The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-03
SANITARY LIVING.
Medicinal Qualities of Foods
Vegetable Acids.

tive, anu rs EeiifiOic 10 ShcSO
indeed, the ,pharmacopeia includes
the following so-called foods in its list
OF official drugs-asparagus, cabbage,
carrots, ~dandelion, endive, garlic, In
dian-corn, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms,
parsnips, sweet-potatoes, sorrel, sea
weeds, tomatoes, the cereals, spices,
sweet herbs, sugar, honey, molasses,
the various berries, the oily nuts,
animal fats, eggs, oysters, many
kinds Of fish, nearly all fruits
and their iellies and juices, the wines,
eordials and spirits. the condiments,
and salt especially, without which life
is insipid indeed. In their order the
| dietetic qualities of the condim ents
will be considered, and the special ac-
ton of various foods in connection
with the recipes given for preparing
them.
Just as common salt is i~ndispensa-
Bile to the health Of cattle, the salts OF
potash present in vegetables and fruits
are important to man. The good
health of many vegetarians is due 10
this substance.
The cookery of vegetables largely
affects their dietetic value, and his
tresses should instruct their cooks as
to the proper ways oil treating these
important foods. In the first place
the most strict attention. should be
paid 70 cleansing them thoroughly
from dust, sand, and injurious worms
and insects; careful washing in plenty
of cold salted water, with a brush or
cloth. will suffice for roots, n care
full examination of the leaves of succu-
lent plants; the latter should be left
blossom end down in enough salted
cold water to cover them for at
least an hour. This will generally
destroy all parasite life. so that the
small creatures will fall of their own
weight TO the bottom of the water, I'M
less EMBODIED between the leaves;
therefore cabbage, lettuce, etc,
should be carefully inspected before
cooking. Soft water in cooking will
so far soften the tissues of vegetables
as to extract much OF their juices and
valuable salts, unless salt is added to
il; and the boiling of peeled vege-
tables withdraws much of their pot
ash, the value of which we shall pres
emily see. French cooks, having first
thoroughly cleansed them, will save
the water in which they have been
boiled for sauces and soups. We
would suggest moderate sailing, and
then have the water used in making
the white sauce usually served with
vegetables.
The persistent loss of potash from
food predisposes the system to attacks
of govt, rheumatism, lumbago. and
neuralgia. All similar diseases, in
Guiding the painful gallstones, are
caused by an excess of lithic acid in
the blood. This acid can be reduced
in quantity by the use OF the vegetable
acids combined with potash. Prilnar-
lily, the combination of the acid and
alkali in the system is associated with
the process of destructive assimilation,
of the waste products OF life. Life it.
self is the active presence in the body
of the elements of food, chief of which
are carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen.
which enter into the composition of
all animal and vegetable substances.
The facts must be understood that
while the mineral acids are injurious
to health, the vegetable acids are
wholesome. We rely chiefly upon
fruits to supply the latter, and they
also contain considerable quantities
OF potash, which is sometimes arti-
fieially supplied in the treatment of
the lithic acid diathesis, the condi-
ton of the system that causes rheu-
matism and kindred diseases; for in
| stance, the addition of as much pot
ash as can be held upon a t%en-cent
piece TO the juice of a lemon in a
glass OF water is an admirable bever-
age for use in any of these troubles.
Lemons and grapes among fruits
contain the most potash. The natural
combination is potash with tartaric
acid in grapes; with citric acid in lem
ons, lines, ~shaddocks or grape fruit.
and all the oranges; and malic acid in
apples; with Tactic acid in milk, etc.
Cream of tartar is the tartaric acid
of grapes, and may be used in water
with sugar as a substitute for grape
| Juice. 1t is the substitution OF mineral
acid for those OF fruits and vegetables
that is so injurious to health; for in
stance, sulphuric acid in wine and
vinegar for the natural fruit acid.
In cooking, potash may be added
to the acid fruits in small quantities
to neutraliZe their acids and econo-
miZe sugar; this is often done in stew
ing gooseberries and rhubarb. The
most %succalent vegetables contain the
greatest proportion of potash, such as
lettuce, spinach, etc: as some must
be lost in boiling, it is advisable to
eat as many uncooked salads as the
appetite demands.
In addition 70 potash, acid, and
other salts, fruits contain a substance
called pectin, which is the basis of the
jellies made from them with sugar;
such vegetables as carrots, turnips,
and parsnips also contain pectin, a
condition of which INSCRIPTIONS
manufacturers avail thems elves in
sophisticating jellies for the trade.
The so-called fruit jams of the Ameri-
can local trade are aduiterated in this
way; and apple-butter is largely made
of pumpkin and turnip.-Jutfet Cor
son in HaTPeT'S BGzar.
Marriage a Hundred Years Hence.
At the present time, a popular pre-.
sumption exists that all girls wish to
marry, and fail to do 81 only because
they lack an eligible opportunity.
writes Edward Bethany in The Ladies'
Home Journal. This presumption
exists on account OF the obvious tact
that women, being able with difficulty
to support themselves, havein general
a greater material interest in marriage
than men have. Surely there can be tew
incidents OF an unmarried wotnan's
condition exasperafing than hei
knowledge that because this Is The
undeDiable fact il is vain for her to