Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-11-13


Intemperance in diet, indulgence in the
excessive use OF alcoholic drinks too little
bodily exercise in the open air-these are the
more im portant of the causes which bring on
cOrpulenCe. The modes in which these
causes act 10 bring about an excessive de
posit Of fat have been sufficiently indicated
| in the Introductory portion OF this paper. A.
muscular exercise increases the production
| OF flesh, inaction leads TO an excessive deposit
OF fat Alcohol acts in manner precisely
similar to that of fats, sugars and starches.
IL lnterteres with the destruction or COmbus-
ton OF the fat producing materials, prevents
them from undergoing combustion, as it is
more easily destroyed by oxygen than they
are. Certain diseases, such AS any inter.
ference with the formation or development
OF the red blood corpuscles, the oxygen car
riers increase the disposition to the deposit OF
fat The oxygen may enter the lungs, but
without these carriers il il unable to reach
the tissues where mbustiOn ord narIlY
takes place.
The dangers OF corpulence are many fold.
Ali diseases accompanied by high fever are
apt to follow an unusually malignant course
III lat persons. The heat developed in these st-
fectlOns cannot be 80 readily lost by radiation
or conduction as in the lean. The cold bath,
the cold pack and all forms OF cooling
measures fail to really reduce the TEN pers
ture, and the fever is, in ITSELF serious
source OF danger. The skin Is constantly
bathed in peTspiratiOn on slight eNsrtlon or
when the external temperature rises. Hence
skin diseases are common and often in
tensely annoying among the cOrpulent The
breathing j. interfered with by the accumu-
lated fat, 50 bresthlessness on exertion is
common among them. The frequency OF
Preparations leaves the surface eX posed to
chiliingintuences which cause coughs, colds,
bronchitis and pneumonia The overload
lug OF the heart with fat iuterferes with it's
action, 50 that palpitations and sudden faint
ness from partial failure OF this organ to do
Its duty are not infreOueDt The extra
weight that has to be carried entails muscu.
lar exhaustion or eNertiOn such az is not
ielt by the thin person. The discOmfOrts and
dangers Of obesity would fill a much larger
catalogue, bat it Is not necessary to enume-
rate them all here.
The treatment OF COTpuience must vary
with the cause. No rigid rules can be framed
that Will serve in all cases II there is a
strong hereditary tendency to il, radical
cure cannot be expected-only an improve
ment can be promised, and even this cannot
always be secured. The prevention OF il
should be undertaken when a young person
shows strong tendency to put on an exces.
siVe amount OF adipOse tissue One of the
nrst things to be done in this direction ls to
regulate the die. ImmOderate indulgence
al tAoIe must be rigidiy forbidden, Yet the
iood must be in sufficient amount 10 secure
all that the body requires tor i's
needs 40 starvation should be Couu-
permanent disorder OF the digestion often re-
suits from irrational restrictions OF diet The
temporary thinning is usually followed by
marked Increase in the COrpulenCe beyOnd
"Aat existed before tho Tanner plan" was
adopted. A much better plan is TO avoid ex-
citng the appetite by too great variety of
food. Prince Bismarck's physician sue
ceeded in curing his patient by the very sim.
pie plan OF max ing the meal consist Of only
one kind Of food, OF which he should eat a.
much az he pleased, and no drink OF
any Kind 10 DO tsken 1t meals or
until two hours aiterwaTd. By this
means no unnatural app5tte was encouraged
and the paIlent ate only what the necessities
ot the system really demanded The diet
should contain an abundance OF slbumen,
little Tat and still less starch or sugar, wnen |
an earnest effort is being made 10 reduce |
'orpulencs or provide against its making its |
appearance. Some fats have TO be tax on, or |
ne s!buminOus foods will not be dige sted |
lr appropriated by the system. If signs OF |
sofder5d digestion appear, the diet must be |
modified from time TO time by the addition
n articles which are usually forbidden. 1t
: better TO incur some OF the prospective
iiscomfOrts or even dangers OF obesity than
o ruin the digestion in the attempt to avoid
hem.