The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-11-29
FOOD AND WATER.

From the New York Press.
The influence of certain kinds of
food upon the female form is apparent
to all who have made a study of mod
els. The woman of to-day, particular
ly the woman of society, is overdevel-
oped in places which probably were I'M
der-developed in early Greece. The
food of which they partook did not
develop abnormally that part of the
anatomy which the modern corset of
the modern divinity conceals, but had
its effect upon the neck, bust, arms and
particularly the lower limbs, rounding
them out into a perfect fullneSs.
Grapes and figs were the chief diet
of the women of the Hellenes, and they
produced the shapely ankle, the beauti-
fully symmetrical calf, the classic knee
and the chiseled thigh.
Female shaDeIessness.
1t is not necessary to go further than
the stage to study these matters at the
present day. The commonest defect is
the hollow thigh. Women tell me that
this is due not only to congenital mall
formation, but to the feminine habit of
crossing the legs. Venus and Juno
were never known to cross their legs,
and as they were born perfect their
thighs were not hollow. Another seri-
Gus malformation is the big knee. The
patella looks like a knot, and in many
cases it is necessary for women to be
bowlegged in order that their knees
may pass comfortably in walking. In
classic figures the caft really begins
at the ankle, the leg gently swelling
upward from that point. Many of our
latter-day women have "shanks," by
which l mean that the leg from the
ankle to a few inches obev the shoe
top is of about the same size, then the
gastrocnemius and soleus suddenly.
lump out into shapeless hummock.
All women of the African race have
legs of this type, and the Caucasians
seem to be acquiring it.
Food Effects Localized.
The great development of the meso-
gastric zone in modern woman is due
principally to high living. AS a rule,
woman eats more in proportion to her
weight than man. She is eterIfally nib
bling at something. She drinks a great
deal with her meals--water, coffee and
tea, If you please, are quite as had as
wine when INDUCED in to excess. She
is essentially a meat and vegetable
eater, and both foods make internal fat
where it is not desirable. We often
hear women speak Of their high stom-
ach;" why, bless you, no woman
should mention such a thing. She
should not admit having a stomach.
Corned beef and cabbage never yet
produced classic form. 1t is said
that the lassies of Scotland have the
finest legs in the world. They eat
oatmeal. German girls have poor fig
ures; they eat sauerkraut.
other Food Effects.
The most symmetrical women are the
Japanese, but they are very small.
Their principal food is fruit, and they
drink sacki. Italian women have
splendid busts; they eat macaroni. The
women Of Norway are without finish as
a rule; they eat too much of fish. The
same applies TO women of all other fish
ing countries. The coolie women are
very beautiful physically. Their chief
food Is fruits and nuts. Persian wom-
en- are inclined to fairness; they eat
meats boiled to excess, with rice. and
are fond of sweetmeats and hard boiled
eggs. The illustration of food effects
on women might be continued indefi-
nitely. The object OF these reflections
is to point the way to a proper devel-
opment along lines of symmetry and
beauty. The best agents are simple
diet and soft water.
Soft Water.
People ask, What is soft water ?"
Well Croton is hard water. The best
way to tell whether water is hard or
soft is to try it with soap and clothes
In washing. If there is much lather
and the garments wash easily, 1t is
soft: II little lather and difficult wash,
il is hard. People becoming i'll in a
hard water country should go TO a soft
water country to recuperate. Not
enough attention is paid to this point.
Rain water collected in cisterns is soft,
and is the best drinking water for the
health, though less potable than hard
water.
water and Race Suicide.
The subject of race suicide has never
troubled the inhabitants Of certain
region Of the United States. On the