The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-24
DIET FOR scURVEY.
From the Dry Goods Chronicle

From the Dry Goods Chronicle.
In recent number of the Amerien7
Grocer, that of March %, is the follow
ing: 1T has recently been demonstrated
that the apricot possesses more valuable
anti-scorbutic properties than any Other
known fruit or vegetable The British
Government, on that very account, buy
dried apricots very extensively" This
statement attracts my attention because
1t is the affirmation of new knowledge
or experience in the treatment of scorbu
tus, and further 1t is the announcement
OF the discovery of thing as true to-day
which the army and navy experiences of
long ago and up to recent period have
demonstrated to be false-that is. the
theory that any dried fruit or dried vege-
table would prevent scuryey, or would
cure it after it had been contracted.
THE REAL CAUSE OF sCURvEY,
the exact character of malnutrition that
produces ii, is not absolutely known, but
this much is certain, that when person
IS entirely deprived of food in its fresh
state, the tendency to scurvy NAV nafu-
rally be expected. and a scorbutic condi-
ton Is generally the result, and this con-
dition is relieved or entirely cnred
only by the use of foods con
tanning their natural original Juices, I'M
changed by desiccating processes, or not
materially altered by long keeping. and
thIs is the fact whether the food be meat
or vegetable. In the case of meat. its
greatest efhcacy as an anti-scorbutic Is
when fresh killed, and if che stomach can
stand 1t, best when eaten raw; or if cook
ed, the process of cooking should ro no
further ti1an to make it palatable. ION
the other hand, if the meat has been huno
up Tor some time, If it has been kept lone
enough to become dried, or Approximately |
so, aHerdlng opportunity for its natural |
Juices 10 nave changed in some of their |
elemental characters, it will have largely |
lost Its anti-scorbutic properties In the
same way the fresh vegetable is best when |
fresh from the field and uncooked If i, |
can De so eaten. 1t is then In it's best
condltion as an anti scorbntic, and dete-
riorates or departs from that condiri IN tbe
longer 1t Is kept, for its natural -iuices are
changing day by day during its period of
Keeping until finally, in state of ac-
knowledged decomposition it loses all the
virtues IL originally possessed, and is
pronounced TO be no longer fit for food. /
THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ARMY
of the United States durino MANY roo,.s
preceding the rebellion, and since then nj /
some of its frontier stations often 10
priVea Tor months of any fresh vegetables. |
mas shown-very conclusively that there is |
no form OF dessicated fruit or vegetable |
thal can take the place of the fresh article.
OF tnat meaSurably possesses its virtues.
all KINDS having been tried, with ALWAYS
the same resultant failure. Substitutes
for something fresh have proved of small
account, except'that they have heen Of
benefit as an additional article of food i
increasing variety in the diet, which il |
always beneficial. and thus fortifying the
nealth and enabling the system TO struggle
for time against the scorbutic tendency.
but the latter is ultimately sure to have lis
elimination in scorbutus unless fresh
food can be provided for the relief of the
impoverished blood, to afford it the nour-
lsnment of which it has been deprived.