Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-01
EXCESSIVE USE OF SALT

The mineral elements can only be
assimilated by our system in an or
ganized form, as they are contained
in all the natural foods in which they
are chemically associated with other
nourishing ingredients during the time
of the growth of the plants. Mineral
waters and artificial preparations like
extracts, proprietary medicines, etc.
which contain these elements as prox-
innate principles, in their inorganic
state. are of no value to our nutrition;
on the contrary, they impair and OBJ
struct vital action in our organism.
The excessive use of table salt Qn-
organic sodium chloride) which always
goes hand in hand with the consump-
tion of flesh foods, cannot be con-
demned too severely. There Is enough
sodium and chlorine contained in nat
ural foods, especially fruits and vege-
tables, that we can dispense entirely
with the inorganic salt, whose phys
ical properties are quite different from
the sodium chloride contained in the
blood. The opinion that salt is neces-
sary as an aid for digestion and the
preservation of health cannot stand in
the light of thorough scientific inves-
tigation Experiments have shown
that table salt interferes with the alb
sorption of the chyme by the mucous
membranes (glands and Wild of the
stomach and the intestines; that 1t has
a highly irritating influence upon the
tissues: that it is a strong diuretic.
detracting from blood and lymph the
necessary water for its excretion
through the kidneys: that 1t unduly
increases the solubility of albumen,
thus excreting in the urine consid-
erabIe amount of tissue building mate
rial (albuminuria). 1t is but self-evi-
dent that the continuous use OF salt
will in time severely affect the kidneys
(nephritis); it likewise causes infiam-
matory swellings of the glands-scrof-
ulous conditions are generally observed
with children of people who indulge IN
salt: skin diseases (eczema) scurVy are
common among salt eaters. Last. but
not least, the presence of salt IN all
prepared animal foods, especially but
ter. cheese, lard, canned and smoked
meats, dried fish, creates an unnat-
ural thirst, because the tissues OF the
body are constantly deprived of great
amount of water on account of the dl-
uretic properties of the mineral. Inc
increasing consumption of intoxicating
beverages must be largely attributed
to this circumstance; the use OF alco-
hol and flesh foods generally go hand
in hand. For instance, the Germans,
who use large quantities of salt. spent
the entire war indemnity paid by
France-one billion dollars--for beer in
side of two years. The Americans
seem to follow this example, as the
per capita of consumption of malt IL
ouors in the United States, in spite or
prohibitive laws, has trebled in the
course of thirty years. The relation
Of diet TO intemperance is therefore
well worth earnest and careful con-
sideration. The drink evil is to great
extent the outcome of our perverted
dietetic and hygienic habits. People
do not need so much prohibitive laws
as instruction in the right way or nv
ing. OF what avail are all the lee
lures, books, pictures and editoriais
apainst alcohol as long as people con-
tinue their irrational modes of eating
which constantly create desire for
stimulants and narcotics?