VEGETARIANISM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4715, 5 August 1893, Page 2

VEGETARIANISM.

. ; (Br A. deNeuville, in the Revue des Revues.) One of the causes which have led people to reject the dootrine of vegetarianism is the idea that it is inspired by pietism, religions convictions, and monastic mortification. But this is a grave error, for the rational vegetarianism of co-day is entirely 82ientifio, and dictated by the sole desire to follow a system conforming to the laws of nature. It has science on its side, and only the force of habit is opposed to it. The muscles become soft; the size diminishes; humanity degenerates, and is kept in working order only bysedatives and tonics. The numerous maladieß of the stomach and the intestines, from simple catarrh to the most Berioas diseases ofthe organs, are of ten due to Our appetite for meat and other stimulants. Vegetarianism, we are told by Dr Bonnejoy, does not consist solely in vegetable food, but is based on three' dietetic axioms : — (1) The general rebuilding power lies' in cereals, seeds, vegetables, tubers, frnits, eggs, milk and their derivatives; (2) the food, ' tbe air, and, in general, everything that ia intro.duced into the body should show absolute piurity, freshness and entire absence of falsifications, mixture and adulterations, even in the smallest quantities ; (3) it is necessary, as far as may be possible, for each one to manufacture his foods' and drinks at home, in order to reach the desired results. "*.'■..' . These are the principal dogmas of the vegetarians. Man is not intended to eat meat. ' His jaw is made to grind grains and fruitß. His hands are made to gather them. The Darwinian theory does not permit us for an instant to doubt the frugivorous nature of man. His intestinal canal is also a proof. In the lion, this is three times as long as the body; in man, seven or eight times as long, and finally, among the herbivora, it is more than twenty-eight timeß as long. Thanks to the voice, of instinct, Bays.Dr F.W. Dock, a great part of humanity adheres to a vegetable diet. Children, in whom the instincts are less I corrupted than in older people, oare little . for meat or stimulants, and among grown people there are many who do not like meat, while it would be very difficult to find people having an aversion to vegetable food. In the establishments in which vegetable food has been introduced, the hygienic, intellectual, and moral results, have been moßt gratifying. The arguments drawn from physiology are entirely favourable to vegetarianism. Science has recovered from its error in teaching that for the hnman body to be strong: and healthy, many albuminous substances, particularly those under the form of meat, were necessary, ib has Bince demonstrated that the producer of bodily strength, above all, of strength of the muscles— is not albumen, nor any other substance containing nitrogen, aa meat, for example ; itis a substance containing only carbonip acid, and deficient in nitrogen. The most reasonable nourishment, that whioh is most favourable to the normal work of our muscles, as also to that of our brain and nervous system, is that which j oontains little nitrogen, but more ofi carbohydrates and fat. On the other j hand, the substances in which albuminoids preponderate, when taken up 1 by our, bodies, figure as useless or even j dangerous matter, for they have a great tendency toward decomposition,and they thus disturb the equilibrium of our organism and prodnce disorder and disease. In addition to thiß there are nnmorona maladies engendered by meat, as trichinosis, typhoid fever, &c. The cereals, however, form a perfect food ; that is to say, ihey include all the elements necessary to our organism : albumen; carbodydrates, fat, -&c. It is only necessary to use them in their pure state. Natural bread is the only hygienic and physiological bread ; consequently it should replace white broad, for it exeicises a salutary effect on the intestine's, and, at the same time, constitutes the best remedy for such disorders as abdominal plethora, diseases of the liver, &c. The di»y vegetables, pea 3, lentils, beans, containing a great deal of nitrogen (almost 25 per cent) are very nutritive, for they comprise only 13 or 14 per cent of water, while meat contains 75. The human body is a machine, which, to be kept in good working order, should be nourished according to scientific rules, and not at the desire of oar fancies. Four classes of substances are necessary for the maintenance of life; the albuminoids, the carbohydrates, the fats, the minerals. Now, meat contains but three of these, while the vegetables contain all four. Vegetable food is also necessary for our intellectual life, for, as Moieschott has said, without phosphorus there iB no thought. The phosphorus contained in vegetable food is almoßt donble the quantity contained in animal food. But these are not all tbe advantages of vegetarianism. Those who believe that meat gives the rosy colour to cheeks and lips must be Bhown their error. For, as Professor Muasa haa shown, the amount of iron oxide contained in the vegetables is much greater than that found in meat. However, vegetarianism is not too presumptuous with regard to its wonderful powers. Its dootrines demand atthe same time the constant and intelligent practice of all sorts of hygienic rules. It calk, to its aid pure Wr, light, heat or cold, water, exorcise, and, commencing with" alcohol, the condemnation of all stimulants. In th.Bse conditions it is difficult to Bay which would prove more beneficial, the renunciation of meat or the application of a well- \ understood hygiene. It is, however, indis- .!

put ablo that vegetarianism, at its best, compriueß in itß aocfeeories many things whioh make it worthy of general sympathy. ■