Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-09-05
HOT vIcrUALs AND DRrSKs.E,
a Consideration of Their Effect ON Health.
H0fnSd'ef by he An. ARGlyS from me ApotleEey
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A Consideration of Their Effect on Health,
TnanSased by he Am. ARalyS from me ADotAeka
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In the art of eating and drinking tbe
temperature of the article consumed bears
an important part. Generally more atten.
ton is giving to the cold than the warm
foods. The danger of a too cold drink, be
II water, wine or beer, the injury to the
stomach by water ices, etc, are every day
topics Much less apprehension is felt about
the equally prevalent habit of gulpinp
down hot soups, steaming coffee or tea and
boiling hot victuals Of all kinds. If the
teeth or mucus membranes of the mouth.
throat, and esophagus could speak they
would earnestly protest against these scald-
ing processes and ask their respective pro-
prietOrs to take little sanitary ~preeaution
in this direction. A little care here would
prevent much gastric trouble.
Experience as to the use of hot eatables
has not yet established anv standard OF
temperature. and experiments in this direc-
non by DIR. Franz Spaeth, at the suggestion
Of Professor Pettenkofer, has resulted in
interesting information. This is contained
IN the Archives for Hygiene, " published
this year. Experiments as to the proper
temperature Of fJOd has already been made
by Horst Jurin, as early as 1879, on dogs;
and by Spaeth, on rabbits. Docs who ff-
teen minutes after feeding were given $50
to 800 grammes of water at l13 deg. to l49
deg. F, BY means of a tube, suffered a de-
cided injury to the gastric processes even
at this temperature. DR.. Spaeth EMPLOYED
seventeen rabbits administering from go to
l2O grammes of hot water. As in Russia
they habitually drink tea at lT6 deg. F.
his experiments were carried to this point.
All the animals were in good health at the
beginning Of the experiments. Dissection
showed that the hot water caused different
morbid symptoms. Temperatures up TO
l3l deg. F produced congestiOns and gas
trio catarrah of the stomach; 40 deg.
caused liberation; $50 deg. violent gastric
inflammation. and l67 tO17O deg. FdestrOyed
the mucous membrane of the stomach. If
it must be remembered that man who is
bN~ooNoAAANO W AONA NOulu lCCA NlllCI-
emily from a rabbit which is used TO cold
food, vet it annot be doubted that too hot
food or drink will cause gastric disturbance
in the human being. Experiments made
on himself proved that fluids up to a tenn
Perature Of 12 degreesF. could be swallow
ed in quantities, and in small doses spoon
full even up to a temperature OF 13l degrees
but holding the latter in the mouth pro-
duced q burning sensation in the soft gums
and pOSteriOr iaWceS. Fluids 40 degrees
caused burning pain, nevertheless DIR.
Spaeth partOOk Ofsoup at that temperature
several times, but always III very small
swallows in cold weather, and at one time
he partOOk of tea at 15S degrees. With
solid foods chewing was only possible up to
a temperature of 13l degrees, beyond that
causing such burning that such foods had
TO be swallowed only half masticated,
which produced pressure and 4 feeling of
tullneSS In the stomach. These tempera-
lures are by no means exceptional, but may
be found on the table of families, ut lunch
counters and restaurants at each meal, rs
the normal temperature Of such food and
demanded by the public, and with coffee,
tea and soup, a still higher temperature,
even mp to l5S degrees, Is demanded.
Fluids are used even hotter than solids.
The injurious effects of such hot food are
As follows: First, in the weakening or
total abOlishing Of the sense o ftaSte. Weber
has proven that the tongue, when exposed
for one half minute to water at a tempera-
ture of l22-l26.5 degrees f., does not dis
tinguiSh the sweet of sugar, an abnormal
condition which At higher temperatures
will naturally be heightened and quicken
ened. This may be the cause of so many
dishes being spoiled in cooking, owing TO
the cook tasting the food at too high a tenn
perature.
Another injurious result of too hot foods
is from the consequent inability TO properly
masticate the TODD, thus losing the beneti-
cial effects on digestion of the saliva. A
further injury is evident upon the enamel
OF the teeth. especially where 4 high and
low temperature are rapidly a~lternated.
These cause cracks in the enamel II a
consequent exposure Of the bOny structure
of the teeth to carries. Therefore drinking
ice-water while eating hot food should be
carefully avoided.
The following are the practical cOnclu-
slOns arrived Al by DIR. Spaeth; Atempera-
ture CT 1O4-l22 deg. F. generality the best
for all foods and drinks, and when solid
food is 10 be masticated it should not eN-
coed % deg. Fluids may be borne at 40
l4g deg. in small swallows, il cold solids
are eaten with them. The warming OF the
body, for which purpose hot drinks are
sometimes taken, can be attained at tenn
peratures which exceed the blood heat go
deg. F. by 1924 deg. F., and the danger
and pain of higher temperatures are need
less. People who suffer from stomach
troubles, especially liberation, should
carefully avoid high temperatures. Child
rem especially should be guarded against
this dangerous habit. For nursing infants
nature has clearly indicated the proper
temperature. Mothers milk is at 1901
degrees F., therefore all artificial foo
should be at this point. These expert,
meuts and the practical points deducted
from them are of the greatest value hyglen'
icaIly. and should be needed.