The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-05-10
FOOD VS.. MEDICINE.
Importance of Dietetics in the Treatment
of Disease.

FOOD VS.. MEDICINE.
Importance of Dietetics in the Treatment
of Disease.
In the treatment of many diseases
drugs are of course indispensable, but, IS
rule, no less important, if not more
important, are the bygienic and support
ing measures. These relate to pure air
temperature, diet, drinks, cleanliness
exercise, rest, sleep, etc. As theil
importance have been better understood
the dependence upon drugs has lessened
and to day the intelligent physician may
be known by the small amount of medi.
cine he prescribes and by the large
amount of instruction he gives relative to
the nature of the disease and the personal
conduct of the patient. The people as q
whole are slow to accept this new order Of
things, so different from that 10 the times
of their fathers. Physicians are obstruct.
ed; and their efforts are, too, sometimes
defeated by the ignorance of those in
whose behalf they labor.
Only the most intelligent classes of to.
day are even beginning to realize that
too much faith has been put in medicine.
The other classes still feel that the para
mount duty of the physician is the
selection and administration of drugs.
Enlightenment among them must neces.
sarily be slow. They must acquire a bet.
ter knowledge of disease in general, and
appreciate the fact that the intrinsic
tendency of many diseases is to recov-
cry, and that drugging is not always neces-
sary even in those which were formerly
supposed to tend to fatal result unless
very active measures were employed.
Undoubtedly honorable physicians assist
all they can in the general education of
people on this vital subject. Yet they
are so hampered by the general
confidence in effect theories and the
prevalence of popular fallacies, which
threaten to exist until the end of time,
they can do but little compared to what
they might do were the conditions
favorable-if. the people did not resist
enlightenment. Let physician be call
ed to a patient suffering from an affection
that is sure to end in recovery if left
alone. BE gives proper instructions as
to ventilation, temperature, diet, etc.,
and leaves the cure to nature. a very
few people would be content with such
advice more would feel that the money
paid for it had actually been thrown
away, and no inconsiderable number
would insist upon sending for another
physician, believing that in all cases
of sickness medicine alone can insure
recovery.
Such notions do people entertain, and
so ignorant are they generally, doctors
really cannot afford to be perfectly can
did, for in many families honesty is at a
discount, and there is a penalty fixed for
the same. 1t is true that if a physician,
every time he made call, were to
remain With the patient an hour or more
and deliver medical lecture, occasional
ly one would be encountered who could
appreciate such an effort and understand
the subject discussed. On the majority
of patients, however, it would fall flat.
Again, there is the mental influence to
consider. Patients who have such stead
fast faith in medicine, as rule really do
better if some simple, although absolute
ly inert mixtures Is given them. So it
will be seen that as public instructor,
the physician who ought and willingly
would do much, can do but comparative
ly little, and his sphere is almost limited
to the most intelligent classes. AS a
consequence of this condition of things,
he is, in certain families, obliged to give
something in the way Of medicines, even
if he feels that the same is not absolutely
needed.
That people are so grossly ignorant on
the most vital of subjects is no fault of
the reputable physician. 1t is purely
their own. They not only do not try to
learn, but they actually resist enlighten-
ment. But We have wandered from our
subject. 1t was our purpose to point out
some of the valuable remedial effects
which result from modification of diet,
and the judicious increase or diminution
in the quantity of food. In not few
affections special forms of diet are all
that is required to effect cure. Take for
instance, disorder of the organs OF d.
gestion, such as dyspepsia. If q peraon
suffering from that has fortitude, and can
practice selfdeniaI, he may, in nearly all
instances, cure himself if he properly
selects and restricts his diet. But few
care to make the effort, or at least to
persist in it long enough. 1t is easier
and far more agreeable for them to take
medicine, and so they go on eating and
dosing until the disease becomes chronic,
for rarely can it be cured by drugs alone.
Diabetes is disease which only can be
controlled by restriction to special form
OF diet. A cure is even possible, but the
remedy lies with the patient. No
medical agent has yet been discovered
which can stay the disease. There are
some which assist recovery when the diet
is properly restricted, but they are
comparatively valueless unless that il
done. While IN some diseases the
treatment demands modification IL
diet and diminution in quantity, there
are many in which ajudicious increase
is necessary. In iuhammatory condition.
of all kinds in which the starvation