Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-07-26
A SUGGESTION TO BUSY HOUSE
KEEPERS.


A SUGGESTION TO BUSY HOUSE
KEEPERS.
/ wonder how many h0usekeeper1
know that cooked food three times day
Ii by no means necessary to tho health
and well being Of q familyf Two OF the
three meals day may consist solely Of
fuit and milk, with results that In most
cases will be not only satisfactory, but
markedly beneficial. This 10 no purely
theOretic statement, but one based on the
writer's personal experience, and sup.
ported by that Of number OF acquaint-
ances.
A few years ago l was under the ne
cessity Of consulting physician. My
trouble, may be allowed TO state, was
insomnia, my appetite and digestion
both being good. To my surprise the
doctor, q well-known New York prac-
titioner, upon making few Inquiries,
calmly informed me that | was In the
habit OF eating too much bread and
meat, and that must refrain from tax.
ing either at breakfast or luncheon, and
partake Of them only In moderate guam.
titles at dinner. The regimen he pre-
scribed for me Was as follows:
Breakfast, one or two glasses OF milk
slipped slowly In the intervals Of dress.
ing, and a little fruit, preferably q
banana or two. Luncheon, the same
Dinner, a small portion Of meat, roast
or broiled, one potato, one vegetable
fruit and coffee. No soup, bread, pud'
ding or pastry! l was advised also To
drink two glssses of milk between break
fast and luncheon, and the same between
luncheon and dinner, always taking care
to consume IL quite slowly, a. otherwise
| Ii would be difficult OF digestion. From
three pints to two quarts day is fall
allowance for sn adult who adopts thi:
regimen, but, u necessary, the quantity
can be increased.
| was extremely skeptical as to tho
ben, fit which | was assured would
derive from this treatment, and wss
convinced that the meagre breakfast
and luncheon allowed me would prove
quite made QuAte TO the strain on body
and mind, consequent on regular edi-
torixl work. To my surprise, however
| discovered that my usual substantial
breakfast Of fruit, porridge, bacon, toast
and coffee, could be replaced without thu
slightest inconvenience or unpleasant
ness, by the simple banana and pint o.
milk. For the latter menu, confess,
had nj first but smsll relish. Following
the physicians advice, however, | die
not go 10 the breakfast table, where
might easily have been tempted to dis
obey orders, but psrtook OF my simple
repsst in my own room. ] observed thu
regimen scrupulOusly for period Of
three months, and the result was entire
IL satisfactory. never felt faint or hun
CRY, was not once troubled With indiges
ton, and my general health was bettel
| than II had been for months before.
eventually returned 10 my former evil
wsys, not from any neces sity, or par
ticular craving for a change, but because
my lot being cast for time smoni
strangers, l preferred to conform to th'
customs OF the house In which ! was |
guest.
Ny experience, however, has laugh
me a Lesson OF some value. have TIT
satisfactory assurance that at any future
time, when household or other emer
sencies may make the preparation o
meals a serious drain on time or strength
can with perfect impunity, revert L
INV partial diet Of fruit and milk, which
involves no lsbor OF preparation, anc
but little cleaning up.
| In the case OF family, II all the mem
bers were smensble 10 reason, the,
| might bee induced 10 make the expert
| ment AZ least occasionally, thus doini
away with half the domestic RESPONSE
bilities of the housekeeper's day. Wher
milk Is plentiful, the saving would b
enormous, but even at city prices, tn
increased supply Of milk needed woul'
be more than set of by the saving o
| fuel, and the decrease In the butcher
and bakers bills.
The woman who has all her own worl
TO do and large family TO care for
might well try this experiment, As nj
occa sionable saver OF time and strength
II Is especially adapted to the summe
months when fruit and milk are cheap
and the labor OF cooking most exhaust
ing. capnot SAY whether a working
man would find sufficient sustenance j
the frui, and milk diet, but for thos
who do office or house work, II smpi
sufiices.
Fruit may be bought at the loves
prices In large quantities. A Who'll
bunch OF bansnss or case OF orange
may be ordered for family use. Dried
AS well as fresh fruits may be Introduce
into the diet, but not canned or presers
ed fruits unless eaten without bread o
biscuit.
IL seems extraordinary that one ca
subsist wholly without bread or fari
naceous food Of any kind, but havin
proved this TO be the case, ! can n
longer regard the so-cslled staff OF liz
as necessity. After three month:
complete abstinence from IL, my healtl
was better than ever before.
have personal knowledge OF thre
other instances In which this trestmen
proved entirely successful, the subject
being a distinguished New York journal
ist past 80, a society woman In her 30;
and hard working young reporter
none Of whom suspended any OF thei
ordinary occupations or experienced IN
slightest Ill effects from the sudden an
radical change Of diet.
There are. OF course, persons who ar
unable to take milk In any form. bu
those who are, may safely make the e,
pertinent. Single men and women VII
live in lodgings will find IL convenien
and economical arrangement. Ihos
who work In an Office or shop can hsv
a quart Of milk delivered daily at thei
place Of business, the sealed bottles ot
ing most convenient for this purpose
A pint in the morning and the remainde
in the afternoon can be taken In sma
quantities at intervals.
II any reader doubts the value OF thl
suggestion, l shall have pleasure in n
terring him to the well-known physical
from whom | first received 1t (and who's
fee, II l remember rightly, was 80, bu
such as are willing to take the same &C
vice from one who followed II, an
proved its wisdom, are welcome to tn