1892 The flowing bowl when and what to drink (1892, c1891)

PHYSIOLOGY AND DIET.

44

brought into and dissolved and changed within the or- ganism are the true ministers of said operations. The digested parts of this supply are absorbed by the blood, and deposited by it where need may be, while those parts worthy to be ejected are carried away by the same medium, and delivered for expulsion to kidneys, lungs, glands, etc. If necessary, we can aid nutrition artificially, and we may do the same in regard to digestion by adding cer- tain compounds, as digestives and tonics (pepsin, pancreatin, muriatic acid, phosphates, etc.), to our food or cordials, and the selection of these com- pounds is most highly developed in the art of mixing drinks. Besides food, man requires a number of substances which affect agreeably the tissue and the nerves; they are, to our opinion, necessary for the welfare of an in- dividual, and mainly consist of spices, alcoholic bever- ages, coffee,, tea, chocolate, tobacco, narcotic extracts of plants, as opium, hasheesh, and certain newly dis- covered drugs, cocaine, chloral, chloroform, ether, etc. They more or less irritate the nervous system, and thus dispel the feeling of pain, fatigue, etc., for a certain space of time, and increase the ability of resistance as also the working power. They are perfectly harmless as long as there is full supply of nutritives, and while they are taken reason- ably. Among these substances rank first the alcoholic