Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-08
Hot and Cold Drinks.


and some statements made recently by that pc
riodical respecting not and cold drinks are thus
controyerted by physician in the New York
Tribune Dyspepsia can be alleviated by the
use Of simple food and drinking frequently of
hot water. This should be accompanied by a
careful avoidance of all cold food or drinks.
The heat thus prescribed draws the blood to the
stomach, and inyigOrates it. Worm water nau-
seates and cold water decidedly aggravates the
trouble. Stomach Inflammation does occur.
but compared with the above condition it is
rare.
The writer in Kno,olerlge makes the astound-
ing statement that diarrhea is increased by not
drinks and lessened by cold ones. Nothing
more dangerous could be promulgated. The
statement is precisely the reverse of the truth.
The summer complaint which makes such fear
full havoc among the children in our cities is Oc-
casiOned mainly by the action OF the intense
heat Of the sun on the spine. producing hype-
rsema of the nerve centers which causes a con-
traction of the blood vessels supplying the
stomach and bowels. The discharges of cholera
are found to be below the Temperature of the
healthy body, and the quickest way to meet all
these f1uXes is to give the patient hot drinks
hot applications over the stomach and bowels
such applications to the spine as will stimulate
the flow OF blood to the digestive organs, and
scrupulous avoidance Of cold drink in any form.
The statement is made in the article quoted
from that in cold weather the air contains
more moisture than in hot" In fact no amount
of warmth in the atmosphere will dispel its
moisture, and the simplest way to obtain dry
air is by means Of cold. The moisture can be
entirely frozen out of the atmosphere and that
is the only way it can be fully removed
The writer apparently approves of abstaining
from the use of most all fluids. but adds that
pleasant drinks, like tea, Coffee ETC.. may be
taken iukewarm for long time with little APP
parent damage" He seems to forget that the
blood has temperature Of SO degrees Fahren-
het. and if any food or drink is taken at a lower
temperature it must draw upon the vital econo-
my to make up the deficiency, and thus become
drain upon the system. Whereas. moderately
hot food saves such waste, and helps, as do
warm houses and warm clothing. to keep up the
animal heat. The greater part OF the food we
consume is required to produce this very cond-
ton OF animal heat. The pleasant tea and cot.
fee are good insOmuch as they are hot, but are
bad because they not only attack the nervous
system. but because they are strong astringents
and actually produce an an9mic condition of the
stomach. leaving that organ blOodless ana
debilitated as to cause some of the seyerest dis
comforts to which the human race is subject"
He Could Not Endure Human Misery.
young man in Detroit who studied medi-
cine, and was regarded as an uncOmmonly
promising student, was graduated last spring
from the Medical Department of the Michigan
University. During bis student life he visited
the sick assiduOusly as an observer and assist
ant. was engaged in many surgical cases. and
everywhere demonstrated his remarkable adapt
ability for the profession. On coming home
from college he one day walked into his old pre-
ceptOr's Office and said: Il have travelled with
you several years and seen more woe than
even dreamed existed in this world. Now, the
simple fact is shall never do it again. The
thought of spending the remainder of my life
oil hxf hn f1y,n
room. and being forever haunted by the pteous
sights an active physician must encounter is
too horrible to be thought of with anything like
Indifference or equanimity. I'll not do it. and
there's an end Of the whole natter Remon-
STRANGE was useless He gave up the results of
years Of study, and is now hard at work in
manufacturing establishment learning a new
business.