The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-16

olhef Oh Dne sagaelons plans Tor BRING
ing up all children on one system by one
rule, this may theoretically have some
basis in truth. But alasi we are often
disappointed. Things are not what
they SEEM and while we ilatter our
selves that the ehild is building up its
strength and vigor, it is on the contrary
only laying the foundation for Il lifetime
OF weakness and suffering because of
the very bread on which our hopes were
placed. 1t is an actual fact, as all
physicians of skill and experience now
recognize, that in most of our families.
at the present time the bread is about
the first article which needs watching in
cases where weakness of digestion re
qulres the observance of strict regimen
in diet
And it is also true that a very large
part of the horrors of dyspepsia, of
which we hear so much and from which
a fearful proportion of the community
are constantly suffering, are due in a
great degree to bread, that is, to the
various forms in which it comes to us,
either under its own name or in the
guise of its various substitutes -griddle
cakes lad 6nfaitUm, from buckwheat
down-or up), hot biscuit, hot rolls,
mullins, watfies, etc., etc. The evils
which this array of breakfast diet espe-
cially have produced are already telling
fearfully on the nation. To find a
stomach thoroughly vigorous and per-
feet in its functions is in most classes
and in most communities an exception,
and the bread supply has really been,
and is, responsible for a large part of
the evil.
In great measure this sad state OF
things has sprung from our rapid growth
as nation springing up in the wilder
ness. This has not only caused the
national habit of eating rapidly, but has
associated with it the equally wide
spread habit of preparing the bread
food as rapidly, that IS, extemporane-
ously, and consuming it on the instant.
: We have been taught to consider 1t
scarcely hospitable to set before guest
: at the breakfast table cold bread If we
can not give him something hot with
which to poison himself we apologize,
and if the guest is an American he &C,
cepts the apology and is sorry for us -
and for himself.
The evil result of this has become az
| truly national as the habit itself. A
| few words as to the chemistry which
the matter of the hot bread involves
may serve to set the evil and the dan.
ger in clearer light. We will ASSUME
| the bread in all cases to be made from {
mixture of flour and water: we viii
say nothing OF the other ingredients, fol-
these two onl y are to the purpose. Suci
a mixture taken into the stomach in Tho
state of raw paste is almost abso
.lutely indigestible. 1t becomes a sole
mass, whose fermentation is full o
danger. If, on the contrary, it il
cooked, say baked, it forms firm, hare
substance, which can be eaten, as We
know, for time, but which few per
sons choose TO eat in continuance.
| What we do, therefore, is to puff VI
the paste of flour and water by mean,
OF an elastic gas, sand it is largely in th'
changes connected with this gas and it
development that the evil resides. If i
| is formed properly, and the formation
| finished, wholesome bread is the result
There are, however, two sources o
danger here indicated, only one o
which we can at this moment considc
that is, that the process is not com
pEeted. Here is where the whole evil o
hot bread in all its evil shapes reache
its elimination. The changes in chem
ical composition, with the molecula
structure necessarily connected will
them, which are required to Transform
paste into dough, do not cease whel
that dough is baked, and has thus be
come bread. They continue for quite
time afterward, and until they have en-
tirely ceased the material has not be
come what it ought to be-bread cas-
of digestion. 1t is a burden to an
stomach, to a weak one it is simpl
poison.
Here in a few words is the source c
unbounded difficulty and suffering
Hot bread, in any form whatever, ough
never to be eaten. Some forms ar
very much worse than others, but a.
are bad, and should in reason be bar
} ished from every Enthusiastically
american,