The Wilmingtonian., 1886-09-25
Dyspepsia.

Dyspepsia, our national disease--if dis.
vented, if we will obey The laws Of our being
in the matter of selecting and taking our
food, as fatigue in any of its forms, since
tits is more fatigue of the organs of diges-
tion, than otherwise, these being SO gener
ally oveitaxed. The law Of digestion CT the
conditions arc jHst undeViatipg, jnst az
sure to produce given effects as those of
growth, combustion or gIavtation. Under
ordinary circumstances, with the average
constitution, we may be as certain Of having
good digestion as of learning IA lesson, max
ing fire, o. doing any piece of work, sim
Ply BY observing the natural and necessary
condition. 1t is true that we may have here
ditary tendencies to dyspepsia as certainly
as inherited stup dry, inability to learn
science or mechanical trade, yet we can
more or less overcome these tendencies by
practice and effort.
One Of tue important conditions of good
digestion is the thorough chewing OF our
food, with the added condition of mixing it
with the saliva, furnished for this purpose
to the amount OF from three and une-haIf
to six pounds per day, as a means of suffi-
ciently moistening the food that it may be
readily swallowed, besides furnishing very
necessary solvent, aiding in the digestion.
To chew our food properly--as immortal anu
rational beings should, not like swine-not
less than half an hour should be devoted to
the meals, even if necessary to abridge the
time given to smoking. Tue important idea
is not simply to ''stow away the food in
the stomach, but to have it in proper con-
diton to reach the stomach, sufficiently diyi-
ded to easily combine with the stomach Juice.
after having been thoroughly mixed with
the saliva, that the digestion may be easy
and natural, securing all OF the nourishment
from our food, which is not generally true
IN some instances not more than one-haf be-
ing secured, from the partial digestion.
Drinking with our meals of easy swallowing
is inconsistent with proper chewing, if the
drinking Of hot tea and coffee is intended to
facilitate swallowing, or gulpiag our food /!
There is no more necessity for us-taking
quite moist food-to wash it down with
drinks, than for the OK and rumnants in
general, since their food is very dry, is chew
ed long and faithfully after having been
raised again for that purpose, the OK never
drinks while eating.
1t is proper to remark that all starchy
foods, as the grains, tapiOca, sago, corn
starch, the potato, aud some others OF the
vegetables, with alrow-root, rice, etc, need
special combination with the saliva, by
which the starch is partially changed to
grape sugar, in its partial digestion in the
mouth, resulting in special sweetness, On
the contrary, if The meats, fish, fowl, etc.,
could be cut vety fine, thar they may be
easily penetrated by the gastric juice, the
addition of tie saliva will be of but little
Importance, in contrast with the gastric
juice, the special agent in the digestion of
animal food. To fully understand these
principles, it is simply necessary to remem-
ber that dyspepsia is n It as much disease
as the fatigue of the digestive organs, from
expression for exhaustion, needing rest, a
fair chance. Therefore, to prevent dyspep.
| sia, chew the food properly.