Retrospect of Domestic Literattire—Naiural History, Kc. 658 
for by degrees animal food becomes more 
digestible than vegetable. But still the 
& poison is thrilling through the veins.” 
** A second cause, (says Dr. Lamb) 
which is common to all climates, and 
which will be found to be sti] more 
powerful, is the use of watery liquids, as 
a substitute for the fruits and vegetable 
juices, with which man would, I believe, 
in astate of primeval simplicity, at once 
satisfy the appetite of hunger, and pre« 
vent thirst. The poison thus introduced 
into his body, directly deranges the sen- 
sorium, alters his feelings, and gives a 
new and wunatural direction to all his 
propensities. ft produces a great change 
wn the powers of digestion; and with this, 
at effects a corresponding change in the 
desires and aversions. Vegetable matter, 
which, to the stomach ofa healthyehild, 
as the mos? delightful, the most nutrizive 
and strengthening aliment, gradually 
seems to lose its power; it ceases: to Im- 
part either strength or pleasure. Ina 
state of manhood, to many it isan object 
of disgust, to almost all, of indifference. 
It excites flatulence, and often gives pain 
and uneasiness; and the power of digest- 
ing it becomes more and more destroyed. 
To render it tolerabl le, it must be heated 
and macerated: by these means it is 
made more soluble, and digestible with 
greater speed. But by these same 
means its sweet and nutritiows juices 
are eather decomposed or extracted ; and 
weighty reasons may, I think, be given, 
to shew that, in this condition, it neither 
imparts the strength nor the nourishment 
that it would do, “when used, as it is by 
the animals, without any preparation, 
How astonishing is this revolution! How 
inconceivable, that the only species of 
food, which, previous to the invention 
of arts, it was in the power of a 
being to obtain;—that the ‘only species 
of food, on which the primeeval race sub- 
sisted, during the silent lapse of ages;— 
that the species of food, which we know 
affords a healthy nourishment at this pre- 
sent day to many races of men,—how 
inconceivable is it, that in all civilized 
and crowded communities it is not mere- , 
ly disregarded, but seems to beconie 
truly indigestible, and on many to assume 
the force and activity of a true poison ! 
“« Now, that this is truly the effect and 
consequence of ‘using water in its ordi- 
nary condition, is not an imaginary .hypo- 
thesis, but a serious truth, thé result of 
careful and répeated exper iénce. It will, 
be found AE gpm i that by 
human — 
using distilled water, the power of di- 
gesting vegetable matter will be restored 
and mproved; that the stomach wall gra- 
dually be enabled to digest it, even raw, 
and without any condiment, or other pre+ 
paration; that with the power of diges= 
tion, the inclination to vegetable food wall 
be renewed; that it will be easy, under 
such a system, entirely to subdue the de- 
sire and craving for animal food; that, 
finally, what was at first looked upon 
with antipathy and disgust, will, by tha- 
bit, be rendered most easy and most = 
lghtfol 4 
Happily then there 13 a means of resto. 
ration. We would not be thought, on 
these remarks, to treat our author with 
disrespect, on the contrary we feel the 
highest sentiments of respect for him. 
Nor is there any thing absolutely repug- 
ant to experience, in supposing, that 
men are pursuing a plan, which, thougl 
apparently agreeable te themselves, us 
leading them to certain destruction. But 
it 1s impossible not to be struck with the 
novelty af the doctrine; nor can we fail 
to remark how very few men are afilicted 
with cancer, considering how many are 
swallowing this habitual poison ; or that, 
In countries where animal food is rarely 
tasted, and in communities who never 
use it, hfe neither appears greatly pro- 
longed, or peculiarly exempted from dis- 
ease. 
The subject of Contagion is, perhaps, 
the most important of all others in medi- 
cine ; it assails us every where, and for the 
most part without assuming a tangible 
shape. In vain do we promise ourselves 
security, by even monastic seclusion, 
when disease may be conveyed by what- 
ever forms our dress, our domestic furni- 
ture, if not our diet, at least the effluvia 
from those by whom it is conveyed tous. 
Nor are we certain that the mischief will 
be confined to ourselves; not only the 
same Means may affect all round us, but 
we ourselves may become sources of con- 
tagion to others. As there is no fixing 
auy bounds to contagions, so there is ao 
means of ascertaining the degree of mur- 
tality which nay attend them, Under 
“some constitutions of the air with which 
we are totally unacquainted, a contagion 
shali be alinost wniversal, yet few may be 
destroyed by it; at other times, we scarce- 
ly hear of the disease ae by the deaths 
it oceasions, 
In the midst of all ae we remain in 
the inmost profound igndrance, not only 
conceming has degive vf contagion in 
s neue. 157) 11-1 
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2 
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Sapa tee 
So 
ees 
