold with food convenient for them. An
alyses of blood, of muscle, of brf in and nerve
tissues, and of the various foodI which have
been made, render this knowledge quite
possible to her if she will seek /. For illus.
traton: Suppose she has half adozen hun
cry farm laborers to feed, she Will not give
them chicken croquettes, ongudsandwiches
and ice cream, for this would nd feed them.
She would rather place before hem corned
beef we'll done, cabbage, onion beans, po-
tatocs, buttermilk, and breaa~dnd butter.
In the corred beef they would hive for every
hundred grains eaten fifteen grains of nitro
gen, which would go at once to epair mus
cular waste in cabbage, every hutdred parts
would give them four parts of nitrogen in
onions they would have five parts'f nitrogen
in every hundred parts in beam about the
same, and in potatoes both nrogcn and
potash, though in smaller proportions. The
buttcrmilk, besides alfording a ct,liDg acid,
is refreshing beverage, since evfy constit-
ucnt of milk but the fatty parts present
in it. A piece of apple pic wouoftly close
the rcpast. But such meal would not suit
the worker; it is too harty, and
makes larger demands on the diestive or
gans than would be agreeable to him. For
him the food should be at once lighter and
more concentrated. cupful Of nutritious