The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-05-31
Tomatoes as Pood.

AFVf dJHOtui 81 tOcfteAeF UecfuTeS
them healthfa.-Tomatoes contain neither
cancers norcancer-producing matter. Can
GERS are composed Of animal matter, and
vegetable, therefore cannot be directly de-
rived from the vegetable kingdom. To-
matoes arc not without some defects as an
article Of food. They are not, like milk,
a perfect diet Of themselves, and besides,
like most other articles Of food, they con
tain some obnoxious qualities. But they
need not be thrown aside on that account.
Nature has provided US with such efficient
excretory organs that obnoxious matter in
our food, IL 10 moderate amount, Is readi.
ly cast out, 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 adyau-
tage. Thus, red cabbage, cherries and
peaches contain Prussic acid, which is
deadly poison when taken in sufficient
quantity. The very small amount Of poi
soning acid these vegetables contain Is
cast out Of the system without any mate
rial injury to the person using them. A
positive good may actually be derived from
the use Of food containing some such
foreign matter by way Of giving increased
activity and strength to the excretory
organs from their exercise In casting such
foreign matter from our bodies, provided
the quantity is not SO great as 10 overbur-
den them. Since We are all the time La
BILE to take in our food substances, the
tendency of which Is harmful, a good de-.
velopment Of efficiency in our excretory
organs is necessary to protect us against
the pernicious effects which might other.
wise occur. Almost every kind of grain
and fruit in use contains more or less oI
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, A Frenchman, not many
years ago, discovered a substance in wheal
bran, which, under the high heat used il
baking, dissolved cut and spread over tn,
crumb of bread, Of which bran forms
part, and discolored il, and hence III,
brown stain peculiar to Graham bread
But from this discovery such bread ha
not been rejected, but continues to be &C
counted among the most wholesome kind
Of food Rye is seldom used without con
tanning more or less ergot, but rye is ais
reckoned among the most healthful. TIE
contains tanuic acid, apples contain mali
, acid, lemons and oranges citric acid
neither Of which is used either in nutritio
or respiration, but they only become OF
, jectionable when used excessively.
} Tomatoes, in common with most othe
} fruits, contain some poisonous matte
, They and the egg plant, Jerusalem cherr,
, bitter.swect, deadly night shade, and II
common potato plant, all belong TO Il
same genius-Solanum--the fruit Of ever
. species of which Is more or less poisonou
/ but none Of them very much so. III
, fruit Of the deadly night shade aud Of IL
: potato potato balls) are probably the mo
Q poisonous. But even these are not We:
: hurtful. The smaller amount containe
: 10 tomatoes allows Of their being classc
: with the esculent fruits, but there is, ne
. ertheless, enough TO give them peculii
y favor, not apt to be relished by unaccu
, toned palates, but which use soon rende
: agreeable. Used very largely, tomato
would doubles develop specific results p
euliar to the fruit Of the genius to viii,
they belong, especially with feeble persol
and those who, from there peculiar col
stitutions, are susceptible to such influence
But when moderately used by persons
fair health there is no more reason for r
jeeting them than there would be in r
! jecting lettuce for the opium it contain
; Pie plant stands in similar relation
Its prominent characteristic aud favor Al
, the result Of oxalic acid, which is powerfl
i poison. For persons not having suiiiciel
, yigor to dispose Of such strong acid, M
, for those in whose systems there il alread
an excess Of acid, such highly acid foe
would be Objectionable. But its modera
use by people in common health is I
more Objectionable than many other acl
foods in daily use, and regarded as healtl
, ful.-Ne,0 FORK Tribune.