Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-19
Water as a Curative.

o fY,1
Water taken with the food favorS digestion
When taken into the stomach a part Is ab-
sorbed by the gastric vessels carrying with it
as is not Immediately absorbed assists In soften
ing and breaking up the larger particles OF
food, and thus aids IN the gastric digestion by
bee Waae9 uS tbs
testines with the semi. digested food, and acts
fayorably In the same way: also, the blood be
ing well-supplied with water, the frces are not
and 1t Is easier to keep the bowels regular. 1t
Is certainly no matter OF surprise that there
should be malaise and distress when the system
is loaded with worn-out material, unfit for the
functions OF life, which the blood cannot Re
move for the lack OF menstrum.
1t is not surprising that the nervous system,
Which most requires regular nutrition. should
suffer most; that muscles badly nOur1Shed
should ache On motion; that kidneys called
upon to secrete an abnormally concentrated
acid urine should i.ritate the bladder. For
merly the good housewife supplied the DELI
cheney In drink by regular doses OF herb tea
now the physician supplies it by draughts OF
How much water should an adult drink in
tWenty-tOur hours?
1t must be taken into account that water is
eXcreted by the lungs and skin as well as by
the kidneys; also much OF the food 1ngested
contains water as one OF its constituent parts.
Hence the amount OF liquid required as drink
OF the skin and the character OF the food. II
much OF the diet Is made up OF soft solids, fruit
and Watery vegetables, less drink will be needed
than IL the diet is composed OF dry meat and
vegetables. The amount OF soup ingested
would also affect the amount OF mere drink
required. The average amount OF urine passed
IN "a hours by healthy adult is stated by DIR.
Flint to be about SO ounces, the extremes being
SIS and 81 ounces.
The amount Of drink necessary Is stated by
Dalton to be about HfJy-tWO ounces; that Is 3.3S
pintS, the equivalent OF eight or nine coffee cups
OF drink would not, then, be an excessive
amount. Repeatedly patients have told me that
they drink only one and half cups morning
and evening, and about the same at dinner, only
occasionally taking soup; averaging less than
SIX cups, sometimes small tea cups Of drink.
only little more than a pint day Dr. Web.
Der remarked incidentally that very large
proportion OF those who suffer from nervous
exhaustion, or "neurasthenta," as it is called,
do not drink enough: and he suggests that
it may be an American popularity to digest
SO little fluid. Do not be afraid of drinking all
the water you thirst for, provided it be pure;
and cultivate liking for it, II from what has
been said above, you infer you ought to do So.
Water Ia OF course more efficient as a preventive
than as cur'o Of disease; or as DR.. Weber
somewhat facetiOusy puts 1t, 1.-THE time to
work the greatest cure with water is before the
disease has begun"
DR.. Thomas K. Chambers, OF London, one Of
the best living authorities on the stomach and
on indigestion, In an article on "Dieteticsn In
the last edition Of the Encyclopedia Britain
nica.n remarks: that patients with fever
should take no food but liquid, and adds that
water is the most digestible OF all foods"