The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-05-29

Among the frequent visitors Of a so-calIel
colee-garden in the suburbs of StFasburg the
| most popular was an old French army-ofhcer,
VINO had a little country house Of his own 3
| few miles up the river, and often surprised his
friends by making tho round trip on horse
back, though bis potations were by no means
confined TO coffee.
How do you manage TO find your yay In
the dark" inquired one of his fellow-toDers
especially on Club-nizhts, when Prof II
so often mistakes the Rhine for pike-road2"
Nothing miraculous about it," said the vet
eran. 'All fellow needs, to get home all right.
IS little confidence in the commOn-sense OF
his horse"
Many o. our felleW-men would be better of
II their sanitary precautions were guided by \
similar degree Of confidence in the trustworthi-
ness Of their natural instincts
How often can a person drink during
meals?" asks one of my CORRESPONDENTS "Ons
oil our physicians insists that our diet as rule
IS not half fluid enough, and that every pIata,
OF yiands ought to be washed down with a gIass
OF good water. Another tells us that not drop
should be drunk till about an hour after meals
and that any deviation from that rule would
interfere with the work Of digestion"
My answer is: "Stick to water. and LET your
instinct decide the question Of quantity and
time" Or, TO formulate rule applicable 70
| dietetic matters in general Regulate the
quality and let the quantity take care Of itssIE'
only unnatural articles Of food are apt 20 become
objects of unnatural appetencies, and there il
an unmistakable analogy between the alcohol
thirst Of a confirmed topper and the greasy
hash. pepper and pickle hunger Of an inveterate
giutJOn. bread-and-apple gOrmand would Be-
a novel phenomenon. Safety can be generally
relied upon TO announce itself within minuts
alter the needs Of the organism have been sup
/ piled by sufficient quantum Of such comesti-
bies and 1t Is equally safe to trust the Guidance
OF instinct in regard 10 the best Of an natural
Deverages-pure cold water. How the dread Of
drinks during meals can have originated ia nor
easy to see, unless 10 should have something To
I DO with the idea that the contrast Of tempera,
ture would InJuTe the sensitive organs OF thu
digestive apparatus; but the sane persons yybo
would scruple 10 allay their burning thirst with
a cup Of cold water have no hesitation about
swallowing spoon after spoonful Of scaIding-
not soup, or steamlng pepper steWs, at times OF
the year when a Tefrigcrating diet would far
better agree with the cravings Of instinct
At such times glass of water would lust
barely suffice to restore the normal temuera-
ture OF the stomach, and the idea that the sud-
dennes5 Of the change might prove preiadieiaI
Is as gratnitous Is the dread Of drafts Of cool air
Our lungs and our stomach have methods Of
their own for equalizing thermal contrasta A
man whose blOOdheat maintains itself AZ its
normal average Of more than 90 degrees above
the Fahrenheit zero can with perfect imDunity
together, though his lungs get only seconds
time between each respiration to assimilate
their cold gaseous food. Fifteen minutes Ouuhs
to suffice the stomach for the completion Of a
similar process; and there IS, indeed, no doubs
that the iutimatiOn of desire for a cooling
dIlutent IS sufficient guarantee that thirst, in
that form. can be INDUCED without the least
risk of injurious consequences
That conclusion Is abundantly confirmed ~
the habits OF our nature guided fellOw-crea-
lures. hound, painting from a long chase
across sun-scOrched prairie, VIII walk bodily
into cool brook and slake his thirst without
stint; bullaloes in times of drouth. will rush
into river or lake with an impetus that fire.
quentiy proves the ruin Of their weaker
brethrcn-in consequence not OF the stomach
chilling draft, but of the tTamDling crush Of
the struggle for precedence. Our next rela-
tives, the frugivorous monkeys. have not the
slightest objection 70 drink during meals. even
when they happen to alternate their fTuit-diss
with occasional meals Of milk or eggs. Dor,es-
tic dogs, sharing the artifciaIly- heated viands
of their masters, are impatiently ready to
counteract the excess Of thermal effect By fra
quent visits TO q convenient 7ater-trongh-a
fact that can be verified BIZ an intelligent ex-
perimenter at any time between Nav and Dc
tOber Let a hunting-dog visit bis usual haupta
during the forenoon; do not hinder him from
taking all the incidental drinks be wants 10
the course OF his rambles along the next brook:
then, at noon, call him in and treat him 70 a
liberal meal of moderately warmed hash.
potatoes and gravy, and while he IS vet eating
put q dish OF cold water in his way. and see
how readily he viii interrupt his feast for a
moment 10 lap up pint of the cooling huid.
The same experiment will succeed with 4 pet
ape, q chimpanZee or an Ourang provided
their lunch has not been limited 20 Eaterv
fruitS-grapes or melons. Such fruit contains
all the fluid required for its digestion. but vary
the bill OF fare with fried eggs, slightly saIted
or dish of mashed potatoes mixed with molten
butter, and Mr.. Crowley viii evince q promps
desire 10 examine the contents of that tin Gun,
and take a sip perhaps 10 OF - different times
before finishing his plate of calOrifc food Az
proof, however, that the abnormal Influences
OF captivity have not prejuiiced the cOmUe-
tence OF his instincts, the same Darwiniaa rela-
tive will persistently decline 20 share the beef
steak and-sausags fare of his entertainer. ar
could be persuaded to swallow corrosive snblf-
mate about as soon as mustard or vinegar
pickles Nay, Mr.. Crowley viii manifest de-
eided scruples about eating even his fayorits
tdbits at restaurant temperature; in other
words attest by the evidence OF his instinct
the fact that the temperature Of supeEheated
eggs or steaming-hot prunes is far more obiee-
tonable from sanitary point Of view, than
that of the coolest spring water ever drunk
during meals.
The kindred fallacy that exercise In warn.
weather makes cold drinks dangerous, has
been traced to the circumstance that cold aleo-
holic beverages (ice-cOd lager beer ete.) are
really more than usually injurious while she
system is heated and the pulse uuicksned
by hard work in warm weather, because &C
such times any cooling fluid is more Quickly
absorbed and brought in contact with every
portion of the organism. aud thus gets better
chance, If qualified by an admixture Of IN
wholesome ingredients. to exercise its banefuI
- fb,f -. TT
lection, however, does in no way apply to purs
cold water. nor TO lemonade or fresh sweet
cider.
ITO Be continued