, 1888-09-22
FOOD AND DRINK.
A BOSTON PHYSICIAN GIVES ADJ
VICE TO THE PUBLIC.

Animal, man-Water During the Heated
Term Concerning "Appetizers"-Ber-
ries-Soup-Cold Meals.
While u%ndeniably a mixed diet is the
best for man, there is a mistaken notion,
which prevails to a great extent, that
meat should largely enter into the same
As a consequence, much more is eaten
than Is needed or can properly be dis
posed of in the system. Never eat meat
oftener than once n day, and very spar
ingly in summer, Men of sedentary
habits might with safety for several days
at a time during that season live on veg
etables, fruits, milk, breadstuifs and
foods of like cearacter. which are easy of
digestion. For those who have good
reason to believe that their Kidneys are
weak, a diet largely made up of meat is
i'll advised. Those organs are Intimately
concerned in it's disposal in the system.
and hence are overtasked If 1t is taken IN
too great n quantity.
Some drink too freely of water. espe
cially during the heated term, There is.
however, a class largely made up OF
women who do not at any time drink suf
fciently of that eminent essential to
health. As q rule they suffer from con
stipation. Every one ought to drink
about two quarts of water daily to meet
the needs of the system. Water is fat
tening" is an expression of some truth
Very feshy people are proverbially thirsty,
and when they attempt a reduction in
weight, to lessen as much as possible the
quantity of fluids habitually taken Is
one of the recognized rules of treat
ment. But a rigid adherence to it is
dangerous for many, if not all. I'm
less advised by a physician to do diff.
ferently. they should drink all they
crave, within reason, excepting during
the Jour before and the hour after meals.
With the food only the smallest quantity
Of fluids possible is allowable.
ICE WATER IN MODERATION.
Much has been written for and against
ice water. 1t is not only agreeable and
refreshing, but harmless when used in
moderation. In certain forms of dyspep
STA characterized by MISUNDERSTANDING
as it is popularity called-very cold water
acts as an agreeable tonic, and quickcna
gastric and intestinal activity in many
cases if taken when the stomach is com
~paratively empty. If taken on u full
stomach it, as a rule, intensifies the
trouble. Over indulgence is always harm
ful, and it is especially so at meal times.
For a robust person in hot weather to
reduce one-half the quantity of food he
is habituated to eating would be n most
salutary custom, for he would then not
only suffer infinitely less from the heat.
but be stronger and more active, both
mentally and physically. Those espe-
cially who are welded to their "appe-
Tiers" would do well to forego them Mt
least until cooler weather comes, and
leave nature, uninfluenced by the seduct-
I've cocktail, to direct the quantity of food
necessary for the body's support.
That berries are healthy food can in
truth be said, and yet some kinds should
he 1pnian napD1a who haua cortaip fo,n,e
of digestive disturbance. Blackberries,
for instance, which contain small seeds,
to some extent ~irritate the intestinal
canal. 1t is in that way that they are
useful in constipation; thcJ stimulate and
quicken activity of the bowels. But il
the stomach and bowels are what is gen
orally termed weak, then in such a casa
they are likely to do harm. Very young
children should, of course, be denied
them.
The average farmer knows as little of
dletetics as an infant. He dilates on his
wholesome food, which largely consists of
substances which require for digestion
the stomach of an ostrich. Plain living
is all right, but that does not mean tina
a man should make q meal essentially on
ono course, varied only by a piece of pie
or something of the sort. The greater the
variety the better, as long as a proper
selection of the food is made.
Soup is, by people generally, considered
indispensable at dinner. It stimulates
the stomach and makes that organ ready
for the work before it. For that purpose
clear soup may properly be INDUCED in
by nearly all; there are, however, com
paratively few who do not find soup
thickened by stock meat, vegetables, etc,
a tax upon digestion if hearty foods
are eaten after it. 1t ''sours on the
stomach, and hence should be forbidden
dyspeptics, for whom only clear soup is
allowable.
TROUBLE WITH FATTY FOODS.
The digestive organs find an admixture
II several fatty foods difficult to dispose
of. The man who has fried fish, bacon,
steak, eggs and dry toast for breakfast is
made uncomfortable, and feels dull and
heavy for several hours afterward unless
he eats very sporingly. With tho butter,
which is, of course, an essential, there are
in such a meal as generally prepared five
different kinds CT fat. And they are still
more indigestible when taken hot.
In this country there is a most decided
prejudice against cold meals. OF course
some foods should be served warm, but
none hot. Americans are scarcely satisfied
with tea or coffee unless it is near tho
boiling point; potatoes, also, must be
steaming hot. Dyspepsia is the natural
consequence. The English in this respect
arc u delightful contrast. People who are
forced to be early in the morning at their
labors would be much better did they eat
cold meats for breakfast, and how much
such a custom would lessen the burden Of
their poor, overworked wives.
The question what shall we cat may be
best answered by simply quoting the fact
that man is al omniverous animal. Why
and how much we shall eat can be set
forth tolerably well by saying that it is
impossible for an engine to make steam
without coal or water and that no com
petent engineer would make his machine
carry 100 pounds of steam when fifty
pounds would do the work in hand. An
important duty of those who work with
engines is to see that the fire is fraod
from clinker and ash. So waste must 10
regularly eliminated from the human sys-