Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-07-27
THE VEGETARIAN CREED.
Why Its Professors Believe I'm q Bill
N.

why Its Professors Believe In q Bill
OF Fare without Meat.
GDr. de SeuviIle in the Review OF RevIeEsl
One of the causes which have led people
to reject the doctrine of vegetarianism Is
the idea that 1t is inspired by pietism, reli-
gsous oonvietions and monastic mortifcA-
tion. But this is a grave error, for the "a
tional vegetsrianism of to-day Is entirely
scientific and dictated by the sole desire to
follow q system conforming to the laws of
nature. It has science on its eide, and
only the force of habit Is opposed to ii.
The muscles become soft, the sizs dImIn-
ishes, humanity degenerstep, and lie kept
in working order only by sedstives and
tonics. The numerous maladies of the
stomach and the intestines, from simple
cstarrh to the most serious diseases of the
organs, are often due to our appetite for
meat and other stimulsnts. Vegetarian
ism, We are told by DR.. Bonnejoy, does
not consist solely in vegetable food, but Is
based on three distetic sxioms: % The
general rebuilding power lies In cereals,
seeds, vegetables, tubers, fruits, eggs, milk
and their derivatives; (2) the food, the air.
and, in general, everything that is intro
duced into the body, should show absolute
purity, freshness and entire absence of
Qualifications, mixture and sdulerAtions,
even in the smalles. quantities; 81 it is
necessary, az far as may be possible, for
each one to manufacture his foods and
drinks at home, In order to reach the de-
sired results.
These are the principal dogmas of the
vegetarians. Man is not intended to eat
meat. His jaw is made to grind grains
and fruits. His hands are made to gather
them. The Dsrwinian theory does not
permit us for an instant to doubt the fru-
givorous nature of man. His intestinal
canal Is also a proof. In the lion this is
three times as long as the body; in man
seven or eight times as long.
The human body is q machine, which, to
be kept In good working order, should be
nourished according TO scientific rules, and
not a: the desire of our fanoies. Four
classes of substances are necessary for the
maintenance of life; the slbuminoids, tbs
carbohydrates, the fats, the minerals
Now, meat contains but three of these
while the vegetables contain all four
Vegetable food lie also necessary for our
intellectual life, for as Moleschott has said,
without phosphorus there is no thought
That phosphorus contained in vegetable
food is almost double the quantity CON
tanned IN animal tood- bnt thess are not
all the advantages of vegetarisnism
Those who believe that meat gives the rose
eolor to the cheeks and lips must be shown
their error. For, as Professor MussA has
shown, the amount of iron oxide contained
In the vegetables Is much greater than that
found in meat. However, vegetsrianiEm
Is not too presumptuous with regard to It's
wonderful powers. ItEIdoctrines demand,
at the same time, the constant and intelli-
gent practice of all sorts of hygienic rules
It calls to its aid pure air, light, heat or
cold, water, exercise, and. commencing
with alcohol, the condemnation of all
stimulsnts In these conditions It Is diff
cult to cay which would prove more bene-
ficiAl, the renu notation Of meat or the ap-
plication of 6 we'll understood hygiene.
1t is, however. indisputsble thSt vegetArI-
snism, at its bsst, comprises in its scces-
sorles many things which make II worthy
of general sympathy.