Smyrna times., 1900-03-14

THE SENSE OF TASTE.
1T SHOULD BE THE BEST GUIDE TO
THE FOOD WE NEED.

Much Salt.
The function of the taste doubtless
sustains much more important rela-
tiOn TO digestion than has been gen
orally accorded to it, says DR.. kellogg.
Food to be digested must be appetiz-
ing. Food which nauseates does not
stimulate the secretion of the fluid nee
eSsary to digest it either in the mouth
or the stomach The sense of taste
may he regarded as sort of regula-
ton. Hence it is an important proper
ty of food that the sense of taste may
be stimulated and that it may have
an opportunity to exercise its selective
and controlling functions.
When one has eaten sufficient
amount Of simple. wholesome food, the
sense of taste informs him of the fact
by declining to receive more. \ per-
feet rule for maSticatiOn would be TO
chew each mOISel of food until there
is left only ii taStelrsS remnant. 1t is
useless to swallow such Il residue, as it
can have no nutritive value. When
food is taken in this way. the sense of
taste has an opportunity TO say
enough" before too much has been
swallowed and thus affords perfect
means of adapting the amount of food
taken to the needs of the body.
\ careful study of this suggestion
will also show that the sense of taste,
IL allowed to act in a normal way, will
select those substances of which the
body is in great need. For example, if
the blood is impoverished and needs
an extra supply of utrOgenOus food
there will be a craving for such foods
as nuts. lcgumeS and possibly eggs
and milk or some other substance con
tanning nitrogen.
a curious analogy to this function is
found in some insectivorous plants,
which. as has been shown by recert
experiments. refuse to capture insects
or pay attention to fragments of meat
placed within their grasp except when
the soil upon which they grow is lack
ing in uitrogenOus elements. BY sup
plying a fertilizer rich in nitrogen
these so called carnivOrOuS plants
cease to he carnivOrOus and behave
wholly like other plants The same
principle applies to the use of fat
making substances. such as starchy
and OleaginOus foods. such as nuts and
cereals. The writer has frequently oil
served in thin patients Il craving for
fats. which disappeared entirely after
the patient had made a gain of 20 or
80 pounds.
The taste was no doubt intended by
the Creator to be a perfect guide tO
the quantity and quality of food to bt
taken and not simply a means of gus
| tatOry pleasure. Unfortunately it ha;
been terribly debauched and pervert
ed from it's normal function. Men anC
women treat the palate as the pianis
treats his instrument. touching it il
various ways simply for the purpose OI
provoking pleasurable sensations. witt
no regard whatever for the possible
needs of the body or the possible dam
age which may be caused. The sens'
of taste. thus wrongly educated. be
comes perverted. and its indication
become confused. Abnormal craving
are developed. which demand satisfaC
tiOn in the use of tea, coffee. wine ant
other intOXicants, mustard. pepper ant
other condiments, large quantities o
salt, pickles and rich and savOry dish
es of various sorts, together wit
sweets. ices and tidbits of all kinds
The sense of taste has been dethrOne
from it's high position as governor o
nutrition and has come to be merel
the servant of a capriciOus and insa tia
BILE desire for an illegitimate sensa
ton. a purely selfish animal pleasure
This is gluttony. pure and simple, an
is the apt tutor and hail companion c
alcoholic intemperance.
The free use of common salt mus
likewise be placed among serioU
dietetic errors. Professor Bunge {
Basel the leading physiological chen
list of the world. with many Others ha
shown that the so called necessity fC
the alimentary use of salt rests upO
a very uncertain and equivOcal, if NJ
erroneous. basis and that at most sa
can be used without injury only
! very minute quantities. The quantit
| ucSlSudttu ny IIOleSSOT DuuPP
within the limits of possible harmless
: ness is about - grains n day. or pro-
ably less than OnpfOurth of Il
? amount usually consumed The fr'
3 use Of salt leads to thirst and copiol
drinking i'm connection with meals.
Gum chewing. tobacco chewing. Il
use of tobacco in any form. must
n condemned as harmful to the digestiC
through eXhausting the function of Il
salvary glands. so that when requi
ed to maintain constant activity Il
y saliva secreted by the glands has We
little value as a digestive agent. TT
glands. aS we'll as the muscles al
o other parts of the body. require re
: in which TO store up the elements ne
4 Pssary for their proper function.-Go'
Health.