Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-20

P'SSVic aItaQ The cold shower-bath has
Dehenclal (luence upon relaxed con-
stituCiohs antOntributes much to success
III tne treatnht of this disease. II these
are not attaIrble sponge bathing should
De EN- ployed lilly. In cases of plethoric
corpulency u alkaline mineral spring
waters are 9th serviceable. In anemic
lornls OF the dease the use of iron is ur-
gently RECOMMENDED. The number OF
proprietary mecInes advertised as 'sure
cures> for corplency is almost count
iess. That may are effectual in dimin-
lsnlng the depIition of fat is acknowi-
edged. Undoubtedly these agents in
crease waste; 1t many do so chiefly in
consequence of severe gastric catarrh
winch they setlp. 1t is almost unne-
cessary to addthat there is no known
medicinal remeE, either alone or In CON-
Dlnatlon, for thelIsease under considera-
uon. Charlatas may reduce weight;
certainly in tia they are successful. but
the reduction isnyariably dearly bought
at Inc expense the general health and
constitution.
The best and most approved dietetlc
treatment for tb diminution and removal
OF the higher derees of corpulency is that
invented by Ravey, first tried with good
results upon WBanting, and chrlstened
after the latterth "Banting system"
| Under the formof diet which Banning
adopted for one ear, his weight fell from
POP pounds to 1a pounds; the circumter-
ence OF his body It the same time dimin-
ishing about 1214 Englisn inches. At the
same time there vas Improvement IN his
general health, geater ease IN bodily
movement, especially in ascending
heights, etc. Thereduction OF the corpu-
lence was a radical one to this extent;
Bantlng, after SEEING his weight and
bodily circumference reduced to nearly
the normal STANDARD, for the sake OF ex-
pertinent returned for while to all for
hidden foods and beverages (except beer }
without suffering firm a return Of the cor
pulence.
MR.. BANTING'S DIETARY TABLE,
he states, was as follows: For breakfast
at 8 a. M, l take i've or six ounces OF
either beef, mutton, kidneys, broiled fish,
bacon or cold meat OF any kind, except
pork or veal; large cup of tea or coffee
twlthout milk or slgar), little biscuit,
or one ounce of dry toast, making alto
gether six ounces sdid, nine liquid. For
dinner, at 2 p. m, i've or six ounces OF
any fish. except salmon, herrings or cells:
any meat, except polk or veal; any yege-
table, except potab, parsnlp, beet root.
turnip or carrot; one ounce of dry toast;
fruit out of a pudding not sweetened; any
kind of poultry or game, and two or three
glasses of good claret, sherry, or Madeira,
champagne, port aud beer forbidden;
making together 10 10 IL ounces solid, and
10 liquid. For tea at p. m, two or three
ounces of cooked fruit, a rusk or two, and
cup of tea, without sugar or milk;
making two to three ounces solid, nine
liquid. For supper at 8 p. M. three or
four ounces of meat or tish similar to din
ner, with glass or Two of claret or sherry
and water; making four ounces solid and
seven liquid. For nightcap if required, a
tumbler of grog (gin, whisky or brandy
without sugar }, or glass or twoot sherry
or claret. hs'- ''s'44
Within the past few years several works
have been written on the subject of cor
pulence. The various writers have diff
Tered somewhat on the MINOR details, but
the treatment which they advise is practi-
cally the same as that which proved so
successful In Banting's case. Some have
felt that the exclusion of fat from the diet
was useless, and even insisted that
patients indulge in it TO an excessive de-
gree. Doubtless the effect of an undue
proportion of fat is to impair the appetite,
and the treatment then, in many instan-
ces, becomes nothing more than hunger
cure. In concluding the discussion of
corpulency, the writer Will briefly refer
W lilo PClbOAdl CA many yCdA Q
ago, in reducing his own weight. He
originally weighed 220 pounds, and by a
rigid observance OF dietetie rules similar
to those which Bsnting followed, his
weight in six months fell to $50 pounds.
For the next two months the decrease
was scarcely perceptibfe, and, to secure a
still greater reduction, he made radical
change in his mannerof living, and, for a
time upon the western plains, he shared
the pleasures and hardshlps of frontiers
men. The effect Of this wild and exclt-
ing life upon corpulence was soon marked
~ evident; in three months there was an
additional loss OF 90 pounds, and his
weight had fallen to 100 pounds. During
this period physical strength was not only
maintained, but increased, as the test
finally applied gives abundant proof.
From the camp of the writer to the near
est railroad was about 100 miles; this dis
lance, although the days were the short
est OF the year, he covered on horseback
in two and one-half days. Considering
the fact that bronchO ponies are by no
means invariably easy under the saddle,
the journey in the time occupied required
no little endurance.
Possibly OF additional interest may be a
mention of the character OF the food eaten
during this sojourn In the West. The
utSJ COHSlsttu pIiHClpdlly vi udCOu anu
'camp bread" The latter simply con-
sisted of -four ana water, to which was
added minute quantity of baking DOW
der. This mass, after being but indif-
ferently kneaded, was formed into round
cakes, which were cooked in frying pan
on live Goals. The bacon, in cooking,
was not long submitted to heat. Being
very rich in fat, but little else remained II
the process was prolonged. Fresh beet
was esteemed luxury, and rarely in
dulged. Game was by no means plenti-
full, and only occasionally secured. Pota-
toes were the only vegetables to he OBJ
tanned, and, the supply being exceedingly
small, probably no oftener than once a
week were they eaten. A few cans OF
preserved peaches reached camp. Thes @
were the only sweets, as the native sor-
gum proved anything but agreeable to the
taste. The common beverage, coffee, con-
tanned neither sugar nor milk; the latter
IA rarely INDUCED in on the frontier.
Thus, on a diet composed largely of bread
and fats. the writer, amid changed sur
roundngs. living an active life, spending
some hours in the saddle each day, re-
duced his weight twenty pounds. This
case, in which fats were freely and In
large quSntitIes eaten, and yet loss in
weight went on, is an isolated one, and
can add but little to the support OF the
theory now popular, that oily matters
need not be excluded from the diet of the
corpulent. 1t is, however, safe TO assert,
that fatty food has less influence upon the
disease than was formerly supposed.
Occasionally one sees in print opinions
expressed that the Banting treatment is