The Wilmingtonian., 1886-11-20

NEW YORK POST GRADUATE
MEDICAL SCHOOL AND
HOSPITAL, Ere.
Condiments are those substances of an ali
mentary character which gives piquaucy or
flavor to the food. Another effect which
they possess is that of stimulating the action
of the salivary glands and stomach by reason
OF their irritating qualities. Though ordoubis
full or low status as ailments they are yet ex-
tremely useful by making the food mole sa-
Vory by promoting digestion or by acting as
agents for the development of nervous force.
The principal condiments are pepper, cay
enc, mustard, horst radish and vinegar Salt
may in some of its relations be considered
| iondimeut, but it is more more important AZ
u alimenta y principal entering as 1t dors
uto the composition of the tissues of The
ndy.
The use of condiments is not altogether to
q commended, although there is no dnubi
hat when employed with discretion they az
'apable of being advantageous to the orgaL.
IN, especially in the direction of promotin.
he gestiOn of substances which would
herwise be slowly acted upon by the d,ges-
i've organs. But it must be recollectel that
the continual USE ofirritants is always event
'ally productive of debility IN the tissue tu
which they are applied. Ia the case of the
| condiments mentioned, the dis,ut bauce pro.
| luced when they are employed in modera-
ion is scarcely appreciable aud is more than
tar hall h,rt
| follow. But if used in excess irritation and
| Inflammation of the parts with which they
| Immediately come in contact may be excited
but distant organs are often injuriuusly
affected
tits very easy to demonstrate the action of
condiments in increasing the amount of sali-
va and gastric Juice secreted. In regard to
the first it is a matter of common experience
that those substances capable of affecting
powerfully the nerves of taste, cause an
augmentation of the quantity of the saliva,
and the same fact is readily proved by ex-
periments on the lower animals, as for in
stance, the dog has been done by Bernard
and Others. 1t is, however, more remark
able fact, and one which shows the intimate
sympathetic relation existing between the
several functions concerned iu digestion that
whatever increases the amount of saliva Sc
erected, likewise increases the quantity OF
gastric juice. This can be readily shown by
putting any strongly sapid substance, as for
instance, mustard, in the mouth of dog in
which gastric fistula has been formed. In
a few seconds the gastric juice will run from
the tistulous opening in the stomach, although
no part Of the mustard may have been swal-
lowed
have alluded to the power of condiments
in rendering the food more savOIy than it
would otherwise be when they exercise this
Influence they act as promoters OF the appe-
tite and thus cause us to eat more than we
otherwise would they rarely produce this
effect with persons Of naturally good appeti-
ties, their action being more strongly mani
Tested in those who iIom some cause or other
are not disposed to eat as much as the sys-
TEN requ res. A led ridden woman, for i'll
stance, connot eat a piece of Ioast-beel with
out great lerugnance and sometimes not at
all, unless she can put a little French mus
tard upon it or accompany each murSel with
modicum of hoiseradish. One Of my pa
tients, lady Of delicate constitution, rarely
ate any breakfast, aud was therefore weak
aLd unfit for mental or physical exertiun all
through the morning. until, at my sugges-
tiun, she spread the piece OF toast or bread
aud butter that she could not eat with aru-
matte mustard d. This reused her latent de.
sire for food, 1t stimulated her stcletiUns, i'm
proved her digestive powers and gave her the
fuel that her body requhed Tor It's murLing',
work. have frequently known persOls sit
down to the dlnuertable with Itpugnauce o
all the articles on it to have their feelings
entirely reversed at the SIGHT Of a pot UI
hoiseradioh OF treshl mixed mustard. They
kntw by experience how these suDstaL cus
would spur their languid appetites.
1t is rarely the case that sufficient attention
is given to the use of condiments in the sick
room, they ale often either altogether excud-
ed, or the patient is allowed to take them at
his discretion, whereas much benefit will fire.
qnentiy be obtained by the judicious employ
ment Of the important agents. In CERTAIN
A." 'S'S'o W y pio'u 'gptj anu III dlInOSI all
aarial disorders, cund ments may be lal ge.
ly used with advantage. Probably no one
OF them is more generally tfficaciOus .han
black pepper. Mustard is also frequently
reished, and we all know how grateful 10 us
ID our Illnesses little vinegar has been, IN
tnfammatnry affections of the stomach and
bowels the stronger condiments such as pep
per, cayenne, mustard and horseradish are
seldom admissible, but many cases of d;arr.
hna are very decidedly bentiUted, especially
when they occur in persons wdO have some.
what run down in general health by black
} pepper, cayenne or mustard /, N in Gus MT.
Iies far above those which healthy person
would be likely to INCEST. have frequent.
ly known severe cases of diarrhUa to be cut
sholt bya few doses Of twenty or thirty
grains each Of cayenne, taken either in a lit.
tie water OF syrup. Black Pepper is well
known to be a remedy OF no mean power in
the common fever aud ague of tIIs country
it will often cut short attacks with as much
promptitude as would large doses of qun,.
inc.
Cayenne appears to he particularly useful
in nervous dyspepsia in which rhere is an
atomic condition of the stomach and a ten.
dency for the food to ferment insteai of un.
derguing digestion il is also especially ben g.
fipIal w lpu uspd with ,b,,s. I,,,,.i.,. = .