Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-08-01
Tom atOeH a. Food.

Tomatoes contain neither cancers nor can
Ger producing matter. Cancers are composed
of animal matter, not vegetable and there
fore cannot be directly derived from the veg
etable kingdom. Tomatoes are not without
some defects as an article of food. They
are not, like milk, perfect diet of them
selves, and besides, like most other arti-
Giles of food, they obtain some obnoxious
qualities. But they need not be thrown aside
on that account Nature has provided us
with such sufficient eXcretory organs that OBJ
noXious matter in our food if in moderate
amount, is readily cast ont, and the body is
protected against any material injury. Were
il not so, We should be obliged TO throw out
of our dietary many kinds Of food now eaten,
not only with impunity but with advantage.
Thus, red cabbage, cherries and peaches con
tain Prussic acid. which is IL deadly poison
when taken in sufficient quantity. The very
small amount of the poisoning acid these veg
etables contain is cast ont of the system with
out any material injury to the person using
them. A positive good may actually be de
rived from the uso of food containing some
such foreign matter by way of giving increas-
ed activity and strength TO the eXcretory or
gAns from their exercise IN casting such for
eign matter from our bodies provided the
quantity is not so great to ovcrburden
them. Since are all the time liable TO take
in our food substances, the tendency of which
is harmful, a good development of efficiency
in our eXcretory organs is necessary 10 pro
tect us against the pernicious effects which
might otherwise occur. Almost every kind
of grain and fruit in use contains more or less
of things which, if in larger amount, would
prove hurtful. Unless We closely study our
food, we are taking them in when We little
suspect it. Frenchman, not many years
ago, discovered II substance in wheat bran,
which, under the high heat used in baking
dissolved out and spread over the crumbs OF
bread, of which bran forms a part aud dis
colored it, and hence the brown stain peculiar
10 Graham bread. But from this discovery
such bread has not been rejected, but contin-
ues TO be accounted among the most whole
some kinds of food. Rye is seldom used
without containing more or less ergot, but
rye bread is also reckoned among the most
healthful. Tea contains fannie acid, apples
contain malic acid, lemons and oranges ctric
acid, neither of which is used either in nutrition
or respiration, but they only become objec-
tionable when used excessively.
Tomatoes, in common with most other
fruits, contain some poisonous matter. They
and the eggplant, Jerusalem cherry, bitter
sweet, deadly night shade, and the common
potato plant, all belong to the same genus
sOldHtRi-the fruit of every species of which
is more or less poisonous, but none of them
very much so. The fruit of the deadly night
shade and of the potato potato balls are
probably the most poisonous But even these
are not very hurtful, The smaller amount
contained in tomatoes allows of their being
classed with the esculent fruits, but there is
nevertheless enough to give them a peculiar
flavor not apt to be relished by unaccustomed
palates, but which use soon renders agreeable
Used very largely, tomatoes would doubtless
develop specific results peculiar TO the fruit of
the genus 10 which they belong, especially
with feeble persons and those who, from their
| peculiar constitutions, are susceptible 10 such
] influences. But when moderately used by