The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-03-07
THE SENSE OF TASTE.
IT SHOULD BE THE BEST GUIDE TO
The FOOD We NEED.

rs xot Pesvertea. II WIN select Those
Substances For which fk~ Body l.
Suffering = We Cse Entirely Too
Anch salt
The function CT the taste doubtless
srsiains much more Important rela-
tion 10 digestion than has been gen
orally accorded TO Il. says Or. Kellogg
Food TO be digeslcd must be appeiiz-
ing. Food which nauseates does not
stimulate the secretion Of the fiuId nee
esSary TO digest il either 10 the mouth
or the stomach. The sense OF taste
may be regarded as a sort Of reguia-
ton Hence IL is an aiporiant proper
/ ty Of food thai the 5. use Of taste may
be stimulated aud that II may ilave
an opportunity 10 exercise its selectife
and controlling functions
When one has eaten Il sufficient
amount OF simple. wholesome food. the
sense OF taste Informs him OF the fact
/ by declining 10 receive more per
feet rule for maStication woEk be &c
chew each morsel Of food untd there
is left only tasteIess remnant. II Is
useless 10 swallow such residue. as Il
can have 10 nutritive value When
food is taken 10 this way. the sense OF
taste has an opportunity 10 say
enough before too much has been
swallowed aud thus affords perfect
means Of adapting the amount OF food
taken 10 the needs of the body
A careful study OF this suggestion
will also show that the sense OF taste.
If allowed to act IN a normal way. viii
select those substances of which the
body is in great need For example. If
! the blood is Impoverished and needs
an extra supply of uitrogenous food
there will he a craving for sdch foods
as nuts legumes and possibly eggs
and milk or some other substance con
tanning nitrogen.
A curious analogy TO this functioa Is
found In some insectivorous plants.
which as has been shown Ivy rrt'eri
experiments. refuse TO capture insseis
or pay attention TO fragments of meat
placed within their grasp except when
the soil upon which they grow Is lack
ing in heterogeneous elements BY sup
plying a fertilizer rich in nitrotTn
these so called carnivorous plants
cease TO be carnivorous and behave
wholly like other plants. The same
principle applies 10 the use of fat
making substances. such as starchy
and 0ieagnOus foods. such as nuts and
cereals The writer has frequently OBJ
served in thin patients craving for
fats. which disappeared entirely after
the patient had made a gain Of 20 or
30 pounds.
The taste was no doubt intended by
the Creator 10 be a perfect guide TO
the quantity aud quality of food TO be
taken and not simply a means OF gus
tafory pleasure. Unfortunately il has
been terribly debanched and pervert-
ed from its normal function. Men and
women treat the palate as the pianist
treats his instrument. touching II in
various ways simply for the purpose Of
provoking pleasurable sensations. with
10 regard whatever for the possible
needs of the body or the possible dam
age which may lie caused. The sense
Of taste. thus wrongly educated. be
comes perverted and its indications
be,-OIne confused Abnormal cravings
ar. developed. which demand satisfac
tlon IN the use of tea. coffee. wine and
other intoxicants. mustard. pepper and
other condiments. large quantities OF
salt. pickles and rich and sayory dish
es of various sorts. together with
sweets ices and tidbits Of all kinds.
The sense of taste has been deihroned
from its high position as goveGior Of e
nutrition and has come 10 lsc merely
the servant of a capricious aud insitia
ble desire for an illsgitimate senSa
iion. purify selfish animal pleasure
This is gluuony pure and simple. aud
is the apt tutor and hail companion OF
alcoholic in;emperance
The free use Of common salt must
likewise be placed among serious
tlieteiic errors Professor Brnge of
Basel. the leading physiological chem
isl of The world with many others. has
shown that The 50 called necessity for
the alimentary use OF salt rests upon
a very uncertain and tsquivocai. II not
erroneous. basis and that nj most salt
can te used without injury only iE
very minute quantities. The quantity
designated 10y Professor Runge as
within the limits of possible harmless
ness is about - grains a day. or prob
ably less than One-foHrth of the
amount usually consumed The free
use OF sail leads TO thirst and copiOus
drinking in connection with meals.
Gum chewing. tobacco chewing the
use OF tobacco in any FORM must I've
condemned as harmful TO the digestion
through exhauSting the function OF the
salivary glands. so that when requir
ed 10 maintain constant activity the
saliva secrrted by the glands has very
little value as digestive agent. The
glands. as well as the muscles and
other parts Of the body. require rest
In which TO store up the elements nec-
essary for their proper function.-Good
Health.