The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-29


climate be counteracted by diet organized on
physiological principles. In other words. just
as Banting suggested some simple rules by
which nm excessive corpulence could be cor
rected. may not the opposite tendency be over
come by carefully ordered system OF feeding
This question is answered in the Affirmative by
Doctor T. G. DUNCAN in little essay published
by Duncan Brothers OF Chicago. and entitled
Hoe TO be Plump.
No doubt there Is such thing Ms a natural
imperfoction In the faculty OF assimilating fats.
There are some persons. for example. whose
stomachs will not tolerate oleaginous matters Mt
all and others who never fail to sufror from bill
ious arrangement by their use. 1t is worth
noting that these conditions are usually asso-
ciated with nm anxious and nervous character.
with more than average mental susceptibility
and activity. For the most part loanness in
such cascs must DO held incorrigibe. There
is. however much larger class whose want OF
adiposc tissue is in no sense congcnital, and
for whose particular bchoof this little treatise
seems to have been written. To whit is lean
ness owing in the case Of individuals
whose stomachs will boar any guam
tIty OF fat with impunityY Hero. plainly.
oleaginous matter is either not assim-
lated at all. and passes unchanged through the
system. or II II DO taken up. ie disposed OF MS
fast rs II Is deposited so that accumulation Is
frustrated. The latter phenomenon occurs In
healthy persons who take inordnate physical
exercise. or nre mentally worried. and who.
while such conditions subslst. would acquire
fat under no system OF diet whatever In this
case the proper treatment IL sufficiently indi-
Gated by n statement OF tho depressing cause.
Dr. Duncan has chiefly addressed himself to
those who would be plump II they could. and
-. Il. tt..t .lsa
the right amount OF adipose tissue. hut who
have either excluded fat making food from their
dietary or have failed to fully assimilate it.
In tho diet suggested by the writer to those
DESTROYS OF nrrestng n tendency to leanness
much stress is laid upon the importance Of
water. As n rule. spare people explain. when
questioned on tho subject. that they take very
little water" that they " don't take drink Of
water once n month";" or only drink during
hot weather. &c. The fact Is. however. that in
the normal human subject. water constitutes
about seventy per cent. OF the entire weight Of
the body. Water Ia not only universally present
in all tho tissues Of the animal frame. but It is
especially abundant in the blood and secretons.
where its existence in due quantity In indispcn-
sable to tho right performance OF their
functions. II the water OF tendons. skin.
&C.. happen TO be deficient. those It's
color. which accounts for the snllow appearance
Of loan people. 1t is certain that many cnses OF
dyspepsia IRE due to lack OF water. and that
constipation is often cured by pint or two OF
water taken between meals. Headache too is
not seldom relieved by increasing tho luidity OF
the blood, and functional pnlpitation OF the
heart cnn be mitigated 10y ennrging the volume
OF tho circulating fluid. In view of these and
other facts. the author recommends thin
people to drink good deal Of water. say
about half pint four times day.
namely. early in the morning. next about
10 A. NJ. then about 2. NJ. and again before
going to bed. When there is disposition to
constipation. 4 pinch OF salt should he added to
the morning draught. II is scarcely necessary
TO say that In no should cold water be
taken at meals. for the simple reason that the
stomach is then ut its highest functional activ-
ity. and is retarded or dcrnngcd by n reduction
of temperature Warm fluids on tho other
hand. like milk and tepid water. facilitate the
solution OF food and hnsten assiminton We
know that milk ia largely digestcd below the
stomach. from the fact that iniantle digestion ia
chiefly intestinal. and accordingly milk il
pointed out as an excellent article OF food to
promote the fattenng process.
Next 10 water. starch 10 the largest element
taken into the body. twelve ounces per day
| being absorbed 10y the normal subject Besides
its cnlorinc function starch is converted by the
secrotons. first into doxtrine or gum. and next
into grape sugar In the latter form it enters
the circulation. and helps 10 swell the cells md.
according TO Hoppe. the quantity OF sugar thus
present in the blood assists TINT metamorrhos 3
10y which fat Is generated from nlbuminous
| compounds. That sweets MD in the fat.
tening process is we'll attested 10y experience.
In O.
negroes and cattle employed on the plantations
are observed to grow remarkably stout while
the cane is being gathered and the sugar ex-
tracted. We may cite also an nge-long custom
! in the Orient. whore tho women Of the harem
are inttened against certain day BY feeding
! them freely with honey and black bread. What
| ever may be the proper explanation. it seems Ia
be established that snccharnc matter power.
! fully iurthcrs the deposit OF Hdipose tissue. II
follows that for ladies who. to borrow Tcnny-
sons phrase. are somewhat spnre OF flesh " n
box Of bon hons may be not so much u dainty as
necessity.
Passing 10 animal food We find that DR..
! Duncan cnloins the use OF oysters as feature
OF tho daily diet. reminding US TINT N is biyalvr
1 contains more than eighty per cent. Of WATER or
| nearly the same proportion found in milk Ii
meats are desired they should he takon in tho
/ ''iAh W ehiH H'uIr, thulllpn or cbnSonfne.
| But vegetables must constitute the largest SHIRE
of the nourishment designed to accelerate
the fattcning process. DR.. Fothcrrill Inns af-
nrmod that strict vegetable diet produces cx.
ubcrant fat more certainly than any other
means. OF certain Brahmins in India. who
| pride themselves upon their extreme corpu.
cncy. csteeminc it n proof OF opulencc. DE-
Ward tells us that their food consists exclu.
slvely OF farinaccOus vegetables. milk, sugar
swectmeats and "Ghee." or clarified butter
One word rs 10 preliminary efyoct no, unlikely
| TO follow from the system OF nourshmcnt her,
advised. There is no doubt that certain dis
tention OF the abdomen. or what il commonl,
known as bloating." is apt to be tho first steI
In tho acquisition OF flesh. This is anythinl
but comfortable, Of course and some persona
hre tempted to give over their scheme of physi
illogical feeding upon observing this species o
embonpoDA But we are assured by the author
with all the gravity and carnostncss which IN,
subject calls for, that the phenomenon is tran,
sicnt, TINT the abnormal enlargement soor
gives way. and ia succeeded by plump bodies
rounded limbs, and full. smooth faces.