p. 151 | Proper Diet for Man by John Harvey Kellogg

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 16, 1878

Proper Diet for Man.

By John Harvey Kellogg

WHAT shall we eat? is a question which at the present time seems to be asked with greater solicitude than almost any other which has any bearing upon physical comfort or enjoyment. Judging from the almost universal practice of people with reference to diet, we are led to believe that this question is usually answered, practically, at least, by saying, in popular parlance, "Anything that tastes good!" or, more truthfully, Anything that pleases a perverted taste and pampered appetite. The disastrous results of this unwise course are everywhere apparent in the numerous and direful maladies which arise from indigestion, torpid liver, etc., to which an immense army of dyspeptics, rheumatics, hypochondriacs, can testify.

But let us attempt to answer the inquiry in a more rational manner, by an investigation, the object of which shall be to determine what should be eaten. We will not stop here to consider the propriety of eating inorganic substances, since it is generally admitted that man can subsist only upon such substances as have been derived, directly or indirectly, from the vegetable kingdom. The question then resolves itself into this form: Which is the better food for man, animal or vegetable food? In treating this subject, we shall consider it from three standpoints; viz., 1. Anatomy; 2. Physiology; 3. Experience.

ANATOMICAL EVIDENCES.

The first question we will consider, then, shall be, Does anatomy indicate that vegetable food is the most proper diet for man? or does it indicate the reverse of this; viz., that such is the case with animal food? As all will be ready to admit that the natural diet of man must be the proper diet, since he must have been created with appetites and wants in perfect harmony with his nature, all we have to do in answer to this question is to determine by anatomy, if possible, man's dietetic character. The only way in which anatomy can throw any light upon the subject is this: It acquaints us with the structure of the various classes of animals, herbivorous, frugivorous, carnivorous, and omnivorous. In so doing it reveals the fact that, as the character of the food of these several classes differs in being herbs, fruits, flesh, or a mixture of all these, the structure of their alimentary organs also differs correspondingly. Thus, the lion, tiger, cat, panther, etc., all subsist upon flesh. An examination of their organs of alimentation, the teeth, jaws, and alimentary canal, shows a remarkable similarity. The same is found to be true in the case of all known flesh-eating animals. Hence, all animals of this character are called carnivorous. In this way the principle is established that all animals having alimentary organs of the same kind as those mentioned, are carnivorous. In the same manner, it is established that all animals having alimentary organs like those of the ox, cow, sheep, horse, etc., are herbivorous. And so with each of the classes mentioned.

(To be continued.)