St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-08-01

/ ing, why, my dear, what could I
do? There was nothing anywhere
about but this horrible water of ice.
and | could not drink that. "
To one not accustomed to the sight,
| it is certainly astonishing to notice
the unfailing presence of the ice-water
pitcher. or bucket, or cooler" any
where and everywhere we go in this
country As the guest enters the din
ing-room of any of our great hotels
at meal-tine he will find a phalanX
of goblets ranged on every table,
each filled with Jumps of ice floating
in water. In ordering a meal at
restaurant the waiter first of all
brings a huge tumbler of ice water,
so that the guest may regale himself
Herewith while his meal is being pre-
pared. When taking possession of
room at a hotel a large pitcher of ice
water is brought before the occupant
has had time to settle himself, and
every night on retiring an ample sup
ply is left outside the door. In max
ing a call ice water is offered as
common refreshment, and every
store, counting-room, school and
public waiting-room has a tall vessel
of tin or galvanized iron, filled with
the Indispensable luxury to assuage
the thirst of all who pass by.
When we consider what physicians
tell us about the natural results of
this pernicious habit of deluging the
stomach with this or any other chill
ing liquid, at all times and seasons,
it is not remarkable that foreigners
hold up their hands in amazement,
and wonder if Americans are a rea-
soning people. 1t would seem sif it
were sufficiently apparent how much
mischief might ensue from such a
habit, and that it would be superfu
Gus to argue against it. On the con-
trary, the deleteriOus effect it must
have upon health is as calmly disre-
garded as if the latter were a blessing
no one cared to enjoy. We hear con-
stantly that our national disease of
dyspepsia is but a natural cOnse-
quence of this flood of ice water, con-
stantly reducing the temperature of
the stomach below the natural de-
gree; we read and hear of cases where
a single draught, taken when the
body is very much heated, has pro-
duced death, and we know by expe-
rience the peculiar and uncomforta
BILE sensation that often follows
drinking even a small Quantity; and
yet we go on handing it about on
every side, offering it to others and
consuming it ourselves, as if nothing
more innocent could be found to as
suage thirst.
Fancy an animal invited to plunge
his nose into a bucket filled with
Jumps of floating ice when his drink
ing hour had come. What a protest
there would be- Imagine a gourmet,
who looks upon eating as a scientific
pleasure, destroying the delicate fla
vor of his various dishes by chilling
his palate with great draughts of ice
water. Consider how absolutely i'm
possible digestion is without GER
tain degree of heat. Think how I'M
pleasant and how dangerous sud
den plunge into an icy pond or river
is, and how uncomfortable it is to
have an ice-cOld stream suddenly
poured on any part of the body.
Why should we require the stomach
to endure it, or expect it to do so,
without most unhappy consequent
ces?
Children are constantly victims to
this unwhOleSOme habit of drinking
ice-cold water. How they will gath
er around the cooler" in the school
room, and what quantities they will
consume when their faces are flushed
and their bodies at fever heat after
some lively game! 1T tastes good"
Yes; but how many things taste
good that should be left severely
alone There is no occasion to drink
tepid or lukewarm water. Let it be
of the tempera ture of the refreshing
springs nature tucks away in wood
land groves and rocky crannies. One
excellent way of cooling water is to
fill bottle and place it on the ice.
The temperature thus obtained is
thoroughly palatable and not harm
full In some manner let us heed the
warnings that are given us on all
sides, and abolish our water of ice"
In any event let us remove it out of
the way of the children New York
Examiner.