BEAN. 71 



beans before the green ones, because he 

 thinks them less flatulent ; but with Tragus, 

 leave them to our horses : nor do I see why 

 they should not fatten men as well as swine, 

 and other animals." 



Dr. Mundy, in his Treatise on Foods, says, 

 that he knew a peasant, who in a great dearth 

 of provisions fed his children with nothing 

 but boiled beans ; and yet you would hardly 

 see boys of a better colour or habit of body ; 

 which proves, that dry beans afford a copious 

 nutriment, when the stomach is once accus- 

 tomed to bear them. 



Dodonaeus says, that beans, with their 

 skins, or husks, are neither slow, nor very 

 quick, in passing through the body ; but 

 that without their husks they are binding. 

 We agree in this opinion, knowing that in 

 wheat, the flour, separated from the bran, 

 binds the more powerfully, and that the 

 bran is detersive, and promotes the passage 

 of the flour : hence brown bread is the 

 most wholesome, particularly to persons 

 of feverish habits. Dr. James says, " we are of 

 opinion, with Tragus, that the young beans are 

 wholesome aliment, and generate good juice." 



The prevailing opinion is, that beans are 

 a flatulent and coarse food, better suited to 



