Sowing for Physical and Spiritual Health by David Paulson; W. S. Sadler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 16, 1900

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 42.

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Sowing for Physical and Spiritual Health

By David Paulson; W. S. Sadler

David Paulson & W. S. Sadler

FRUIT IN HEALTH AND DISEASE.

(Continued.)

EFFECT ON THE KIDNEYS.

Frequently in disease, and even in apparent good health, when a person is partaking freely of flesh foods, tea, coffee, etc., the blood becomes very acid. Because of this the blood can not freely dissolve and carry off the uric acid and other poisons in the system. Thus the foundation for rheumatism and other ills is laid. Then various alkalies are generally prescribed, with the idea of assisting the blood to carry off the uric acid. Fruits are usually forbidden under such circumstances, owing to the erroneous idea that their acids would tend to increase the acidity of the blood. This is, however, a mistake; as the acids of fruits combine with the neutral salts that are stored away in the tissues, and so alkaline salts are formed, which tend to increase the alkalinity of the blood. The result of the liberal use of fruit for twenty-four hours will be to increase the alkalinity of the blood, and to increase the activity of the kidneys, without crippling them, as do some of the irritating drugs that are often used under such circumstances.

FRUIT AS A LAXATIVE.

Fruit is a natural laxative, while drugs are artificial. The use of fruit tends to correct the diseased condition, while the use of drugs only aggravates it, as is clearly indicated by the larger and larger doses that are continually required. The longer a natural stimulant is used on any portion of the body, the better the effects; while the longer an artificial stimulant is used, the less the effect. The more frequently a cold spray or cold bath is taken, the greater becomes the power of reaction; while the longer such a tonic drug as strychnine is used, the larger the dose must be in order to secure the same result.

The laxative effect of fruit is due to the cellulose and the acids that it contains. The cellulose in fruit is the mechanical agent that promotes peristaltic movement, while the normal fruit acids are physiological stimulants in the same sense that dry foods promote the secretion of saliva. To secure the best laxative effect from fruit, it ought to be taken on an empty stomach, because the presence of other foods will tend to lessen its effects. In aggravated cases it is well to give the patient nothing but fruit, four times a day, and for several days in succession. Such fruit as figs, apples, and oranges are particularly useful for this purpose.

Fruit also stimulates the production and flow of the digestive juices. The dextrin of fruit is a stimulant to the gastric juice, and some fruits stimulate the flow of saliva.

THE SWEETEST AND BEST PORTION JUST BENEATH THE SKIN.

The sweetest part of the potato, the most concentrated flavor of the apple and plum, in fact, the most nutritious portion of any fruit, is found just beneath the skin, while in the skin itself is found the bitter flavor. And as just beneath the bitterness that lies in the rind of the fruit are to be found the sweetest, and oftentimes the most nutritious, portions, so, in the varied experiences of the Christian life, the soul that is willing to perseveringly hold fast to truth and principle in the hour of bitter disappointments is the soul that finds, immediately following this moral bitterness, many of the sweetest experiences and grandest lessons in the Christian warfare.

THE USE OF FRUIT IN DISEASE.

In diseased conditions the power of digestion is, in most cases, seriously interfered with. At the same time, in such abnormal conditions as fever the system really needs nourishment to replace the tissue change that is rapidly taking place. This is why the invalid almost instinctively craves fruit; for in it the starch has already been converted into sugar, so that it is ready for absorption without any particular digestive activity on the part of the disabled digestive organs. Very often, however, in such cases, fruit is withheld, when, in almost all diseased conditions, carefully selected fruit could have nothing but a beneficial effect.

AUTO-INTOXICATION, OR SELF-POISONING.

The recent researches of Dr. Bouchard and other faithful investigators in reference to body poisons, have clearly shown that the toxic substances that are manufactured within the individual himself are the underlying cause of a large number of the maladies from which the human race is suffering. Man is, in reality, a laboratory of poisons, which continually threaten to submerge him; and he would certainly die within a short time were it not for the various eliminative organs that are continually draining off these products, a portion of which is the result of tissue breakdown.

It seems to be a law of nature that the substances eliminated from the body shall be poison to the person in whom they are produced. Anything that produces these toxic substances, or interferes with their elimination, is certain to produce serious conditions in the human body in a comparatively short time, and nothing is more certain than that the average mode of living,—reluctance to take sufficient exercise, living in poorly ventilated rooms, etc.,—is favorable to the accumulation of poisons within the system.

THE STOMACH THE HEADQUARTERS FOR AUTO-INTOXICATION.

A large share of diseases, naturally, have their headquarters in the stomach. Auto-intoxication centers largely around the stomach and intestines. Starches and sugars, if allowed to remain too long in the stomach, ferment; and by this fermentation, acids are formed—butyric, lactic, and acetic. The first is found in butter. Lactic acid is that which is formed in the souring of milk; acetic acid gives vinegar its sour taste. During the formation of these acids, various gases are also produced. Such

conditions set up local symptoms, which call special attention to the stomach; and there is no difficulty in convincing the patient that he is suffering with digestive disturbances.

Yet the fermentation of starches and sugars does not begin to compare, in point of danger, with that of proteid decomposition. When meats decay, they do not form acids, but alkalies. There are no gases, sour tastes, nor heartburn; for these intensely poisonous substances are nearly all tasteless; but as a result, the patient has headache and lassitude, and thinks that he is overworked, when in reality he has only overworked and poisoned his stomach. Under such conditions the foundation is being laid for serious trouble; yet it is almost impossible to persuade such a patient that he is suffering from any digestive disturbance. In fact, such invalids often argue that a flesh diet agrees with them much better than a diet of fruit and grains. This is natural enough; because a condition of the stomach that will allow meat to putrefy, even though the patient is not aware of it, would certainly allow the starchy foods to ferment. And in the latter case, the patient would be painfully aware of the fact, and, perhaps, would take steps to rectify it; while in the former case, he can scarcely be convinced that he has indigestion. So meat as well as wine is a mocker.

THE USE OF FRUIT IN AUTO-INTOXICATION.

The acid fermentation of starches and sugars will produce local symptoms in the stomach. The decomposition of meats, etc., will produce biliousness, sickheadache, nervousness, and other symptoms of general constitutional disturbances. In either case, if the usual food is entirely withheld, and the patient allowed to eat all the fruit he desires four times a day, in a few days the terrible coating on the tongue will have disappeared; the distressing symptoms will have been largely modified; and the germs that were producing the mischief will have been starved out, as they do not thrive well on fruit. Then the patient can begin gradually to use well-toasted bread and grain preparations, and, little by little, adopt a more liberal dietary. Those who have seen the almost magical result of fruit diet on such a patient have become convinced that fruit is one of God’s great gifts to man.

Infection of the alimentary canal beyond the stomach manifests itself in various ways—in diarrhea, cholera morbus, cholera infantum, summer complaint, intestinal catarrh, and dysentery. In all these conditions a large amount of absorption is taking place from the alimentary canal, and is poisoning the patient. While in the acute stage, the patient should take vigorous hot enemas, and should be allowed to eat freely of good, ripe fruit. External treatments, in the way of hot trunk packs, will tend to allay the irritation. Moderate doses of such substances as bismuth, which is not absorbed, but which tends to lessen the internal irritation of the bowels, is often found valuable. Doses of from fifteen to twenty-five grains may be administered with advantage every few hours.

Fruit is the most valuable intestinal antiseptic that can be used, not because of any direct power it has to kill germs, but because it furnishes material upon which the microbes which ordinarily inhabit the alimentary canal do not readily flourish. At the same time there are a few other additional substances, which, in many cases, can be used to advantage. Vegetable charcoal, thoroughly ground, has been found by long experience to be valuable as an intestinal disinfectant. The same is true of sulphur. In fact, in many cases sulphur and charcoal are a valuable combination, and may be used to advantage to assist the fruit. The great objection to many of the drugs that have ability to kill germs is that they also have a tendency to kill the man. It is far safer to live upon a pure, simple diet, and take plenty of exercise in the open air; for nature will then soon rally and perform her work without artificial aids.