The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-03-21

teel Wnen Tue O[Sau 10 uOl ploPeiiy lteaI-
ed. The number Of diseases caused by
improper attention to diet and abuse of
the stomach is legion. The late DR..
Armour, a recognized authority upon
stomach disorders, used to lecture the
whole winter upon the digestive tract, so
important did he consider the treatment
of such disorders to the success of the
physician. Let US therefore take look
at its operation, and see if We cannot
gain some information that will assist us
in caring for this very important part of
our system.
By experiment upon Alex ST. Martin
and others similarly injured, and also
upon animals with artificial openings
into their stomachs, we find that this
organ pours out from its inner surface q
fluid called gastric juice, acid in reaction,
and 80 powerful that it will digest food
in bottle or other receptacle if kept at
the temperature of the body. Further
more, if by any accident the blood should
be cut off from the stomach and this
fluid be present, its action is 80 powerful
that it would digest the very coats of the
organ which produced it. To prevent
this occurrence nature provides for the
pouring out Of this fluid only when there
is something in the stomach for it to act
upon. When food is eaten, the stomach
acts like tumbling.machine, which
churns the food around and around, at
the same time pouring this gastric juice
upon it until it all disappears either by
being absorbed or made into liquid
mass and passed on into the intesitnes.
When this is done and the stomach is
again empty, the food is considerably di.
gested. The time required to accomplish
this varies with the kind of food taken,
rice, for example, requiring only one
hour, and salt beef and pork taking four
and a quarter hours. All food varies
between these extremes. The most easily
digested are as follows: rice, tripe,
whipped eggs, sago, tapioca, barley, boil
ed milk, raw eggs, lamb, parsnips, baked
potatoes, fricassed chicken, ETC., in the
order mentioned, requiring from one to
two and three.quarter hours. Roast
beef, three hours, roast fowl, four hours.
AS a rule, animal food digests more
quickly than vegetable, and fried food
the most slowly to all methods of cook.
ing. These observations on the action OF
the gastric juice not only told us the time
required to digest the different kinds of
food singly, but showed that certain con-
ditions affected the rapidity OF digestion
aud assimilation which are Of greater i'm.
portance to us than the choice of foods,
inasmuch, as they are conditions which
lie within the power OF each one of lis TO
correct.
1st. Haste in eating slows digestion,
and unnecessary work is put upon the
stomach, since in hurried eating the food
is not properly masticated, and the gas.
tric juice cannot as rapidly or readily get
at the particles Of food to digest them.
%. Overlooking the stomach increases
the work Of that organ in a twofold man.
ner, namely giving it more than is neces'
sary for the economy ofthe body, aud, on
account of the bulk, delay, as it can no
more handle three pounds at the same
rate it could one, than you or could run
one mile at the same rate re could run
one third.
Sd. It was found that the stomach tires
of one kind of cooking or one variety OF
food, and hence declines to accept it, and
if forced refuses to digest it as rapidly
this is the reason for our becoming, as we
say, sick of certain article offood which
we formerly were very fond of. There
fore it is matter of necessity to treat
ourselves to variety both of foods and
methods of cooking.
4th. The gastric juice is not poured
out as abundantly, and even at times is
entirely checked under excitement, grief
great anxiety, fright, aud all such mental
emotions. Therefore it is not wise to
force the appetite, as We say, by crowd
ing food down our throats-an act SC
common at such times. Wait until the
mental condition is quiet, or lake meas
ures to quiet it, and the appetite vii
soon return.
Lastly: the whole depends upon thu
perfect action ofthe nervous currents, tht
yigor OF the circulation, the quality ofths
blood, and all these in turn upon the
amount and kind of rest, sleep, occupa'
ton, exercise, etc. The time of eating j:
also essential TO health. 1t should bt
regular and at equal intervals, five hours
being the best, on the whole, thus giving
about two hours rest for the stomach
before each meal, estimating the average
time to digest meal ut about three
|
hours.
Growing children frequently desire al
extra light luncheon between meals, ane
it should be encouraged; but this nib
bling or eating the miserable stuff sold BY
the candy man or woman who haunt
every school door is ruinuus to th'
youthful stomach, and many a boy suffers
all his lifetime from abuse begun injus
this way.
The hour at which the principal uca
should be eaten docs not matter SO mucl
with healthy grown people as will. th'
young people and children. These las
should by all means eat their dinner at o
about midday and light and easily di
gested meal at evening, thereby insurin!
better digestion, sounder sleep, and ear
licr hour for retiring, all of which ART
J., ,.,,,,,l ,pt1 ,orf,o