THE HYGIENE OF THE DINING ROOM 93 



than from the habitual use of alcoholic drink, considerable 

 as I know that evil to be." 



The point to be emphasized in this quotation is that these 

 diseases are due largely to avoidable errors in diet ; that is, 

 these diseases might be largely escaped by proper methods 

 of eating. The ills resulting from improper methods do not 

 show themselves all at once but accumulate gradually 

 through years as the digestive system becomes weakened, 

 so that, as noted in the statement above, these diseases are 

 specially prevalent in the middle and latter part of life. 

 On account of these slowly accumulating ills, it is very easy 

 for one to overlook them for a while ; but for this very reason 

 it is very important that one should guard against them in 

 youth before it is too late. Some of these diseases which 

 are so prevalent but which might be largely avoided by 

 proper eating, are : dyspepsia or indigestion in its many 

 forms, jaundice, gout, colic, cholera morbus, constipation, 

 and appendicitis. Statistics show that the death rate in 

 this country for people over forty is increasing. Mistakes 

 in eating undoubtedly constitute one cause for this increas- 

 ing death rate. 



Care of the teeth. As thorough mastication of food is 

 such an important factor in its effect on. health, we can 

 understand how important it is that the teeth should be 

 well cared for, so that they may be preserved in good con- 

 dition to perform the work of mastication. There are three 

 factors concerned in the decay of teeth: first, the food 

 particles that lodge between the teeth ; second, the bacteria 

 that act on these food particles ; and third, the acid produced 

 as a result of this action. These acids act on the teeth 

 and produce decay. To prevent this decay, a person should 

 see to it that particles of food are not allowed to lodge be- 

 tween the teeth. The first step in the care of the teeth is 

 thorough mastication, which leaves the teeth cleaner than 

 does insufficient mastication. The larger pieces of food may 



