DIET. 
(prunus /pinofa, n.) 
efpecially the latter, the leave 
the 
8 rie 
of the r2/a Hepinelle fla 
of the woodroof, a/perula ae but adds that the firit te 
der leaves of the whortle-berries, vaccinium myrtillus, cannot ~ 
diflinguifhed from real tea, when properly gathered, an 
died inthe fhade. (Leures on Diet and Regimen 0,p. 417.) 
ould be dragnet however, that every ia ia e in- 
Eufion of this fort but warm water, rendere e€ pa- 
latable by the aroma vof the aie fo infufed ; and that ae 
is ligtle or no nutriment conve the body, ex 
Cept 
added t : liquors, then, fhould be confidere 
as th e bever i e folid portion of the 
nt the folid 
al, which is to fuppert them during the satan 
of the day, eather than to fill the ftomach with a dilue 
and narcotic liquid, at once failing to nourifh the bod wand 
deprefling the aGtion of the ftomach, where little is taken 
Chocolate, which is the fruit of a tree growing in the 
Weft Indies, ground into a pafte, with other ingredients, is 
in itfelf a nutritious {ubftance, and to thofe who like it, and 
with whom it agrees, it may be confidered as a wholefome 
breakfaft, ‘The fame may be faid of milk, a eee of that 
from which fome of the oleaginous part, the cream, has 
been taken away, and which has been afterwards boiled. 
Both thefe matters are fos peemete that little or no butter 
fhould be taken wit 
ut the effeéts of i cuneate r condué in refpe& to thofe 
pa 2 which now conttitute our breakfafts, are of little 
onfequence, compared with thofe which arife from the 
ellcoucre table at dinner. The indulgences of breakfaft 
as we have before aap ne quantity of food is the point 
a matter 
he te Dr. Heberden 
inds of delicate per- 
all thofe artificial ftimulants 
d beyond the 
r 
more poignant ne 
the fam 
of alcohol, or fpirits; 
but the mifchief which they occafion indire€tly, by leading 
to excefs, is unbounded. This excefs : . more pernicious, 
now that the hour of dinner is 
animal powers; the heavisefs to fleep3; and the general 
fenfation of heat ; the hurried pulfe ; dry or clammy tongue 
and other fy mptoms of flight feverifhnefs. It is moft obs - 
vious, that the daily, or even frequent repetition of fuch a- 
iforder, (for it is, in fa@, a morbid condition which is thus 
this is no imaginary defcripiion, the feel« 
ings of every valetudinary, who thus fubmits to the cone 
troul ofa pampered appetite, will teftify. 
ome of the common articles of dict require a little at. 
tention. Bread, the ftaff of lifc, is not the moft eafy of 
Lt ftion; if taken in confiderable quantity, very ftrong: 
organs are requilite to convert it into nutriment, and more 
efpecially when it is ~~ or receatly baked ; for then it is 
nature, and extremely difficult of 
P- 333 machs 
Fidigettible ; it turns four, produce 
lencies, and interrupts the perfe& concoétio on of every thing 
elfe. On this principle, ae neceflity of paying much atten- 
tion to this capital article of diet, ourht to be inculcated on 
valetudinaries In general; never to abftain from it wholly, 
but to ufe it with moderation ; to confider it as one of thofe 
things which, fparingly vfed, is extremely neceffary and. 
beneficial ; if otherwife, the fruit-ul fource of many com~ 
plaints, which are little fufpe@tvd from this caufe. 
I 
particularize them 
fidered as more ealily foluble than the old; but in fiomachs 
difpofed to acidity, this does not appear to 
Animal food is rendered more digeftible, by fear to 
a ftate of beginning putrefaction ; hence, the of animals 
recently killed is lefs e ealy of digeftion than a which yi 
efh of a 
and uneafinefs, ns 
re{peét to excefs of quantity, as to the unfuitablenefs in kind. - 
Ii a perfon eats as much of ham, falted beef, or aga as he 
ought to do of fifh or chicken, he may fuffer b 
ifh holds a fort of intermediate a a saint : 
and vegetable matters, as to the of nutriment it 
contains ; it is of itfelf ealy of diestion, ne fits light on a - 
delicate ftomach, eee it is taken without heavy fauces,: 
or ie tees of butt 
is the opinion of cue writers, or animal diet has cons - 
fiderable influence on the the underftanding, . 
being equaily adverfe to the exertiops - genius, fentiment, 
and delicate feelings, as well as to deep mental refearches. - 
Dr. Falconer, after exprefling this opinion refpe@ing the 
nfluence of animal diet, adds, at the fame time, that it may, . 
neverthelefs, be better adapted to the common iam ise 
pe 
