Year: 1879

L O-H Il l. OL y Il % TOOD.


Tomatoes contain neither cancers
nor cancer-producihg matter. Cancers
are composed of animal matter, not
vegetable, and therefore cannot be di-
rectly derived from the vegetable king
dom. Tomatoes are not without some
defects as an article of food. They
are not, like milk, a perfect diet of
themselves, and, besides like most
other articles of food, they contain
some obnoxious qualities But they
need not be thrown aside on that ac-
count. Nature has provided us with
sufficient eXcretory organs, that OBJ
uoxious matter in our food, it in mod
crate amount, is readily cast out and
the body is protected against any ma
tcrial injury were it not so we should
be obliged to throw out of our dietary
many kinds of food now eaten not
only with impunity but advantage.
Thus red cabbage, cherries and peaches
contain Prussic acid, which is n deadly
poison when taken in sufficient guam
tity. The very small amount of the
poisoning acid these vegetables contain
is cast out of the system without any
material injury to the person using
them. A positive good may actually
be derived from the use of food con-
tanning some such foreign matter by
way of increased activity and strength
to the excretory organs from their ex-
ercise in casting such foreign matter
from our bodies, provided the quantity
is not so great as to overburden them.
Since we are all the time liable to take
in our food substances, the tendency of
which is harmful, a development of
efficiency in our cXcretory organs Is
necessary to protect us against the
pernicious effect which might other
wise occur Almost every kind Of
grain and fruit in use contains more or
less of things, which, if in larger
amounts, would prove hurtful Unless
we closely study our food, we are
taking them in when we little suspect
it. A Frenchman, not many years
ago, discovered substance in wheat
bran which, under the high heat used
in baking, dissolved out and spread
over the crumbs of bread, of which
bran forms q part, and discolored 1t,
and hence the brown stain peculiar to
Graham bread But from this discov-
cry such bread has not been rejected,
but continues to be accounted among
the most wholesome kinds of food.
Rye is seldom used without containing
more or less ergot, but rye bread is
also reckoned among the most healthful.
Tea contains tannic acid, apples con-
tain malic acid, lemons and oranges
citric acid, neither of which is used
either in nutrition or respiration, but
they only become Objectionable when
used excessively.


Tomatoes, in common with most
other fruits, contain some poisonous
matter. They and the 'egg-yMnt
Jerusalem cherry, bittcr-sweet, deadly
night shade, and the common potato
plant, all belong to the same genus
s0lanun,-the fruit of every species of
which is more or less poisonous, but
none of them very much so. The
fruit of the deadly night shade and of
the potato (potato balls) are probably
the most poisonous, But even these
are not very hurtful The smaller
| amount contained in tomatoes allows
of their being classed with the esculent
| fruits. but there is nevertheless enough
to give them a peculiar flavor not apt
| to be relished by unaccustomed palates,
| but which use soon renders agreeable.
| Used very largely, tomatoes would
doubtless develop specific results pecu-
liar to the fruit of the genus to which
they belong, especially with feeble
persons and those who from their
peculiar constitution are susceptible to
such influences But when moderately
used by persons in fair health there is
no more reason for rejecting them than
there would be in rejecting lettuce for
the opium it contains.


Pie plant stands in similar relations.
Its prominent characteristic and flavor
are the result of oxalic acid, which is
a powerful poison. For persons not
having sufficient vigor to dispose of
such a strong acid, and for those in
whose systems there is already an
excess of acid, such highly acid food
would be Objectionable. But its mod
crate use by people in common health
is no more Objectionable than any
other acids in daily use, and regarded
as healthful.