The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-26


Blessed are they who die for God
And earn the martyrs crown of light:
Yet he who lives for God may be
A greater conqueror in His sight
[From the West Chester Pa.)f Republican,
The Use of Over-Fatted Animals al
Food Increasing the Death Rate.
A distinguished philosopher once said
''Show me the dietetics of nation, and | will
show you its character" That this is true
and is alike applicable to the physical, mental
moral and sanitary conditions of human ma
ture, will not be denied 1t is indeed self-evi
dent, look where we will, that gross physique
gross mentality, gross morals and poor healtl
are all of one family and almost wholly
chargeable to bad system of diatetics. 1t is
| not alone the use OF intoxicating liquors, uni
| versally conceded to bea great cause of these
| unfortunate human conditions but the very
| large consumption of over-fed, and. therefore
| diseased animals as human food, that I pro-
| pose to arraign before the bar of public opin,
| ion, as scarcely less potent factor in bring
| ing shout these injurious conditions. Even
under the most favorable physiological cir
purposes must be demoralizing, must tend
greatly to the bunting OF the finer sensibli-
ties OF our nature. The cold-blooded, DELHI
crate murder OF animals, either for gain or
food, cannot fail to implant and foster the seeds
OF human murder in the hearts of those who
encourage OF practice it.
I ,"For just disease to luxury succeeds,
And even death it's avenger breeds
The fury passions from that blood began,
And turned on man hercer savage man -
Ii what the great poet has said be wisely
spoken, as all experience proves it to be, then
it must logically follow that our use of animal
flesh for food is fruitful source of some OF the
worst diseases that afflict human nature. great
ly abridging not only life, but the physical
and mental health that alone make it desirable.
In late number of LatteWs Lausng Age there
are some remarkable statistics bearing on this
question. 1t is stated that for two thousand
years the Jews have religiously abstained from
eating swine's flesh and diseased meats. AS a
resulting consequence of this abstinence it is
claimed that in health and longevity they are
far in advance OF the swine-eating Christians
among whom they live. In an English ex-
| ample given, the Jewish death rate was only
halt that Oft like number Of Christians in
| immediate contiguity. During the middle ages
the plague that fell with such fearful mortality
| on sWine-eating Christians passed haImlessly
OfOA olO oSWo. liz WIltCl luIIlCI States LnaJ
the Jew owes to his dietetics that sound
mind in sound body which is one of his
chief characteristics"
But l write, not alone to discourage the use
OF swine flesh as part of our dietetics, but
more especially to show the very great danger
of using over-ted animals of any kind for food
purposes. 1t is impossible tor over-ted ami
mails, even if not closely confined, to take
enough exercise to keep them in healthy
condition. The etfete matter, which in a nat
ural state is eliminated through the skin, is in
the Over-fatted animals lodged in the cellular
TISSUE where 1t becomes an offensive and dan
gerous poison, when used as food. Several
instances have come under my own notice of
swine and other animals SO over-fatted that
the flesh became SO offensive, both in taste and
smell, that even habitual flesh eaters rejected
it with disgust Though the evil of over-feed-
ing has It's climax in oVer-tatted swine, vet in
beet, mutton and poultry, it is by far too COM
mon and attended with almost equally fatal
consequences. In an instance that came under
my own observation the eating of an
OVer-fat duck brought ON diphtheria,
resulting in the death of three members
of the family. Some years ago there was
slaughtered in Chester county an over-fatted
OK, weighing about twenty-nine hundred
pounds. In the village and vicinity where it
was eaten the avenging Nemesis of malignant
and fatal diptheria Immediately followed. No
one can fall 10 observe that during the butch
ering season and succeeding winter months
scarlatlna, dlptheria, smallpox and many other
types OF lnfiammatory fever, become almost
epidemic IN town and country. He who runs
can scarcely fail TO read their unmstakabe
cause IN the excessive use of over fatted meats,
always so abundant and SO freely used in the
winter months. Scarcely less injurious to hui
man health is the use of dairy products OBJ
tanned from over-ted and closely confined COWS.
Especially should no fermented food find favor
with the dairyman. Ensilage or fermented
green corn stalks, just now coming into fash
ion, should be as unhesitatingly avoided as
the refuse fermented gra II OF brewing house
ln proportion as it ierments it lessons its nr-
trltlve power, andSmust have the same I'M
healthy stimulating influence on COWS that
beer and other fermented liquors have on men.
More than three-tourths of the inhabitants of
the earth subsist chiefly on vegetable food
Other things being equal human mortality is
greatest where an animal flesh diet is most
largely used. Much experience has shown
that the use of diet of animal flesh, so far
from being necessity, is positive injury.
Still, where, as in this country, the tiesh-eat-
ing habit has been SO long and firmly fixed as
to render it second nature not easily chan ged
it may be as well for us to look around and
cCC IL oOuCtlllLs5 CdullOG NC uCuC W OF
lesson Its influence TO this end our agricul-
tural societies should cease by premium or di-
ploma, to encourage the over fatting of ami
mails The highest prizes should be awarded
to farmers exhibiting well formed stock and
yet not fed into unnatural and diseased con
ditions
If in addition to this, swine flesh could be
made as contraband in our markets as horse
flesh now is, our present death-rate could not
fail to be reduced to One-half of what it now
appears
The deatlI-rate III summer is always less than
that Of winter But it might be <still further
reduced by total abstinence from the use of
fresh meat during the hot months. The fresh
veal and beef supplied in the markets and by
butcher wagons, are exceedingly objectiona-
ble In the moist, warm weather OF August
and September they are always more or less
advanced toward state of putrifaction before
they can be assimilated by the digestive pro-
cess. Diarrhea cholera and dysentery are the
legitimate and almost inevitable result of such
diet Substitute liberal use of the ripe fruits
of the season and all will be well. Or, if ami
NAL flesh must be eaten let it be only in the
form of dried beef or venison.
Even as matter OF cosmetics the use of
gross animal flesh diet is inadmissibe. All ex-
perience shows that such mode of subsistence
is utterly incompatible with development Of
the higher types OF beauty.
Spaniel ate pulse by choice, example rare,
Heaven blest the youth and made him fresh and
fair
In conclusion let me add word OF warning
against the use of remedial agents. As rule
with scarcely conceivable exception, any
thing that makes well person sick will make
sick person sicker. Therefore, if sick peo-
pie could be protected by law, as they have a
right to be, from licensed PRISONERS, ignolanty
called doctors, half the chronic diseases and
one-fourth of the present death rate would i'm
mediately vanish from the land. 1t is the heal
ing power of Nature that restores the sick to
health. 1t is self.eyident that this healing