DIKT 



ft j 



potential at a very much smaller cost. Alcohol 



t.ik'-n with other food stimulates the secretion <>i 

 gastric juice, assisting in that x\ay the .li-. 



process. At the same time, however, I 



f u i.-e is unable to act quite so readily upon the 

 oo.!, though this is hardlv the case with diluted 

 spirits, xvhich form more wliole.some beverages than 

 xvines or Iwer. No two individuals are the -aim-, 

 ami while alcohol, in moderate doses, promotes 

 digestion in most persons, others suller from its use. 

 the article on the action of alcohol, Vol. I. 

 p. !;{.">). It should never be. given in collapse and 

 \\eakness without giving at the same time .-a-ilx 

 ili.u'ested food xvhen that is |>oHsihle. It excites the 

 body to great and often unnecessary activity, the 

 potential for xvhich it does not supply. After- 

 xvards greater xveakness ensues from want of the 

 necessary fuel, xvhich has not in the meanwhile 

 been forthcoming. One should never drink xvithout 

 eat ing. Tea ana coffee are lx>th nervous stimulants, 

 and at the same time they retard both gastric ami 

 salivary digestion. 



Beef-tea is generally regarded as a food-stuff of 

 high nutritive value. This is, however, not the 

 case. It contains nothing besides salts and ex 

 tractives, and has a very slight potential indeed. 

 It has a stimulating effect, hoxvever, Ixith on diges- 

 tion and on the nervous system. From the mis- 

 taken ideas generally held as to the nutritive pro- 

 perties of this substance, thousands of invalids are 

 annually starved to death (see BEEF-TEA). Beef- 

 tea made by infusing the beef in tepid water is 

 more nutritious, especially if the beef be finely 

 minced and eaten as xvell. 



In addition to the stimulants that v. have 

 already considered are many substances known as 

 condiments, such as mustard, pepper, pickles, 

 sauces. These are of utility in gratifying the 

 palate, and in addition they probably stimulate 

 the secretory juices. Sufficient information has 

 not as yet been obtained as to their action on 

 gastric and pancreatic digestion. They certainly 

 stimulate the flow of saliva, although the acid 

 condiments will prevent the perfect action of the 

 salivary ferment. 



Common salt is a condiment, and at the same 

 time it plays many other important parts in the 

 animal organism. So necessary is it that both 

 man and animals suffer great hardships if it be not 

 supplied in sufficient quantity. It is necessary for 

 the formation of the gastric mice ; it is present in 

 the blood and in all tissues of the body. 



Inorganic salt-, such as sulphates, phosphates, 

 are required for the formation of the skeleton, ami 

 salts of iron for the colouring matter of the M< ><>.!. 

 Organic salts, such as citrates and tartrates, are 

 also of importance. That food should be easily 

 digested is a matter of great importance. The 

 rapidity of digestion will depend upon the amount 

 and quality of the digestive juices, the kind of 

 food, and the condition in xvhich the food is eaten. 

 Rice, tripe, whipped eggs, sago, tapioca, barley, 

 milk, raw eggs, lamb, parsnips, potatoes, hashes of 

 chicken, fisn, are all easily digested substances. 

 Beef, mutton, pork, roast fowls, bread, veal, 

 oysters, are digested more slowly. Inasmuch a- 

 perfect digestion can only be accomplished when 

 the digestive juices have acted for some time on all 

 parts- of the food taken, it folloxvs that line sub- 

 division of food is very essential. On this account 

 liquid food rapidly disappears from the stomach, 

 which retains fora longer time solid masses UINUI 

 which the gastric mice acts with greater difficulty. 

 When food is cooked it swells, its fibres and Mod 

 particles are separated one from another, and it is 

 more readily permeated by the gastric and pan- 

 creatic juices. In addition, starch becomes gelat- 

 inous, and in that form is easily digested by the 



wiliva and pancreatic jute*. The diet of early 



infantile lifnlillcn, from thut of the adult, iiuwfiiurh 

 as it idionlil contain mi -tan li. Milk, the natural 

 food of the infiiiil, is in h in fat, pmu-id. and a 

 sugar called milk nugar. There i in milk, how 

 -tare h, an article of fiM-l 



which the infant i- de-tini-d to com-uine in nn h 

 in later year*. M'.t. .M r. during the 

 first few month* of it* e\tm ut-iim- i-\i>.t-ii 

 child is unable to assimilate -tar. I, -JM-H with it 

 food. ()n no account, therefore, must it IM- Mipplii-d 

 with bread, potatoes, rice, or other \v'-taUi- food 

 until the cutting of the teeth suggests a more Milnl 

 diet. If the mothers milk IK; not in Midi 

 plenty, cow's milk diluted with one thin! of wat-r. 

 with a pinch of sugar, may be given, or condeasJM 

 milk diluted with twelve to twenty part- of water 

 (see MlLK). Condensed milk, <>\\ in- prol>abl\ to 

 ite very uniform composition, cannot ! given alone 

 for more than a few weeks together. It may, how 

 ever, be given once or twice a day for months, and 

 children thrive on it, when they in addition are 

 supplied with good COW'B, or still U-tter, with their 

 own mother's milk. 



In conclusion, it may be well to consider the 

 results which follow the neglect of the modi 

 obvious rules of dietetics. As the result of defi- 

 cient food, one finds loss of muscular and nervous 

 power, wasting of the tissues, and amentia. If the 

 deficiency be very great, feverish symptoms and 

 great prostration result. 



Many persons consume large quantities of food 



?uite out of proportion to their size or actixitx. 

 n this case, owing to a ' habit of digestion.' much 

 of the food may jrnss through the di^e-tive tract 

 without being digested or assimilated. l"nder 

 these circumstances the hearty eater is a wasteful 

 eater, and is using for his own lodily needs only 

 a fraction of the rood he consumes. In addition, 

 dyspepsia in various forms, constipation, and 

 diarrhu>a are apt to follow, indicating functional 

 derangements of the di^t-jive apparatus. There 

 is often a tendency, especially in advanced yean, 

 to absorb more nourishment than is necejo-urx for 

 stoking the body and for replenishing ordinary 

 tissue waste. Tlie excess is stored up in the form 

 of fat, xvhich accumulates under the skin, chiefly 

 umler that ->f the abdomen. In addition, the 

 muscles and internal organs are loaded with fat, 

 the minute globules of which max 1-c seen in the 

 ultimate cells of xvhich the tissues are composed. 

 Hereditary tendency is well marked in canes of 

 corpulency. In addition to corpulency, an excess 

 of food is 'apt to engender various gastric trouble*, 

 engorgement of the liver, plethora, and an excess 

 of eflete extractions in the hlixnl and urine. 

 probable that humanity sutlers more from an excess 

 than from a deficiency of food. An exceM of 

 animal is more serious than an excess of vegetable 

 food. The nitrogenous extraction-, derived fnun 

 the incomplete assimilation of meat. "hen present 

 in large quantity, cause many .-xmpuun-. im 

 xvhich are extremely oWure in their n.. 

 These are provisionally -|okcii of a.- -xmpUMM 

 of ^'Miit. The ill effects xvhich follow Mirfeit are 

 mre severe in those leading a nedentarv and 

 inactive life, bodily activity producing more effi- 

 cient oxidation of the fi>od taken. A healthy and 

 abstemious man xvhose tauten have not Uwn en- 

 -lav.-d by the culinary art instinctively adapt* 

 his food "to the requirement* of hi- body. The 

 cold of xvinter prompt* the choice of substantial 

 and energising food, while the heat of Mimmer 

 suggests a lighter dietary. After a country holi- 

 dav, on returning to a aedentary life one at once 

 reduces one's allowance of beef, or expect* to 

 |ay the penalty that a disordered digestion b 

 certain to exact. During the ages in which 



