The Use of Stimulants a Cause of Physical Degeneracy
By Daniel H. Kress
(Continued)
STIMULANTS are not foods. Any substance to be a food must build up new tissue or repair the old, and through oxidation supply heat and energy in the body.
The term “food” can not be applied to every substance that satisfies or arrests the appetite, although real food does both. The savage, in the absence of food, quiets his craving and arrests his appetite by swallowing lumps of clay; but clay is not a food. The more civilized man often satisfies his desires for food by substances equally indigestible, and even more harmful.
We frequently hear of men and women breaking down from what is designated physical or mental overwork. When inquiry is made, we are surprised at the small amount of work that they have actually done. Others doing double the amount of work, remain in health, and are always cheerful and happy, experiencing no mental or physical depression or fatigue. The fact is, most of these break-downs are due to the inferior structure of brain, nerves, and muscles, resulting from errors in eating.
Foods that are wholesome in themselves are often washed into the stomach without proper mouth preparation. The fermentation resulting from these indigestible messes in the alimentary canal produces alcohol and other poisons, which, when carried by the blood to the brain, poison and benumb the moral and mental sensibilities, causing drowsiness, headache, and general physical debility, and often general depravity. The little energy that is derived from the food has to be used by the body in its efforts to throw off these impurities. Consequently, no energy is available for muscle or brain work. The will power is weakened, the thoughts are confused, and exhaustion, mental and physical, results from the least exertion. This craving for food is satisfied by means of stimulants. Thus it is that dietetic errors are largely responsible for the free use of stimulants. The poor drunkard who was admonished to be a man and give up drink, replied, “You good people have a great deal to say about my drink, but have nothing to say about my thirst.”
To be successful in our effort as temperance workers, we must do more than deprive the drunkard of his drink; we must aid him to get rid of his unquenchable thirst. Should we succeed in closing up every dram-shop, and in stopping entirely the sale of alcoholic drinks, we would accomplish great good, but this would not remove the thirst of the drunkard. It is a craving for a narcotic or stimulant, and nothing but such a poison can satisfy it. The one in whom this craving exists will, if deprived of alcohol, resort to other stimulants, cocaine, morphin, or tobacco, and if nothing more satisfying can be obtained, tea or coffee will answer.
By many meat is considered an indispensable food, yet the nutritive value of meat is only about one third that of cereals, nuts, or dried sweet fruits. This erroneous estimate of meat as a force producer is due to the fact that meat contains uric acid or other acid wastes or poisons which produce stimulation. The weakness experienced by discontinuing its use is the same that is felt by the user of other stimulants when attempting to abandon their use. Meat eating undoubtedly creates a craving for more powerful stimulants, and is therefore largely responsible for the use of alcohol.
So long as man continues to subsist upon stimulating foods, the craving for stimulating drinks will continue to exist. The success of temperance reform depends, therefore, upon food reform, and lies in the hands of women.
It is a noticeable fact that in countries where flesh foods and highly seasoned foods are freely used, alcoholic beverages are consumed in proportionally large quantities. That flesh food creates a craving for alcohol is recognized by saloon-keepers everywhere. The free lunch-counter frequently connected with these places is not there to benefit the drinker, but to increase the profits of the saloon-keeper. Let us take an inventory of this table. What do we find on it? Apples, peaches, plums, and other fruits?—No. It is laden with pigs’ feet, ham, salt fish, sausages, liver, and other highly seasoned animal foods. Experience has taught the proprietor that such foods create a craving for a stimulant, and therefore lead directly to the bar for a drink.
It is a sad fact that many a wife and mother, through improper food provided for her household, is partly responsible for a drunken husband or son. The man who eats right craves pure water, not alcohol, to quench his thirst. The fact is, as stated by one author, “Our tables are generally prepared in a manner to make drunkards.” Dr. Brunton says, using “Cookery is not only a powerful moral agent as regards individuals, but it may be of great service in regenerating a nation. I believe that schools of cookery for the wives of working men in this country will do more to abolish drinking habits than any number of teetotal societies.”
It is impossible for any drunkard to live exclusively upon oranges, pears, peaches, or grapes, for one entire week, without losing the desire for alcoholic stimulants. From the beginning, it has been the Creator’s design that man should subsist largely upon fruits. Man was placed originally in a garden, surrounded with trees pleasant to the sight and good for food; and lest he should at any time neglect the use of these foods, God said, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.” It is practically impossible to cultivate a desire for fruit and a desire for stimulants at the same time.
Food Must Be Relished in Order to Nourish
When food is masticated and introduced into the stomach unconsciously, or eaten mechanically, its mere presence creates a flow of saliva and stomach juice; but the juices secreted are of an inferior quality. In order to have good digestion, it is necessary to relish and enjoy what is eaten. The mere sight, smell, or thought of food we relish causes a copious flow of saliva. This secretion is not confined to the mouth; but could we obtain a glimpse of the stomach, we would see the gastric juice trickling down its walls, for the whole digestive apparatus is getting ready for the reception and digestion of the expected food. Disappointment may produce indigestion, for it has been discovered that the secreted juices are especially adapted for the digestion of the food thought of, and not so well adapted for the digestion of any other food. The juices produced by the stimulation of appetite, known as appetite juices, have many times the digestive power possessed by juices formed when food is eaten mechanically, without a special relish for it.
In the past much ignorance has existed regarding the wholesomeness and nutritive value of foods. The only thing consulted was the appetite. Our forefathers ate only what they relished. They required no delicacies to stimulate the appetite. Hard outdoor work gave them a relish for simple foods, and fortunately, poverty made simple foods and few varieties a necessity. The digestive fluids were always of a superior quality, and consequently they seldom suffered from indigestion. Later, luxury, confinement, and inactivity came in; the simple foods were no longer relished, and nature said in language too plain to be misunderstood, “He that will not work shall not eat,” and wisely removed the appetite. But this led to another evil. Delicacies, complicated dishes, and a variety of spices and highly seasoned foods were invented to tempt the appetite; this naturally resulted in indigestion and disease.
The prevalence of disease and physical degeneracy has forced upon us the need of making reform in our manner of living, and of studying the nutritive value, the wholesomeness, and the combination of foods. With this increase in knowledge we would naturally expect digestive troubles speedily to disappear, but many, after eating foods more wholesome, and using greater care in the combinations, have not realized therefrom all the benefits they desired or expected. This is due to the fact that the food, although more wholesome and better combined, is really more difficult to digest because of the absence of the much-needed appetite juice. This has sometimes led those who have made partial reforms which they felt were right, to abandon them, and return to their former habits, with apparently good results. While we would encourage all to make a study of foods, and eat that which is wholesome, it is unwise to ignore this important factor in digestion—the stimulation of the appetite. The glutton eats the most unwholesome foods, and often digests double the quantity he actually needs, because he eats what appeals to the palate, and thus creates a copious flow of the appetite juice, which is capable of digesting almost anything. He puts on adipose tissue, and looks the picture of health; but is later cut off suddenly, and that without remedy. Such a course is not to be recommended, for it wears out the digestion, and results in inferior tissue, and shortens life. On the other hand, the need of having foods that are appetizing can not be ignored.22
It will be observed that the ordinary meal taken by those who pay no attention to diet begins with some pasty highly seasoned soup, and ends with a sweet in the form of a pudding or some kind of pastry. The meal begins and ends with pleasurable experiences, all of which stimulate the appetite centers, and cause a copious flow of appetite juice. While it is unwise to use highly seasoned foods, we are forced to recognize the need of providing suitable and wholesome substitutes that are pleasing both to the eye and to the palate. A person may sit down to a meal without any appetite; a spoonful of something that is relished, will often create an appetite which will give enjoyment to the entire meal. There can be no harm in taking a little innocent relish to improve the appetite. Of course the danger exists in making the exception the rule. Soups were at first employed merely as a relish. Only two or three spoonfuls were taken at the beginning of the meal. To such a practise we can raise no objection. At present these liquids are used too freely, and are a cause of disease.