Year: 1876

From the New York Uerald1


Daring the hot weather, and par
ticuiarIy when the thermometer stands
among the ninc,ics, demands for ice
water and iced beverages Of all kinds
are heard on every side. They are
grateful to the dry palate; they sug-
gest cooIncss to the pcrspiring mortal,
and, indeed, they frequently make
him cold to the extent Of a sudden
chill. The effect of large draught
Of ice wafer upon q system suffering
from extreme heat is to produce Il
paralysis of the stomach, of varied
intensity and duration, accompanied
by a rush of blood TO the head and
extremitles generally. Several cases
have resulted fatally during the pres
ent heated term, traceable to the i'm
moderate use of ice water Where
these extreme results have been
avoided, considerable oppression about
the head and disorder in the digestive
organs have been experienced, and
the heat, the work of food partaken Of,
blamed-evervthing. in fact, but the
real foe, ice water. Under the influence
of exceptionally high temperature
everybody must drink more than in
cool weather, because the healthy
fountains of pcrspiration must be sup
piled. The rapid exhaustion Of fluid
through perspiration is the chief cause
of the raging thirst which many expe-
rience but why slakc it with stomach
paralyzing and brain-congesting ice
water? Nature, which has given us
a climate of extremes, places ice within
our reach through the entire summer,
and it can be put to a thousand bene-
iicial uses but as means of reducing
drinking water 10 q temperature Of
$50 when the thermometer oscillateS
between 90 and 100, it should not be
thought of. There is no particular
objection to the water we drink being
cool. When the system is ovcrheated
a tepid drink would be most beneficial,
although not SO grateful to the palate.
Even in the absence Of excessive
bodily heat the glass of ice water
gulped down at breakfast, lunch, din
ner and between times, lays the foun-
dation Of dyspepsia among American
men. just as ice cream does among
American schoolgirls. Water Of the
temperature of the spring or running
brook is, except in rare cases, whole
some enough but the jump down
ward of 20 to so degrees, which
is made when ice water is swallowed,
is too great for ordinary systems.
Plunging a huge chunk of Ice into the
water jug is an easy way of cooling
the water-fatally easy, in fact, aud
therein lies the difficulty. The eype-
Gient of placing a jug Of water in the
ice chest for an hour before meals is
quite as easy, but il requires little
forethought, which betty cannot be
always relied on to exercise. 1t is
simple enough, and we advise our
readers to try it. The water will not
be too cold, and it will, in nipe cases
out of ten, be purer. In warm climates,
like India and Brazil, where ice is all
but unobtainable, they cool their
drinking water by putting it in jars
Of porus clay and hanging them in
shady places. As the water soaks
slowly through, evaporation on the
surface takes place, and the water in
the jars becomes deliciously cool


What we desire to impress upon
our readers is the hygienic difference
between cool water and ice water.
Cold tea, but not iced tea, is particu-
larly good, producing gentle perspira-
ton without exhaustion. Cool, but
not iced Lemonade, moderately taken,
is also good. Iced fresh milk in
quantities is particularly dangerous !;
but cool buttermilk or sour milk, not
iced, will prove refreshing and easy
of digestion. Alcoholic drinks, be-
cause of their heating and brain-con-
gesting effects, no matter how much
iced, are very perilous during this hot
weather, and even fermented drinks,
except with meals, should be taken
sparingly. A glass of claret in a
tumbler of cold water would be good
with dinner. Above all, let the fatal
order, Bring me some ice water"
be seldom heard.