Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-08-07
Therapeutic Value Of Vegetables.
nv Nar1 i. stickney.l

Therapeutic Value Of Vegetables.
(By Mary =. stickney) 8
"Look 10 your health; and II you have
it. praise God and value it next to good
conscience: for health 10 the second
blessing that mortsls are capable OFFS
blessing that money cannot buy. "-Izaak
Walton.
10 the wonderful plan Of Nature, fruits
and vegetables perform many bensfcent
Offices for humankind, stimulating ap-
petite by pleasing both eye and palate,
nourishiug the body and ut the same
time cleansing 1t from ologging accu-
mutations, providing vitamines, now
acknowledged to be indispensable IN
maintaining health, and, Of not less i'm.
portance, offering iron and other mineral
salts In form to be most readily assim-
Hated.
Mineral matters form from Eve to six
per cent Of the body by weight, and
while belonging chiefly 10 bones and
teeth arc present in the other tiasues,
and In solution In the various fluids.
And 90 the proper proportion of mineral
salts In the diet 10 OF paramount I'm.
portance.
The hsalthfulness Of fruits and vege-
tables has been 90 demonstrated that
many of them are believed to have true
medicinal properties; while by uucom.
promising disciples of materia medica
these claims may not always be recog-
nized, and while none OF rs, In case OF
serious disease, would care to trust
entirely to . fruit or vegetable treat.
ment, Il 10 still interesting to run through
the list and consider what virtues they
are credited with.
Lemons are cooling to the blood,
an,iseptio and cleansing. The juice OF
half q lemon In q glass Of cold water,
without sugar, taken half IN hour before
breakfast, can hardly be improved upon
- . mild laxative and general tonic.
To break up cold, pint Of hot lemon
ads drunk just before retiring 10 one OF
the best Of the homo remedies. Lemon
juice 10 ono of natures besutiflers, too,
bleaching and softenipg the skin. Mixed
with buttermilk 1t will, In many cases,
Danish freckles. Lemon juice will allay
the irritation caused by bites and stings
of insects, while . dash of It in water
makes an excellent mouth wash, pre-
venting the formation Of tartar on the
teeth and sweetening the breath.
Oranges act on the bowels and are
rich In calorio power. While made up
mostly of sugar and water, they contain
salts Of high nutritive value, while the
pulp 10 most easily digested cellulose,
A glass Of orange juice can be taken
with benefit by the most delicate stom.
ach. and 10 especially recommended fol
bilousness.
The grapefruit, or pomelo, Is com.
monty credited with Q medicinal value
somewhat similar to quinine, but this
may be largely due to the slight bitter.
ness In flavor. Where the fruit grows,
however, and where, surely, they ought
to know, You will find not . few to toll
you that for spring fever, or shat tired
feeling" You can take nothing better
than . decoction of the pomelo. They
run the fruit, skin, seeds and pulp
through a grinder, covering 1t then with
boiling water. Leaving 1t until It has
grown cold, 10 10 strained and the liquid
taken In tumblerful doses three times q
day. Considering the bitterness of 1t,
and the heroic proportions of such
dosage, there are those who might de-
clare the cure to be worse than the
disease, but many there are to give
testimony to its efficacy.
Grapes, except in cases Of hyper.
acidity, are generally beneficial, toning
up the system, and cleansing In effect,
The value Of grapes incidentally would
seem to have strong endorsement In the
number Of so-called Grape Cures to be
found In California and other places
where the fruit abounds. These SAINT
tariums, usually temporary camps estab'
lished In the neighborhood of the vine
yards, put their patients on an exclu
sive diet Of grapes, and many cures are
reported from the treatment.
The old couplet has 1t: