Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-08
AWFUL DANGERS FROM FOOD,
Almost Everything We Eat Condemned
as Poisonous,


There is Il society in Manchester
called the Manchester Physical Health
Culture Society. Sometimes its speak
ers advocate very sensible modes OF
living, and at other times their subjects
seem to run away with them, says the
Lancet. On Nov. % a gentleman gave
an address chiefly consisting of Il
wholesale condemnation of most ordi-
nary foods. which he thought were the
principal cause of disease. For the ig-
that the education authorities were
morally responsible because they did
not teach hygiene in all the schools.
Salt was the first thing that came
under his ban. and he is reported as
saying. that like arsenic, it is an irri-
tant poison" Which we must have, but
as natural vegetable salt. which is usu-
ally boiled out and thrown away. thus
drawing a marked distinction between
what he calls 'organic vegetable salt
and ''inorganic mineral salt The for
mer, he says. enters into chemical com
bination in the system, while the lat
ter lis merely held in mechanical solu-
ton in the blood. When minerals out
Of the earth, such as salt, soda, lime.
iron. phosphorus. sulphur, coal or brim-
stone, are eaten they clog the system
in much the same way that dust and
dirt clog and wear out machinery" and
he goes on to say that some eminent
authorities aScribe cancer to the use
of salt, especially when food such rs
fish. meat bacon and ham is eaten
which has been cured by salt. The idea
that salt is the cause of cancer. is, of
course. by no means new, and is be-
lieved by many as firmly as folks be
lieved fifty or sixty years ago that
brandy and salt would cure every
thing.
He then runs amuck at the use of
fiery spices as mustard. pepper, gin
ger, cloves, nutmeg, horseradish. vine
gar and pickles" passing on to de-
nounce-we must say quite rightly in
many cases-the use by manufacturers
and vendors of food of such sub
stances as bOraX. boric acid. soda, bak-
ing powder. cream of tartar, anilne
dyes and sulphate of copper for color
are mostly used. as jams. marmalade,
jellies. milk, butter. margarine cheese.
potted shrimpS, SausageS. pies. Drawn,
polony, cured meat, fish. ham. bacon.
and many Of the timed foods ought
not to be eaten. The law ought to for
bid these pOisOns being introduced into
the blood"
OF course. the lecturer condemned
tea, coffee, cocoa, meat extracts and
alcohol as not being foods, but deleteri-
Gus stmulants which mortgage our
nervous forces" Aerated waters. he
says, are generally unwholesome from
their containing such personalities as
tartaric and carbonic acids, saccharine,
artificial or mineral colorings and flaw
Orings. THE only liquid necessary for
man is water. " Sugar and all foods
containing it are bad. also honey; while
dried crystalliZed. very sweet fruit,
such as dates and figs, are little bet
ter
Fats are another popular but dis
ease breeding, death dealing food. These
fats bring on headaches. fevers, colds
and general debility. and it is almost
impossible to have a fit stroke or
heart failure without consuming these
foods" He does allow that some fat is
necessary. but says that it may be OBJ
tanned from whole wheat. oats, maize,
milk. nuts. fish, fowl and flesh from
sheep and oxen naturally fed on pas
turage. but not from those artificially
fattened. like pigs and prize cattle, He,
of course. condemns pastry. buildings
cakes. all plain and fancy starchy foods
that have any animal or vegetable fat,
oil or butter as an ingredient.
At the close of the lecture one of the
audience asked anXiously whether the
lecturer would tell him what he might
eat. Il recommend he said. "vegeta
bles, rice and salads" is that ALI"
He was assured. however, that a few
things were still left that a person over
50 years of age might eat safely.