Physiology, animal and mental : applied to the preservation and restoration of health of body, and power of mind / by O.S. Fowler.

  • Fowler, O. S. (Orson Squire), 1809-1887.
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Physiology, animal and mental : applied to the preservation and restoration of health of body, and power of mind / by O.S. Fowler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    green or dn'ed, or pears, or raisins, or any other kind of fruit, well sweetened, and most people prefer it to all other edibles. And all would eat a much greater proportion of these various preparations of fruit and flour than they now do, only that they are considered too choice and scarce to constitute a full meal—and thus of nuts and raisins. But for the impression that these desserts are not substantial enough for laboring men—an idea entirely erroneous383940—and that they are the most expensive—also erroneous—that is, if appetite had its choice, it would eschew meat, and prefer sweetened prepara- tions of bread and fruit almost altogether. The same result is obtained by another variation of the ex- periment. Contrast the relish with which most people eat short-cake and butter, or buckwheat cakes and molasses or honey, with meat and gravy. Not that these cakes are re- commended, yet they still further illustrate our doctrine, that preparations of flour and fruit relish better, especially with children, than meat. The various kinds of cake eaten, still further prove our doctrine. We calculate on supper as the most dainty meal of the three, and cake is to it what desserts are to dinner, namely, the very climax of all. This is doubly true of the wedding cake. Weddings are among the most important events of life, and nuptial suppers are important items of weddings; and hence no expense or pains are spared to render them the very achme of luxurious eating. And in what does this achme consist? In roast beef ? In any preparation of flesh ? No; but in wedding cakes. If meat were generally esteemed to taste the best, the married pair would send out cuts of meat, instead of cake, which is never done. These tests of what the public relish best are infallible, though so common as to have escaped general observation. What supper can relish better than bread, butter, and honey, except it be short-cake or buckwheat cakes in place of bread ? How insignificant meat in comparison! Finally, after we have eaten our buckwheat and molasses breakfast, our fruit and flour or meat dinner and dessert, and our short-cake-and-butter supper, topped off with preserves