The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-26
Medical Notes.


The pineapple is one of the most
healthful of fruits, but it must be eaten
with caution. There is an absurd idea
that eating of pineapples render the
eater prone to contract yellow fever and
similar diseases. In Java. the Philip
pines. and throughout the far East the
juice of the green pineapple is considered
a blood poison of a most deadly nature.
1t is claimed that this the poison with
which the Malays poison their kreeses
ard daggers The most curious use,
however. of green pineapple juice is that
OF hnger-nafl' poison, formerly in vogue
among the aboriginal Japanese women
who cultivated a nail on each hand to
long sharp point so that the least
scratch from one of these was fatal The
technical name of the pineapple is bro
melia, and this gives the name bromelfn
to a principle extracted from the Juice
to which powerful digestive qualities are
ascribed. 1t is also claimed that the
juice will remove diphtheretic membranes
and the use of the pineapple is of advan-
tage in maintaining good digestion and
health Injurious effects, from eating
pineapple. are due to the fact that the
rind Is not carefully and completely re-
moved. The rlnd and eyes contain an
acrfd juice which al least will cause an
eruption about the mouth if, as some
times happens, the pineapple is gnawed
without being peeled No doubt swaI-
lowing this rind may cause disturbances
Of the body and sickness.
Prof. Atwaters experiments and state
ments concerning alcohol have caused
much adverse and harsh criticism. and
Prof Atwater has himself delivered an
address, published in the Educa tional
Review, in which he states that he has
been incorrectly reported and misrepre-
sented. He believes that, in small quaint
ties, alcohol is food; in large quanti-
ties, always a poison. Alcohol does not
build up tissue and is not stored up
in the body for future use. 1t is, how
ever, oxidized and yields a certain amount
of energy, and thus may be called a par
tial food when taken in moderate quanti-
ties. No difference of opinion can exist
as to the injurious effects Of large guam
titles of alcohol. Referring to the teach
ing of temperance in schools Prof. At
water believes that the extremist method
is wrong and futile. When intelligent
children are told that alcohol in the form
of light wines and beer is poison they
know or will learn that they are misled.
speaking ed1toT1dIiy OF tnlS the Hnllduel-
phia Medical Journal rightly says: Re-
form is seldom promoted by misstate-
ments of extremists, and rational people,
whether children or adults. are more
strongly Influenced In the long run by
careful adherence to the truth. Prof.
Atwater believes that what should be
taught IS that alcohol is not food in
the sense III which that word is ordinarily
understood.
Popular superstitions die hard, and it Is
not astonishing that a number should be
added with our new possessions. DR..
Morse reports, in the Albany Medical
Annals, a Cuban custom in accordance
with which the Cuban mothers expose
their children, entirely naked, during an
eclipse of the sun in order to prevent
their being hit by the eclipse and, in
cidentaIly, by anys devils that may be
wandering about seeking whom they may
devour. He learned this custom from a
case in his own practice, woman ex-
posed her two children, aged three
months and fourteen months, respective
". during the recent eclipse. If the chill
| dren contract bronchitis from the ex-
posture they are hit" If they escape