The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-10-03
WHEN TO EAT.
70 Is . Debatable Question, Says De.
James H, Jackson.

70 Is - Debatab1e Question, Says DE.
James Ii. jackson.
A well-known physician. James H.
Jackson, says: 1t is a debatable ques-
ton how often food is required to pre-
serve health or aid in resoring it, but
the important point is gained when suf-
ficient nourishment is applied to make
good the continual waste of tissue, thus
keeping the body in repair and main
tanning the normal expression of the
vital forces.
To fulfill the demands of the system,
the blood should be kept in condition
10 nutrify all the tissues of the body,
neither falling below nor rising above
Il hea!thful standard of nutritive power.
AS the process of nutrition, involving
the removal of waste and the assimila-
ton of new material, take place more
rapidly in some cases than in others. no
absolute rule can be laid down as to the
frequency of eating, but in general 1T
may he said that nourishment must be
adequate 10 prevent deteriation of the
blood. The average nan in active life
requires daily from 10 to % ounces of
food, free from water, representing be-
tween three or four pounds of the or
binary nutritivc substances. Now,
scientifically it would seem to be OF
little consequence when this amount is
taken into the system, but practically
it does make considerable difference.
First, it is necessary to prevent eXhaus-
ton of the nutritive elements in the
blood, and second to guard against any
functional digestive disturbance, thus
~precluding an abnormal manifestation
in the organs of digestion. In other
words, if the demands upon the diges.
tive functions are too frequent there is
r liability to irritation, exhaustion, in
tiammation. and the whole train of
functional disorders. Overlooking the
stomach tends to produce the same or
similar conditions. Habit largely con
trolls the times Of eating, but habit is
often formed without regard to any ne
cCssity on the part of the organism. and
may De arranged with equal facility to
conform to longer or shorter intervals
as NAV be desired.
The quality of food has also an inn
portant hearing on this subject. Per-
:ons vino live on stimulating articles of
Diet. including tea, coffee, animal flesh
in considerable quantities. cond ments
or alcoholic stimulants, seem To require
food oftnncr than those who choose an
discriminating diet. The reason IS hat
regardless of the nutriti-c material al
ready ~ the blood 4 seeming demand
exists for an additional quantity which
is expressed by a sense of hunger or
weakness as the result of reaction from
the stimrlants taken; and this reaction
usually asserts itself more ~imperativCly
+han the natural desire for food. when
there has been no undue stimulation.
True hunger is always Il call from the
tissues of the body for Hutritivc ma
teriaI. while much of the SG-callcd hum
ger is merely an expression of irritation
Of the nerves of the stomach arising
from Inflammation OF Initiative condi-
tiOns as he result of reaction from pre-
Nous SIT Emulation.
Persons living on stimulating foods,
when called upon to foIego an accus-
toned meal. complain OF weakness,
"goneness" and hunger. to Il far greater
degree than those who live on an un-
stimulating diet. As n Iule meals re-
cur too frequently, compelling The or
rans of digestion to undergo the ply
siOlogical congestion which follows the
Introduction of food into the stomach
50 often that after a longer Or shorter
period = pathological or abnormal con-
g~cstion is set up which results in lack
Of secretion or changes the charactcro Of
fhe fluid contents of the stomach to
such an extent the fermentation and the
formation of gas follow. Unquestion-
ably the majority of people would he
letter in health to take bit two meals
p day. breakfast at eight ar nine o'clock
IN the morning. and dinner at five or six
IT the aftcrnOon.-WcStcIn Rural.