New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-08-07
THE HYGIENE OF SUGAR.

glenlstS good graces. instead OF
being frowned upon as the cause
of indigestion, bad teeth, and
general ill-health, it is now re-
garded as a valuable food-sub-
stance by most physicians. Not
by all, however, for, as we are IN
formed by writer in the Drogis-
tische Rundschau, while some of
them maintain that sugar Is of
great service to the human body,
strengthening the digestion and
preventing undue acidity, others
declare that even its moderate use
is injurious to both the stomach
and the teeth while its excessive
use develops diabetes Says the
author Of the article just men
toned:
cold and famous doctors, like
Haufeland and Helm, declare that
a moderate use Of sugar stimu-
lates digestion and prevents
fermentation in the stomach,
while excessive indulgence in the
article has an injurious effect on
the digestive faculties, as it eau
ses the formation of an excess of
Tactic acid, which makes itself
apparent in the secretions, espec-
tally in the saliva; and in this
manner produces an injurious eff
feet on the teeth.
''Later-day physicians, those
representing the latest phases Of
medical knowledge, declare with
great positiveness that sugar eau
ses acidity Of the stomach only
when ingested III small quantities
into a stomach already acid or in
clined to acidity, when the Tactic
acid fermentation seizes upon it
and carries it along with it. If,
however the sugar is used in larg-
er quantities it overcomes the
fermentation and stops it.
"The latest Investigations have
in truth demonstrated that Tactic
acid fermentation is stopped by
an excess of sugar; but, to the
disappointment of pie-eaters and
bonbon devotees, it muse be stat
ed that this effect is produced
only when the substance is abso-
lutely pure. In this condition it
seems to make no difference
whether the sugar be eaten solid,
in the shape Of Jumps, or dis
solved in pure water. Sugar ex-
cites the .secretions of the stom-
ach, increases digestion of al
luminous matters and Of nutri-
tives containing iron and lime,
fact which proves that under
proper conditions sugar is a rem
edy against anemia, chlorosis,
and in scrofula.
"This explains the love of a
great many children for sugar in
the lump, who afterward, as they
grow older, avoid plain sugar, or
sugar by itself, almost entirely.
1t seems to be a sort Of instinct
with children with weak bones
and thin blood. AS early as 1878
DR.. Bockel recommended, in his
writings, sugar as the best and
most powerful remedy in rachitis
('rickets'). According to the
theory advanced by him, the SUI
gar given in such cases sets up an
alcoholic fermentation, which
overcomes the Tactic acid present
in excess and thus prevents the
escape Of the bone building
salts"
According to the writer, the
idea that sugar causes bad teeth
is an altogether mistaken one.
The teeth of the negroes in the
tropics are dazzinglv white and
sound. On sugar-plantations in
Cuba, Louisiana. and elsewhere,
all negroes run down with labor
or sickness grow sleek, fat and
strong again on the return of the
sugar harvest solely by chewing
the cane. Englishmen and Amer
leans eat more sugar than the
French and the Germans, and yet
they have better teeth than the
latter. He goes on to say:
After participating in many
kinds Of food, sugar seems to act
as digester, and that heaviness
often felt after a hearty meal is
frequently relieved by drinking a
glass Of sugar-water. The fam
Gus Hufeland in his book MAX
robiotik' Ii. e., on long life),
sings a hymn Of praise to sugar,
and recommends plenty of sugar
to all who have to eat coarse.
heavy food. 1t is better, he states
for lean persons than fat ones.
I'VE find that cake-bakers and
millers habitually have bad
teeth II ic natural - ob, It