Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-11
Fruit in Sunni lef.
From the British Medical journal


Lightness is the first essential alike In the
food and drink taken in warm weather There
is then less work to be done, less waste of It's
sue, less need ofthe pre-emnently muscle-forming
and heat-prod ucing substances meat and bread;
and fruit. as being both palatable and easily OBJ
tanable, is much in use. Its advantages are
That 1t provides seasonable change of diet,
light and wholesome, If we'll chosen, and q
palatable tonic and stimulant of digestion with
aperient properties. There are few who cannot
enjoyit in one form or another. For diabetes the
only least desirable kinds, as certain nuts and
almonds, are available, all Others as containing
sugar, being forbidden. Sufferers from acid
dyspepsia must select carefully. and limit their
consumption to the least irritating-a few
strawberries or few grapes Diarrhna and
dysentery preclude the use of all fruit. On the
other hand, for constipated persons it is some
times the only reliable remedy which they can
use continuously with comfort; it is also OF
benefit In renal diseases, by it's action on the
bowels: Atomic persons generally take it well,
and feel the better for its digestive property
Those in normal health may eat almost any
ripe fruit. The bland varieties are the most
wholesome and MISUNDERSTANDING apples,
pears. grapes, and gOOseberries. The last
named. however, with currants and raspberries
are less wholesome than the others. Stone
fruits are apt to disagree with the stomach;
but the more watery as peaches and large
piums are better than the smaller and drier as
apr'cots and damsons. The pulp of ranges
renders them heavy. Among other foreign
fruits bananas are wholesome. Dried fruits.
and the skin of fruits in general are indigesti-
bie Nuts, the edible part of which is really the
seed, contain much albumen and some fat in a
condensed form, an1 are particularly difficult of
digestion. Fruit may be taken with a meal or
ON an empty stomach. In the former case it
promotes digestion by its gently irritating effect
on the mucous membrane of the stomach and
intestine. II an aperient effect be desired it
had better be taken in the morning before
breakfast or between meals succulent and
pleasantly acid variety is best for both of THESE
purposes, while it is also q food. The quantity
of fruit which should be taken depends Oh the
kind. If it belong to the bland nutritious class.
healthy person may now and then partake of
it as freely as of any other wholesome food:
but he will gain most benefit If he take only q
little, and take 1t regularly. The same may be
said of the invalid with whom fruit agrees
Cooking removes much of the acidity from crude
atable. So treated, it is productive of good
and no harm; but it is Fundamental principle
that whatever fruit is eaten uncOoked must be
fully ripe. and not overripe. This may sound
trite, and. indeed, the principle is commonly
admitted; but not, it would seem. by all, for
we still find people, and not few, who will
themselves deliberately take. and, worse will
give to their children. green gooseberries, green
apples. &c, the very hardness Of which, apart
from their acid pugency, suggest their unfit
ness for digestion. Such people use as food an
acid rritant poison, whose necessary action is
to cause excessive intestinal secretion, with
more or less OF Inflammation. Hence arises
diarrhna. On the other hand, fruit which r.
overripe, in which fermentation has begun, is q
frequent cause Of this disorder and equally to
be avoided. and perhaps also more difficult to
avoid because the insidious beginning of decay
Ia not easily recognized. 1t should never be for
gotten by any who incline to follow the season
in their feeding, that the want of such precau-
lions as the above may produce that dysinteric
form of diarrhGa, "British cholera" which is
occasionally as rapidly fatal as the more
dreaded Asiatic type of that disease.