The New York herald., 1921-06-13
rs SOURCE OF DISEASE
Health Commissioner Cope
land Says Foods Supply
Sufficient Mineral.
WARNINGS SEEM VAIN
Authoritative Opinion Has for
Years Been in Favor of
Sparing Use Of Salt.

II while dining you daily with the salt
sprinkler. shake it sparingly, or shake
It" altogether.
That is. the advice proffered by Dr.
Charles Woodward in a paper read in
Chicago at the convention of the Tri-
state Medical and Surgical Societies of
Wisconsin. Michigan and Illinois, recent
'ly. Fifteen to thirty grains of salt a
day" said he. sis the maximum amount
that should be taken into the human
system. Yet people in general are dig
cling thei9 own graves by eating too
much salt In fact, 1t is a common thing
for some persons to eat from 100 to 800
or even 100 grains of salt day. count
ing the amount found in salt foods
DR.. Woodward's dictum seems to be
supported by a preponderance of au-
.thoritative evidence. Physicians. chem
lists dieticians and hygienic experts con-
suited by THE New YORK HERALD all
said Amen to 1t. Here is an opinion
carefully dictated by DR.. Royal S. Cope
land, Commissioner of the city's Depart
.nent of Health:
"A man who sits down TO the table
and begins his meal by shaking the salt
sprinkler over every article of food on
his plate is counting disease. Excess OF
salt in the system extracts from the
tissues their fluid contents. causes hard
ening of the arteries, results in degen-
erative changes in the various organs
and predisposes to various degenerative
diseases. Unfortunately the modern diet
is made up of foods too highly refined.
For instance, in the polishing of rice the
external layer. which normally contains
important mineral salts. is removed
Bread is made of white flour. the ex-
ternal layers Of the wheat being carefully
removed Their removal takes away the
mineral salts.
Children Form the Habit.
'A'srhe natural foods in their natural
state contain enough of the mineral salts
fcr the good OF the body. A child does
not crave salt he forms the salt habit in
imitation of his parents. Various de-
generative diseases are found in certain
families. and for good many years
physicians have been preaching. appar-
emily in vain. against the use of salt and
other condiments and flavors.
IT fully agree with Dr. Woodward that
e15 or 20 grains is the maximum amount
that should be taken. Chlorine is one of
of nydrochloric acid. When there is an
excess of hydrochloric acid in the sys-
tenn we find acidity Of the stomach,
interference with digestion. with all the
uncomfortable. destructive and danger
Gus symptoms Of indigestion commonly
known as hyper-acidity."
Prof. Eugene Lyman Fisk. NJ. D.. di-
rector of hygiene Of the Life Extension
Institute. the head Of which is ex-Presi-
dent Taft says IN his book, "How to
Live salt. paper and hot condiments
should be used sparingly, II at all"
DR. Arnold Lorand Of Carlsbad, who
ras had large practical experience in
the dietetic treatment of many disorders
in Germanys world famous health re-
sort, said in his trea tise, Health
Through Rational Diet: Sufficient
amounts Of these substances Cline phos-
phorus and common salt) must be abb
sorbed. at least ! to Y grams daily.
and sometimes even more A gram is is
grains) Salt is the one which Is prin-
cipally taken-usualy much more Of 1t
than is necessary, which then has an
Injurious action"
No Need of Salt sprinIxIers.
Should you ever have occasion to go
for treatment to he sanitorium at Bat
tie Creek. Mich. you would find no salt
sprinklers on the dinner tables. for ]. III.
kellogg, VI. D.. Ill. D.. medical director
OF that institution and also a member
OF the Society OF Hygiene Of France,
practiser ''at he breaches. This Is one
OF hiT p n, nts contained in his book
The Health Question" published in
1920:
USED in small quantities there is no
evidence that table salt is injurious.
However, when used in large quantities
Il impairs digestion. overworks the kid
neys. produces various disorders OF nu-
triton In certain forms of disease
particularly Bright's disease, cirrhosis
of the liver, chronic autointoxication
epilepsy and in all acute and infectious
diseases-chloride OF sodium common
salt) should be excluded from the
dietary.
The experiments made in France.
Germany and other countries within the
last few years have shown most con-
cliisively that ordinary vegetable food
contains an ample amount OF sodium
chloride to supply all TIE needs of the
body. It r. not necessary TO add salt
TO food. There is sufficient chloride OF
sodium IN the food In It's natural state.
1T would be difficult. perhaps inpos-
sible. TO show that the use OF very
small quantity OF salt does any material
harm. but It is generally agreed by
Psychologists that the Use Of salt in
quantities in which II IL ordinarily en-
ployed Is extremely damaging. Accord
ing TO Prof Bunge. perhaps the highest
living authority In such questions. the
system requires only 20 % 30 grains of
salt daily. The majority Of people use
four or flve times az much ar this
..'"The famous DR.. Benjamin Rush
wrote more than century ago: al
though the interior parts OF our conti-
nent abound with salt springs. / cannot
ind that the Indians used salt In their
diet until they we're instructed 10 do
20 by the Europeans.'