The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-16
Two Books on diet.

That every man should treat his stomach
ton. 1t is patient and long
organ, It's walls are not thicker than
three or four layers Of brown paper, yet
they have to last lifetime; for though
they may be patched, when injured. they
can never he absolutely renewed. Its
mechanism Is most delicate and its secre-
tory glands so small as to be seen only
by the aid Of a powerful microscope.
Mountains Of printed matter have been
devoted to the subject Of it's proper care
and treatment, and by a curious coinoi-
dence we have this week two volumes be-
fore us, OF which one was originally pub
lshed in 1858 and the other issued in the
present year.
Under the title, THE Art Of Living
Long" Mr.. William F. Butler Of Milwaukee
Wis, publishes an English version Of the
celebrated treatise, La Vita Sobria," OF
the old Venetian, Louis Cornaro, together
with essays by Addison. Bacon and Sir
William Temple. The pleasant old gentle
man of Venice. who lived for more than
one hundred years and declared that he
never knew the world was beautiful until
he reached old age, differed from most of
the modern men who write on the subject
Of diet and health. He was no dogmatist
He ha proved the value of his own rules
and theories. but he d d not attempt to
fit them to others. II was the aim and
spirit of his eva p' Of abstinence that he
impressed upon mankind-but not the letter.
The temperate life had changed him from
hoi eless invalid at forty to a hale and
Hearty old chap half a century later.
"Oh, how beautiful and sonorous has my
voice become!" he said. writing at the age
of ninety-one.
IF you could but hear me sing my pray
ers to the accompaniment OF tho Tyre, as
King David sang to that OF tho harp, l
assure you that you would derive great
pleasure"
He measured his food with great care
and he lived according to the strictest
dietary rule, hut one OF his opinions was
that "a man cannot l>e a perfect physician
of any one save OF himself alone" And
the reason OF this, he argued, lis that any
man can. 10y dint OF experimenting, 40
quire a perfect knowledge OF his own con-
sttution and Of it's most hidden qualities,
and find out what food and what drink,
and what quantities OF each, will agree
with his stomach. 1t is impossible 10 have
equal accurate knowledge Of these things
on another person since II Ia only with
difficulty that We may discover them In
ourselves. And to learn them in our own
cases. great attention. considerable time,
and much study are required. Nor must
we overlook the fact that various expert
ments are absolutely necessary, for there
is not 40 great a variety Of features as
there is diversity Of temperaments and
stomachs among men,"
The gist OF the Venetian centcnariar's
teachings is summed UP in Benjamin Frank
Inns oonplet.
Against diseases known. the strongest fence
Is the defensive virtue. abstinence.
The other volume on the subject of the
stomach and its treatment IL entitled SIN
digestion: It's Prevention and Cure" II ia
written by Mr.. F. Herbert Anderson. NJ. B.,
and published by tho Scrihners. II Ia
described a. . handy book of reference to
the advice received in the physicians con.
sutinR room. and II contains some valua BILE
hir.ts on the subject Of the diet most de-
sirable for dyspeptics. The little volurre,
as the author says, IL not intended a. a
substitute for the physician. but az an aid
to the advice, instruction and prescription
the physician has given, II Eives the why
and the wherefore Of what it recommends,
and the reasons for W various regulations