The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-24
Fruit as Food.

Under the above heading an exchange gives the following article:
 If the advice given here was more gen erallv followed by mankind there would be less of sickness and the people would be stronger and better able to withstand the ills of life. There is altogether too much meat eaten by the populace Of the United States. and as a rule the people are too high flyers. This high living de- stroys the stomach, causing dyspepsia and other ills, and this Is having ten dencv to make weak hearts, the latter being a rapidly growing disease among the American people. And all this comes from our manner of living; we are not being careful enough of what we eat and how we eat 1t. While meat is healthy food when properly used, It's ex- cessive use will cause more Ills to result than will the excessive use of any other food product. This is not vegetarian treatise but a common sense idea or the proper value of fruit as an eolple, ana the advice given, if properly understood and followed, would result Tn better health. which means a more enjoyable existence The sickly person cannot en- ioy life as was intended, and only those who are physically strong have proper conception of what living means. and are the onlv ones who have thorough en- joyment of life:
 Fruit is a perfect food when ripe and in prime condition. Pity 1t is that 1t is not in more daily use among old ana young. and that children in particular are not oftener encouraged to eat more frult and less confectionery. The skins of fruit. however, should not be eaten. They are so apt to contain germs which are hurtful and they are intended for the protection of the fruit and not for rood. any more than the husks of corn, the skins of turnips or potatoes. or the rinds of melons. Many people who complain that apples, pears and the like, do not agree with them, would find the trouble much lessened, if not altogether obviated. if they would refrain from eating the skins.
 Then there is the medicinal value of fruits. A celebrated French physician d. vides fruits into five classes, assigning to each a special hYgenic value-the sweet, the acid, the stringent. the oily and the mealy. To the acid fruits he accords great merit. including such as strawber- ries, peaches, apples. lemons, oranges raspberries, gooseberries, etc, but pro- hibits persons liable to neuralgia of the stomach from eating cherries. Plums he recommends highly, but it is to the grape IndI ne BlVcS pldScb DCAON'ib tANA oughly in the grape cure' in which grapes comprise the entire diet. The pa tient commences with the consumption of from one to two pounds daily, with a gradual increase to eight or ten pounds After a few days of this diet, a marked improvement of the general health is mo- ticeable. The grape cure is especially rec commended to the anaemic, dyspeptic, consumptive and in cases of liver troubles and gout.
 The apple is one of the best of fruits. Baked or stewed applies will generally agree with the most delicate person, and are an excellent medicine in many cases of sickness Green or half-3tpe apples stewed and sweetened are pleasant to the taste. cooling nourishing and medicinal. Prunes supply the highest nerve or brain food. and dried figs contain heat, nerve and muscle food, so both are good in cold weather. The small seeded fruits may be classed among the best foods and medl- cines The sugar in them is nutritious. the acid is cooling and purifying. If chil- dren were allowed more fruit at table. especially in its season, and less meat and pastry a decided improvement would soon be noticed in health and good tenn