552 DIGESTION. 



changes are so many artificial sophistications. 1 Water is, unquestiona- 

 bly, sufficient for all his wants ; but the moderate use of fermented 

 liquors, even if habitual, except in particular constitutions, is devoid, 

 we think, of every noxious result. They are grateful ; and many of 

 them are even directly nutritious from the undecomposed sugar and 

 mucilage which they contain. For this reason beer has been termed, 

 not inaptly, " liquid bread." 2 With regard to distilled spirits, no evil 

 would result from their total rejection from the table. Although they 

 may, by their action on the digestive organs, be indirect means of nutri- 

 tion, they contain no alimentary principle. They are received into the 

 vessels of the stomach by imbibition ; and always produce undue stimu- 

 lation, when taken to any amount. This maybe productive of little or 

 no mischief, provided they be only used occasionally; but, if taken 

 habitually, serious visceral disorder may sooner or later ensue. 



Lastly. There are certain substances called condiments employed 

 in diet, not simply because they are nutritive, for many of them pos- 

 sess no such properties, but because, when taken with food capable of 

 nourishing, they promote its digestion, correct some injurious property, 

 or add to its sapidity. Dr. Paris has divided these into saline, spicy or 

 aromatic, and oily. It may be remarked, however, that certain articles 

 are called, at times, aliments; at others, condiments, according as they 

 constitute the basis or the accessory to any dish ; such are cream, but- 

 ter, mushrooms, olives, &c. The advantage of condiments in animal 

 digestion is exemplified by many cases. The bitter principle, which 

 exists in grasses and other plants, appears to be essential to the diges- 

 tion of the herbivora, acting as a natural stimulant ; and it has been 

 found that cattle do not thrive upon grasses which are destitute of it. 

 Of the value of salt to the digestive function of his cattle, the agricul- 

 turist has ample experience ; and the salt licks of our country show how 

 grateful this natural stimulant is to the beasts of the forests. Charcoal, 

 administered with fat, as is done, in rural economy for fattening poul- 

 try, in many parts of England, exhibits the advantage of administer- 

 ing a condiment ; the charcoal of itself contains no nourishment, but it 

 puts the digestive function in a condition for separating more nutritious 

 matter from the food taken in, than it could otherwise do. A similar 

 effect is produced by the plan, adopted for the same purpose in cer- 

 tain parts of Great Britain, of cramming the animal with walnuts, 

 coarsely bruised, with the shell. This is asserted, by many rural econo- 

 mists, to be the most effectual plan for fattening poultry speedily; the 

 coarse shell, in passing along the mucous membrane of the intestines; 

 seems to stimulate it to augmented action, and a more bountiful separa- 

 tion of nutritious matter is the consequence. The aromatic condiments 

 act in a similar manner. 



In regard to the quantity of food required for human sustenance, 

 nothing definite can be laid down. It must differ according to habit, 

 constitution, way of life, age, sex, &c. The diet scale of the British 

 navy affords a good average for the adult male in busy life, who requires 



1 See an article by the author in the American Quarterly Review, ii. 422, PhilacL 1827; 

 and Fletcher, op. citat., p. 121. 



2 Kitchener, Invalid's Oracle, Amer. edit., p. 136, New York, 1831. 



