Morning journal and courier., 1890-03-11

TO MAKE FAT FOLKS LEAN. One may Comfortably Grow Lean If
 He Will Follow Dlrecions-Ssarva. |
 ton and Violent Exercises arc Nos
 at Ali Needed.
 [From the New York Sun.l
 At recent meeting of the New York ing was read by Dr. Walter Mendelson. His subject was "Ths Physiological Treatment ot Obesity" He said he had selected this subject for treatment because 1t was one upon which some definite and accurate knowledge was at hand-knowledge which might be called scientific, because If the necessary conditions which it imposed were fulfilled certain and no inconsiderable de- gree of success could be attained.
 The human body, he said, had often been compared to @ machine, but it differed from @ machine in one important respect. The machine required and used fuel solely for the development of energy, while the fuel COZ. stunned in the body not only developed en- ergy, but in part transformed into tissues for repairing the wear of the machine. Hence, in order to gain an intelligent insight into the nature of obesity it was necessary to get general idea of the laws relating to the processes of nutrition. The study of the causes of the deposition of fat was an old one. In former years it was believed that the excess of fat taken in the food was de- posted in the cells of the body. Later on Liebig came to the conclusion that fat was formed directly from the starches and sugars eaten. The most recent investigations show clearly that the albumen in the food is the principal source of the fat formed in the body. This albumen, after it has reached hn Ia nf hQ fiaonoa chemical changes by which part of it is con- vertsd into fat, and goes to the nutriment of the tissue cells. Many experiments have been made which prove this oonclusively. Thus dogs fed eon lean meat accumulated considerable fat. One fed on lean meat and palm oil, which contains no stearie acid, stored up fat. having the usual amount of stearic acid normal to dogs fat.
 It is not asserted that all fat deposited is formed from albumen. A certain amount of that taken as food is stored up. But the increase of body fat occurring after eating much fat, though in part direct result, is chiefly brought about indirectly, the food fat shielding from oxidation that which has previously been formed from the albumen. Thus, when dog is fed on meat and mutton suet the dog get fat, not because the mutt ton suet is changed into dogs fat or is de" posted as suet, but because the more ready oxidation of the suet prevents the fat proper to the animals tissues from being de- stroyed by the various activities of the ani- mal
 It is in the same way the starches and sugars act. They are not ordinarily cons verted into fat, but are so converted only when taken in abnormally large quantities. But when taken with the ordinary food, they are more easily oxidized than the proper fat of the body, and so the proper fat &C., cumulates instead of wasting.
 The sources of fat in the body were found to be three: First, the splitting up of the al- bumen of the food; second, the transfer Of that fat ipgested food; and third, fat formed from starches taken in too large quantities.
 The next step was to consider what condi- tions of the body tended to hoard up this fat. It is known that all the cells Of the body have the power of splitting up relative ly complex chemical compounds into bodies of simpler composition. It is further known that certain external agencies have the power of modifying the chemical powers of the cells. Thus quinine, alcohol, morphine, low temperature, deficient food supply, deficient oxygen, diminish the powers of the cells, while excess of food, high temperature. and muscular activity increase them. It is further known that the disintegrability of the differ ont classes of food brought to the cells varies. Of the three classes into which all foods may be divided the albumens Qean meats) are most easily split up by the cells, the sugars coming next, and the fats last.
 It has been determined that the following quantities of the food classes are equivalents in that each yields an equal quantity of en- erey measured as heat: Flat, 100 grams; albumen, 211; starch, 232; cane sugar, 2S4; glucose, 256.
 From this it appears that an accumulation of fat will most readily occur when the diet contains an overplus of fat. If it be sup . posed that a man who required 116 grams of aIbumen and 259 of fat should take albumen only he would have to eat six pounds of lean meat alone to keep up his supply. But he could not digest 80 much meat as that. If he took the albumen and excluded fat, he would have to take pound and quarter of starch to make up for the fat omitted. If the man ate all three kinda sf food he would need 118 grams of albumen, 100 of fat and 368 of starch. An excess in any one would produce an accumulation of fat. Now, ordinarily no man habitually eats meals composed of any one or any two sorts of these foods. If he did he would hardly accumulate an overplus of fat, because the monotony of the diet would produce lack of appetite, and so he would not become obese But on a mixed diet, containing plenty of fats and starches, little more al- bumen than is needed to maintain the equili-
 
 surplus of albumen fat would make itself apparent in the form of the eater.
 A man need not be a glutton to grow stout. A slight excess will gradually load up the body with fat. An excess is not even necessary if certain contributory causes be come operative. Thus any one of the causes that tend to diminish the powers of the cells -a too free use of alcohol, life in hot, close room-will promote the accumulation of fat, even though the quantity of food consumed daily be diminished. The ten- dency to become obese is also very often in- herited.
 In treating obesity, the individuality must be kept in mind but in general the aim must be to make the consumption of fat exceed the production. In the great majority of cases, in spite of what fat people say, the cause of the fat is the eating of either too much food or food of an improper quality, combined with a lack ot exercise. It remains, therefore, suitable to regulate the diet and exercise. bearing in mind that the change must be gradual to be bene6cient, and that anything approaching to starvation must be avoided. It must be a general plan to give much albumen and relatively little fats and sweets. This is done in order that the cells l from the abundance of nourishment brought l to them, shall be capable of great chemical | activity; and further, that the tissue fat | formed nom the alDumeu SQAll uOt Uo pre- served from oxidation by the presence of tn more readily oxidizable fats and starches. l For diet list for corpulent person the doctor recommended the following:
 | Breakfass-One cup 6 ounces) tea or cof fee, with milk and sugar; two or three slice' l @ Ia ounces) of bread, butter, half ounce | one egg, or 1-2 ounce meat.
 l Dinner-Meat or fish, 7 ounces; green
 vegetables, such as spinach, cabbage, strinl
 beans, asparagus, tomatoes, beet tops, &c.
 punches; fsrinaceous dishes, such as DO
 tatoes, Ihominy, rice, maccaroni, &c., 3 l.
 ounces, or these may be omitted and cor
 responding amount of green vegetable sub
 stituted; salad. with plain dressing, ounce
 fruit, 2 ounces; water sparingly.
 Supper or Luncheon-Two eggs or leal
 meat, 5 ounces; salad, three quarters al
 ounce; bread, one slice; be substituted fo
 the fruit; tea, or coffee, 8 ounces; no beer
 ale, cider, champagne, sweet wines, or hart Iliqours must be taken, but claret and hocl are permitted in moderation; milk, saw
 ss an addition of tea or coffee, must be takel
 rarely.
 It is important to remember that as tn fat becomes reduced the diet must te modt
 fled somewhat, giving more of the sweets ant fats, lest the albumen, as well as the fat o
 the body, be consumed. l Under proper diet the patient feels bet ter, instead of weak or in any way worse. 4
 feeling of lassitude is an indication that th' | muscniar tissues ss we'll as the fat, are be