The record-union., 1897-07-21
RIGHT LIVING.

DIR. Purdy in the North American
Review" some time ago declared with
emphasis and full knowledge of the
facts, that in America the greatest
dietary sin is the meat-eating propensl-
ty of the people. and right he is. That
we do not produce generations with
tusks and mouths containing only in
cisors and CANNES, almost gives the lie
to the doctrine of adaptation.
DR.. Purdy declares that it really
seems, judging by the habits of the
average American, that the more Sc
dentary the life the greater our effort
to reinforce the muscular system by
consumption of animal food. We are
greater meat eaters than any class
of Europeans, and hence the enormous
tax we put upon our excretory organs,
to which fact old world observers so
frequently refer with surprise.
The effect of this habit of Americans,
says DR.. Purdy, are undue accumu-
lation. of nitrogenous waste products in
the blood, producing premature harden
ing of the arteries, and entailing all the
dangers of arterial hemorrhage, of
which apoplexy is the type. In addi-
tion excessive meat eating impairs nu-
triton, and the man grows old before
his time. In fact the doctor, who is
eminent in his profession, says that
excessive meat eating stands second
only to alcoholic indulgence in aging US
rapidly.
Why should we cultivate such abnor-
NAL taste for the flesh of animals? Is
there any reason for it when we are
taught by observation of millions of
people who are light meat eaters, or
physical powers are greater. and their
endurance superior to ours?
Here in California we ought to be the
lightest of meat eaters, because fruit
food is so plentiful and vegetable pro-
duction is so great, of the order in
which by cooking we can break down
the harmful starchy units of compo-
sition. Next to excessive meat eating,
starch foods and of sugar. These car
bo-hydrates are useful chiefly in bodily
economy to produce heat and force.
They are TO our bodies as coal is to
the boiler of the engine. In the stom-
ach amlaceous and saccharine foods
must all pass through one of two pro-
cesses. They undergo destructive fer
mentation with liberation of gases, pro
ducing fiatulent dyspepsia, or they
must take the first step in normal di-
gestion and pass on to the liver for
further transformation. If then, more
carbo-h -hydrates are submitted to the
system than the human mechanism can
dispose. of normally, waste and i'll con-
sequences must ensue. In other words,
if we over stoke the fire box the fuel
is wasted, the draught is clogged, and
the machinery impaired for effective
work.
This criticism is not enough for the
doctor, for he adds that besides eat
ing too much of meat and cramming in
too much of the carbohydrate order,
starches and sugars, we eat too much
of everything. We are acting, he de-
clares. upon the error that the more
we eat and can get on with without
distress the better for us. The guam
tity of our food. he insists, in our prac-
tice is in excess, largely, of our nat
ural necessities.
There is much other kindly and So
licitous complaint by this physician,
but it relates TO clothing, beverages,
etc, mainly. It is sufficient to say that
beyond all question he is right as to
food, or else all physiological research,
observation and experiment are at
fault Less meat and less sweet, more
green vegetables and more fruits which
contain sugars and acids in just the
right quantities and conditions for our
needs. should be our rule of living. Here
in the hot valleys of California, If no.
where else, this advice should be CRATE
fully accepted If more vegetable and