CHAPTER XLIII 

 SPECIAL DIETETIC METHODS, ALCOHOL, COOKING, ETC. 



Special Dietetic Methods. Of these the best known is vegetarianism, 

 either " true " or " false." In " true " vegetarianism, no animal food 

 whatsoever is eaten; in " false " vegetarianism, such animal foods as 

 milk, cheese, and eggs, are freely consumed. There is little to be said 

 against false vegetarianism, provided that sufficient of these animal 

 foodstuffs are eaten, insuring a good supply of protein and not too 

 much vegetable fibre. The proteins, too, are such in kind and 

 amount that putrefaction in the large intestine is not great. To this 

 "false" vegetarianism owes its popularity. 



In regard to " true " vegetarianism, there is very little evidence 

 in support of the main contentions of its devotees. It is said that, 

 on anatomical grounds, man is not a carnivorous animal; that meat 

 is therefore an unnatural food, dangerous to health. Man's alimentary 

 canal is very different from that of a rabbit, with its enormous caecum ; 

 and the monkey, his near relation, eats animal food, eggs, insects, etc., 

 as well as nuts and fruits. Granted that excessive ingestion of animal 

 protein induces unwholesome putrefaction in the large intestini, to 

 that toxins are formed deleterious to health, this was no case against 

 a moderate intake of meat. The most virile tribes of the world, 

 past or present, were or are great meat-eaters. Trouble arises from 

 over-indulgence; some meat-eaters, owing to lack of exercise, do not 

 keep themselves fit, and therefore do not compare favourably with 

 vegetarians, who keep themselves fit. The evidence shows that 'a 

 " fit " meat-eater is of better physique and mental capacity than a 

 "fit" vegetarian. True vegetarianism has the disadvantage of intro- 

 ducing too much ballast, just as pure meat-eating introduces too 

 little. Further, the physiological availability of such foodstuffs is 

 considerably less, and the proteins are of less value for tissue-forming. 

 Various other special dietetic methods "raw food," " purin- 

 free," "low protein" have their adherents. In these days of 

 adulteration and separation of natural foods it is quite possible that 

 errors may arise in man's diet, but it is safe to conclude that if the 

 general public devoted as much attention to keeping itself fit by proper 

 muscular exercise in the open air, as it does to the question of diet, the 

 latter would cease to be of such importance. 



Alcohol. When taken in small quantities, alcohol is burnt in the 

 human body, serving as a source of energy. Thus, it has been shown 



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