The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-10-13
The Apple.

s'Yes. Dick

/ TEohh pci = iehzsti.
Chemically, says writer in the
North American Practitioner, 1.-THE apple
is composed Of vegetable fibre, albumen,
sugar, gum, chlorophyl. malic acid gallic
acid, lime and water. Furthermore, the
German analysts say that the apple con-
tains larger per centage of phosphorus than
any other fruit OF vegetable The phos,
phOrus is admirably adapted for renewing
the essential nervous matter-lecithin--of
the brain and spinal cord. 1t is perhaps
for this reason-though but rudely under
stood-that the old Scandinavian tradi-
tions represent the apple as the food of
the gods, who, when they felt themselves
to be growing feeble and infrm, resorted
to this fruit to renew their powers of mind
and body Not only the phosphorus,
but the acids of the apple are of singular
use for persons of sedentary habits, whose
liyers are apt to be too slow of action.
These acids aid the liver in its work of
eliminating from the body the noxious
matters, which, if retained, would make
the brain heavy and dull, or, in time,
would cause rheumatism, jaundice or skin
eruptions, and other allied troubles. The
malic acid of apples, either raw or cooked,
will neutralize any excess of ehalky matter
engendered by eating too much meat.
Ripe apples are probably the least ferment-
able of all fruits, except possibly the ba-
nana For this reason ripe and sound ap-
Piles may be eaten by most persons in even
the hottest weather; but even the apple is
safest when cooked. We have the sup
port of eminent medical authority in saying
that the most healthful way to cook apples
is to pare and core them, and bake in
moderate oven If the apple is of a quite
sour variety it may be necessary to add
little sugar, putting about salt-spoonful
in the hollow whence the core was ex-
'tracted The next best way to cook them
is stewing. Contrary to common belief,
apples baked in their skins are the least
healthful of cooked apples. Another er-
roneous belief is that raw apples are best
if eaten with their skins. We give it on
the authority of the distinguished professor
of materia medica of the New York Col
lege of Medicine thai the skins of apples.
whether raw or cooked. are very deleteri-
GUS in their effects. there being in the skin
an astringent quality which countelacts the
effects of the benefcent acids Of the feshy
part of the fruit Constipation says
the same authority, is sure to be the re-
suit of eating apples with the skins. They
were not made to be eaten, only to protect
the fruit from the attacks of insects.
Dried or evapOrated apples are the most
healthful of all. for they have retained the
best qualities of the fruit, while showing
still less tendency to rapid fermentation
than the fresh fruit. Before cooking they
should be soaked until tender and filed
out to their natural proportions. which
may require from to u hours, and then
allowed to cook gently until done, with or
without the addition Of lemon or other
Aavoring to taste No sugar should be
added to stewed apples, whether dried or
fresh, until the last few moments before
removing from the FIRE Or the sugar
need not be added until the fruit is cold