The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-07-23
THE PROPER DINNER HOUR.

A good deal of attention has lately
been attracted by declaration made in
paper devoted to the study Of proper
food for man that good health could
only be secured by taking hearty meal
at midday. The writer went on to saw
il was better for business men to take
time for substantial meal at midday
than to snatch the hasty lunch that is
usual, for the latter proceeding was sim.
ply inviting fate. This opinion attracted
the attention of some Of our morning
contemporaries, who seemed to agree with
It. Therefore, n Commercial reporter
was sent on a tour among well known
physicians of this city to ascertain
whether it is advisable and healthful for
active, pushing men to stop in the midst
Of their days work and consume hearty
meal. The majority Of those spoken to
laughed at the theory thus propounded.
An eminent physician living in the up.
per part Of the city said the reason why
heavy midday meal would be injurious,
while the evening dinner was really
healthy, wasthat business and profession
al men were GENERALLY in such hurry
in the middle Of the day that they could
not spare time t. masticate the food they
ate, much less allow it to digest, before
rushing again to their work. He had
visited restaurants in the lower part OF
the city between twelve and one O'Clock
IN the day and had seen respectable men
grabbing and swallowing food the same
as hogs at trough. This method Of
eating was decidedly unhealthy, and it
would be far better il they would merely
nibblc n hard cracker during the middle
OF the day, for they would have to mas
ticatc that and take little time over it.
1t was far healthier, in his opinion, for
professional men to dispose of hearty
breakfast, say from seven to eight o'clock
in the morning, eat lightly during the
middle Of the day, then take time TO
their dinners after their days labors
were over. a dinner at about five or
six O'Clock, eaten slowly and enjoyed
amid pleasant family surroundings, in
terSpcrScd with cheerful conversation,
was more productive to health than all
the midday meals which could be thought
of. y heavy midday meal would unfit
professional men for carrying on any
business in the afternoon, rs il would
make them heavy and sleepy, for nature
requires some kind Of repose to aid di.
gcstion.
Another well-known physician said
the system Of eating in this county was
ridiculous, as any person Of common
sense would see. The majority Of per-
sons thrust three heavy meals into about
ten hours, and leave the body without
fresh supply Of food for the remaining
fourteen hours of the day and night
He thought two coed meals, morning
and evening, would be the proper plan,
with perhaps light lunch Of crackers
at about one o'clock in the day. This
would allow both Of the heavy meals TO
digest before the next was taken. As to
heavy midday meal for men who have
10 tear around rs il the next moment
were 70 be their last, it is perfectly ridic-
ulous. Is the food, instead Of digesting
and forming blood. muscle and brain,
would act as block to those forces Of
naturc-choking up sewer, as it were.
Other physicians expressed similar
opinions, the same ideas being given,
only in different, phrases and modes Of
expression. -Vco Hyk Commr,riak