The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-09
THE SENSE or TASI',,.
IT SHOULD Be THE BEST GUIDE /,
THE FOOD WE NEED.

- '' .
suffering = We Use Entire, -.
Mnch salt.
The function Of the taste dos.ltla s.
sustalns q much more important lyAl
ton to digestion than has been gen
orally accorded to 1t. say DR.. KrIloSc,
Food to be dIgested must be- appul..
Ing. Food which ln%auseates does nrl
stimulate the secretion Of the liuId nrcr
essary 10 digest 1t either IN the movlI,
or the stomach. The sense OF tns,r
may be regarded us Il sort Of regulA
ton. Hence It IL an important proper.
~ OF food that the sense Of TASTE Alny
be stimulated and that II may have
an opportunity to exercise Its selective
and controlling functions.
When Il has euten q sufficient
amount OF simple. wholesome food. the
sense Of taste Informs him Of the fac,
by declining to receive more A per.
feet rule for mastIcatIon would be- to
chew each morSel Of food until there
40 left only Il tnSteleSs remnant. 1t H.
useless to swallow such a residue. as II
car have no nutritive value. When
food Ii taken in this way. the sense Of
taste has IN opportunity 70 say
."enougll" before too mtcl, has beer,
swallowed and thus affords II perrrm
means OF adapting the amour, or food
taken 10 the needs Of the body,
"A careful study or this suggestion
will also show that the sense Of taste.
II allowed TO act In n normal way. will
Qn1AUf thOSn su1NStur ,,aS ~ WIi,h thA
body Is In great need. For example. II
the blood IL impoverished ana needs
nm extra supply Of heterogeneous food
there will he Il craving for such foods
as nuts. legumes and possibly eggs
and milk or some other substance con.
tanning nitrogen.
A curious analogy TO this function IL
found In some insectivorous plants.
which. as has been shown BY rerer,
experiments. refuse TO capture Insects
or pay attention 10 fragments OF meat
placed within their grasp except when
the soil upon which they grow IL lack
ing In heterogeneous elements. BY sup.
plying a fertilizer rich In nitrogen
these 80 called carnIvOrous plants
cease to be carnivorous and behave
wholly like other plants. The same
principle applies to the use OF fat
making substances. such as starchy
and 0%leaginous foods. such az nuts and
cereals. The writer has frequently oh.
served In thin patients a craving for
fats. which disappeared entirely after
the patient had mad" a gain OF 20 or
80 pounds.
The taste was nc doubt Intended by
the Creator to be a perfect guide TO
the quantity and quality Of food to be
taken and not simply n means Of gus.
tatory pleasure. Unfortunately It has
been terribly debauched and pervert-
ed from Its normal function. Men ana
women treat the palate az the pianist
treats his Instrument. touching 1t In
various ways simply for the purpose OF
provoking pleasurable sensations. with
no regard whHtever for the possible
needs OF the body or the possible dam,
age which may be caused. The sense
OF taste. thus wrongly educated. be.
comes perverted. and Its Indications
become confused. Abnormal cravings
are developed. which demand satisfnc.
ton In the Use Of ten. coffee. wine and
other lntoxicnnts, mustard. pepper and
other condiments. large quantities Of
salt. pickles and rich and snvory dish.
es OF various sorts. together with
sweets. Ices and tIdblts OF all kinds.
The sense Of taste has been dethrOned
from Its high position as governor Of
nutrition and has come to be merely
the servant Of a caprlcious and ins0tIa.
BILE desire for IN Illagitimate sensa.
ton. a purely selfish animal pleasure.
This Is gluttony. pure and simple, and
Ia the apt tutor and hall companion Of
alcoholic lntempernn0e.
The free use Of common salt must
likewise be placed among serious
dietetIc errors. Professor Bunge Of
Basel. the leading physiological chem.
list Of the world, with many others. has
shown that the 50 called necessity for
the a%limentniy use OF salt rests upon
a very uncertain and equIvocal. II not
erroneous. basis and that at most salt
a be used without injury only In
very minute quantities. The quantity
designated by Professor Bungc as
within the limits OF possible harmless
ness Ia about IL grains n day, or prob
ably less than %one-fourth of the
amount usually consumed. The free
use OF salt lends to thirst and copious
drinking IN connection with meals.
Gum chewing. tobacco chewing. the
use Of tobacco In any form. must be
condemnedMs harmful to the digestion
through ~exlinustIng the function OF the
salIvary glands. so that when lrequlr.
ed TO maintain constant activity the
saliva secreted by the glands has very
little value ms a digestive agent. The
glands. az well ms the muscles and
other parts OF the body. require rest
IN which to store up the elements nee.
tssary for their proper function. Good