[18-*] “Although AIR is more immediately necessary to life than FOOD, the knowledge of the latter seems of more importance; it admits certainly of great variety, and a choice is more frequently in our power. A very spare and simple diet has commonly been recommended as most conducive to health; but it would be more beneficial to mankind if we could show them that a pleasant and varied diet was equally consistent with health, as the very strict regimen of Arnard, or the miller of Essex. These, and other abstemious people, who, having experienced the greatest extremities of bad health, were driven to temperance as their last resource, may run out in praises of a simple diet; but the probability is, that nothing but the dread of former sufferings could have given them the resolution to persevere in so strict a course of abstinence, which persons who are in health and have no such apprehension could not be induced to undertake, or, if they did, would not long continue.
“In all cases, great allowance must be made for the weakness of human nature: the desires and appetites of mankind must, to a certain degree, be gratified, and the man who wishes to be most useful will imitate the indulgent parent, who, while he endeavours to promote the true interests of his children, allows them the full enjoyment of all those innocent pleasures which they take delight in. If it could be pointed out to mankind that some articles used as food were hurtful, while others were in their nature innocent, and that the latter were numerous, various, and pleasant, they might, perhaps, be induced to forego those which were hurtful, and confine themselves to those which were innocent.”—See Dr. Stark’s Experiments on Diet, pp. 89 and 90.
[19-*] See a curious account in Cours Gastronomique, p. 145, and in Anacharsis’ Travels, Robinson, 1796, vol. ii. p. 58, and [Obs.] and [note] under [No. 493].
[19-†] See the 2d, 3d, and 4th pages of Sir Wm. Temple’s Essay on the Cure of the Gout by Moxa.
[20-*] “He that would have a clear head, must have a clean stomach.”—Dr. Cheyne on Health, 8vo. 1724, p. 34.
“It is sufficiently manifest how much uncomfortable feelings of the bowels affect the nervous system, and how immediately and completely the general disorder is relieved by an alvine evacuation.”—p. 53.
“We cannot reasonably expect tranquillity of the nervous system, while there is disorder of the digestive organs. As we can perceive no permanent source of strength but from the digestion of our food, it becomes important on this account that we should attend to its quantity, quality, and the periods of taking it, with a view to ensure its proper digestion.”—Abernethy’s Sur. Obs. 8vo. 1817, p. 65.
[20-†] “If science can really contribute to the happiness of mankind, it must be in this department; the real comfort of the majority of men in this country is sought for at their own fireside; how desirable does it then become to give every inducement to be at home, by directing all the means of philosophy to increase domestic happiness!”—Sylvester’s Philosophy of Domestic Economy, 4to. 1819, p. 17.
[20-‡] The best books of cookery have been written by physicians.—Sir Kenelme Digby—Sir Theodore Mayerne.—See the last quarter of page 304 of vol. x. of the Phil. Trans. for 1675.—Professor Bradley—Dr. Hill—Dr. Le Cointe—Dr. Hunter, &c.
“To understand the THEORY OF COOKERY, we must attend to the action of heat upon the various constituents of alimentary substances as applied directly and indirectly through the medium of some fluid, in the former way as exemplified.” In the processes of ROASTING and BOILING, the chief constituents of animal substances undergo the following changes—the fibrine is corrugated, the albumen coagulated, the gelatine and osmazome rendered more soluble in water, the fat liquefied, and the water evaporated.