THE CONTROL OF HEALTH 375 



doctor away", may be taken seriously, (e) Temporary laxa- 

 tives, such as drugs, must not be employed frequently, or the 

 system will come to depend upon them. Paraffin oil (Amer- 

 ican oil) is one of the safest and best laxatives and is not 

 unpleasant to the taste. (/) By the use of plenty of water. 

 Two quarts per day is not too much for a person weighing 

 150 pounds. Water taken in liquid foods is needed in addition 

 to this amount, (g) Exercise, by which the body is repeatedly 

 bent into various positions, subjects the abdominal organs to 

 various pressures, the nerves are awakened, and the blood 

 flow quickened. 



Salt and condiments: The fact that salt (N a C) leaves the 

 body in the same form as it enters makes it no less a necessity. 

 In 1000 parts of blood there are 5.5 parts of salt. Its intimate 

 role in the body is not entirely understood. Spices have no 

 food value, and should as a rule be eaten sparingly. Flavors 

 make foods more palatable, and in themselves are generally 

 harmless. 



Beverages: Coffee and tea are the commonest table bever- 

 ages exclusive of water. In using them one must remember 

 that their food value is nil, save for the cream and sugar 

 usually taken with them. Caffein, in coffee, excites certain 

 nerve centres, and hastens kidney excretion, necessitating 

 abnormal demands on the organs involved. Thein, an 

 ingredient in tea, seems to prevent free digestive action of 

 saliva on starch. The use of either tea or coffee cannot be 

 commended, and must be strictly limited. Cocoa and choco- 

 late have decided food value, but contain also theo-bromine 

 which has the same properties in general as caffein. 



The so-called "soft drinks," soda waters, etc., may have 

 small sugar value, but as generally taken, interfere with the 

 appetite for wholesome food, and besides the purchase of them 

 is a waste of money. 



Irregular Eating. The habit of eating between meals is a 

 specially vicious one if the regular meals are the proper time 



