Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-06-21
WAR ON PRUNES.
DOCTORS DIFFER AS TO THEIR
BENEFICIAL INFLUENCE.
Two Chicago Physicians Condemn
tho Prune, While Another
Says 1t is GA Proven
tive Of Crimei"


dragged into the garlsh light of pub
licity, and all through no fault OF its
own. The prune Is modest. 1t is as
retiring in its disposition as deep sea
oyster. 1t is not pulled up with envy.
1t courts no comparison with the dried
apple. If it had not been for the re-
signation of DR.. Persis White and DR..
o. II. Shelter, of the staff of tho Chi
ongo Hospital for Women and Chill
dren, the prune might have continued
along the even tenor OF its way, and
remained undisturbed in its position
as insignificant article of dict.
But these doctors have objected to
the prune. They have not only re-
signed their positions because of an
antipathy to tho timid, unobtrusive,
shrinking fruit, but they have enlisted
tho sympathies of the patients and
nurses and other physicians in the
hospital in warfare against it us
menace to tho public welfare. This
action may prove detrimental to tho
future of the lowly prune. The i'm
mediate effect has been to provoke d
widespread discussion of its merits and
| dement's.
The main question is whether these
two physicinns were justified in re-
signing because of their aversion to
the prune. 1t is said that they OBJ
lected to the fruit on the grounds
that 1t had assumed too much import
ance in the hospital kitchen !; that it
was pushing its way to the front on
any and every occasion and threatened
to usurp the privilege 30 long enjoyed
by the soup of heading the bill of
fare. They have been quoted as saw
ing that the prune is not adapted to
the needs OF inyalits and that
healthy individual cannot tolerate n
too intimate acquaintance with it.
upon the assumption that there is
something wrong with the pruno o
number of persons who are qualified
to express opinions on the subject
were interviewed about the fruit.
Some surprisingly original views were
advanced as to tho beneficial influ-
ences concealed within the dark ex-
terror of the prune. One physician
confessed that he had long regarded
tho prune us preventive of crime when
properly administered.
" have made tue prune n subject
OF special study" he said, "and have
conducted series of experiments with
Il view to probing its efficacy rs pre-
ventive of crime. You are probably
aware that was once connected with
largo reformatory institution. It
was there that first saw tho possibili-
tics in the pruno. Vicious youths
would come under my care who would
rebel against every restraint and re-
sist every influence intended for their
good. If they persisted in their def
ance of the rules I would prescribe
prunes ms diet. Well, sir, one weeks
treatment invariably brought them
around rs peaceable as lambs. After
that there was no trouble in control
ing them. All that was necessary was
to feed them once day on prunes,
and we had no exhibitions of unruli-
ness.
There is q certain medicinal prop.
erty III the prune which acts directly
upon tho nervous system, and that is
where the evil passions have their seat.
L believe that if tho prune was made
compulsory portion of the diet of tho
lower classes there would he less crime.
Some day [ shall publish treatise
embodying my views on the subject.
which will earn the everlasting thanks
of the public"
While this physician was ready to
espouse the cause of the prune, anoth-
er was just rs willing to nssail it, ara
deny that 1t was created for any good.
The latter insisted that numerous
cases of insanity could be traced to
the fact that the unfortunate individu-
ais had contracted the "prune habit"
lie pointed out several instances
where men who had lived for many
years in boerding-houses had become
insane, and then added with a con.
vincing air:
"What had they been eating all
these years?" he asked ''Prunes
Prnnes three times day and when
they would get home late ut night and
hungry, what would they find in tho
cupboard? Prunes! There is tho
whole solution of their insanity. Why,
young man, the prune habit is as fatal
as the morphine habit. I wouldn't
eat prune if 1 was starving to
death"
Notwithstanding the horror mani.
tested by this doctor for the prune, it
cannot be disputed that there is
largo demand for this article of food.
1t Is an important item in the deal
lngs of merchants, and has place in
the culinary world of no moan ranks!
There will always be somebody readys
to eat prune. Sailors are said to
have decided fondness for the black.
skinned fruit, among whom it mas
querades MS raisin in their plum
duff" and as an 'Anchor line straw
berry" in another style. The fact ia
chronicled that mutiny originated
ON ship once because prunes were
left out OF the Christmas pudding
Chicago Times-Herald.
--------<zses
Railroading the Parting Guest.
William Dam HaroJIt.