DIET AND HEALTH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14700, 7 December 1909, Page 10

DIET AND HEALTH.

■Sin,—Mav 1 be permitted to add my testimony to that of "Miner" in bis lotter in ycur issue of 2ot!i in;!. on the above subject. I have not- tasted fish, flesh, nor fowl for nearly three years, (luring which time my focd bus consisted of beans, lentils, fruit, and occasionally tome other vegetarian dishes. l-'or iho last 18 rnonlhs 1 have lived on two meals a day, taking my first meaJ at VI o'clock. As> a result of this mod? cf living I have no hesitation in stating that I feel bettor in. every way. My digestion has been much improved, my physical strength ami power of endurance are greater, while I feel more active and vigorous generally than I did with a meat diet and t.hrc-o meals a day. I have no doubt that most vegetarians could give a. .similar experience if asked. I. would al-o liko to mention lhat for the hot 10 months I bare engaged in outdoor manual work, and the new diet has suited this even batter than it did my former sedentary employment. It is- distressing to hear of the many and apparently rapidly increasing cases of organic disease in our midst—indigestion, ulceration of the stomach, appendicitis, rheumatism! cancer, etc. While it would be 100 much to say that meat-eating is tho cause of all frheso maladies, yet certain facts and recent investigations point to tho strong probability that flesh-eating is accountable for many of the ailments so prominently affecting humanity at tho present moment. ' 3 at l ,rC6e ' nt double what it was 100 years ago, while cancer has grown so rapidly that tho number of deaths from it lias doubled vn 20 yoa»rs. Tho consumpion of moat in Australasia per head of the population is over four times what it is 111 t.ermany, while it is significant to note that the former has twice tho numi?l' ° l ( 7 c^°r o tfoafc Germany has per thousand of the population! In this connection it 13 reinArkabio how little lead the medical proWwi has given in food reform, but m ii s manifest conservatism and adherent® to orthodox and w „ven. Uonal ways and ideas, it is not more blame, worthy Ulan those «f another sacred callm 0 that might Ixi mentioned. Thoso wJio are Uidinsd to adopt vegetarian living nea . have no, hes'tftt'on i« doin- » S o t n '"d'ly health is concwmd, for even he British Jfcdioal Journal admiis that t is mo man can obtain from veuetables tho nutriment necessary f or hj, in health." Moroovef V c c tarian athletes luro notedly ',>X gushed themsslva, by breaking tho !•" coicl, m cycling, running, ere, contests ™d M 1 7 ,1g boof -™''»g ton k'fely and well be absolutely d.speit.d witt * •i "im'm S " KI on subject from UrPui s!',nd COno f t, 'M. MOl " al ' ;u,d llu"»™iai ,m standpoint. To my fellow-workers -J temperance cause 1 would say, Get bo e's dr 1 CiLt J ", Cat alKl dlei '° wiU V iin s ! 00nsm, ; ed '. ■"» Salvation to "U-u1 " arc ot t t n' lS V a,,d is ireful 0 Cap]low the use of llcsli foods in its Jnebnate Homes. 1 think that '• Miner" ,J'! llkcc f ar , y as to Hie proK ' " lat,e , by tllo movement towards a cleaner and more wholesome diet. If one makes a point of inquiring one will find that meat-eating is of late on the decline. ti.no? I 0 ]I ' utao;; of me;lt twice or three times a day are now only taking it once, and a £ood number are on tho point of £'3" u l' together, only they do not U.ow how .hviy would got. on," and what they couki take in its place. Hero I may <.-ay that a variety of vegetarian foods tail now be purchased in Dunedin. Ihe subject is an important one, and I take this opportunity of saying that I shall be glad to co-operate tvit-h othere in V.i-V, l ! 5 , ' ru ™3. and principles more Hiduy circulated; jiklgchl, I am of opinion that tile time had arrived whan wo should Have, a vegetarian society formal for tho JJonrimon of those interested and anxious to extend the benefits to others.' A splen<liti Work is being done by the Order of tho Golden Age," of which I am a meinkM-, which sends out from its headquarters in Lowlou large quantities of books and pamphlets on the subject. I would especially much like to see the young.wisely and intelligently taught tho truth in regard to this focd question, for 1 lirmly believe that on it and physical development depends much of tho futuiu happiness and moral ivellbeing of the peop.o of this anil otlwr lands.—l am, , J. A. FoilBEB. oawyets Bay, November 28.