William Kitchiner

“ It is undeniable, that if a man be brought to a better condition; if corpulency, and the impurities of his body disappear; and if his wind and strength be improved by any process whatever, his good state of health will continue, until some derangement of his frame shall take place from accidental or natural causes. If he shall relapse into intemperance, or neglect the means of preserving his health, either by omitting to take the necessary exercise, or by indulging in debilitating propensities, he must expect such encroachments to be made on his constitution, as must soon unhinge his system. ”

“ It would be as difficult for a Laplander, or an earth-eating Ottomaque, to convince our good citizens that Train Oil, and gutter-mud, is a more elegant relish than their favourite Turtle—as for the former to fancy that Kay or Birch’s Soup can be as agreeable as the Grease and Garbage which custom has taught them to think delicious. ”

“ If the Delicate, and the nervous, the very Young, or the very Old—sit up beyond their usual hour, they feel the want of artificial aid, to raise their spirits to what is no more than the ordinary pitch of those who are in the vigour of their Life—and must fly from the festive board—or purchase a few hours of hilarity at the heavy price of Head-Ach and Dyspepsia for many days after; and a terrible exasperation of any Chronic Complaint they are afflicted with. ”

“ To humour that desire for the marvellous, which is so universal in medical (as well as in other) matters,—the makers of Aperient Pills generally select the most Drastic Purgatives, which operating considerably in a dose of a few grains, excite admiration in the Patient, and faith in their powers, in proportion as a small dose produces a great effect,—who seldom considers how irritating such materials must be,—and consequently how injurious to a Stomach in a state of Debility, and perhaps deranged by indulging Appetite beyond the bounds of moderation. ”

“ In the proportion that our Food is restorative, and properly digested—our bodies are preserved in Health and Strength—and all our faculties continue vigorous and perfect.
If it is unwholesome, ill-prepared, and indigestible—the Body languishes, and is exhausted even in its youth—its strength and faculties daily decrease, and it sinks beneath the weight of the painful sensations attendant on a state of Decay. ”

“ The firm Health of those who live in the Country, arises not merely from breathing a purer Air,—but from quiet and regular habits, especially the enjoyment of plenty of undisturbed Repose,—this enables them to take Exercise, which gives them an Appetite, and by taking their food at less distant and more equally divided intervals—they receive a more regular supply of that salutary nourishment, which is necessary to restore the wear of the system, and support it in an uniform state of excitement,—equally exempt from the languor of inanition, and the fever of repletion. ”

“ Digestion and Sleep are less perfect—the restorative process more and more fails to keep pace with the consuming process—the body is insufficiently repaired, more easily deranged, and with more difficulty brought into adjustment again; till at length the vital power being diminished, and the organs deteriorated,—Nourishment can neither be received, or prepared and diffused through the constitution—and Consumption so much exceeds Renovation, that decay rapidly closes the scene of Life. ”

“ But in Invalids past the Meridian of Life, we believe as much mischief is going on when our Pulse hobbles along as if the Heart was too tired to carry on the Circulation, as can possibly be done to the constitution by taking such a portion of Wine as will remove the collapse—and excite the mainspring of Life to vibrate with healthful vigour. ”

“ As excessive Eating and Drinking is certainly the most frequent cause of the disorders of the Rich,—so privation is the common source of complaints among the Poor;—the cause of the one, is the cure of the other—but where one of the latter dies of Want, how many thousands of the former are destroyed by Indigestion!
If strong Spices and savoury Herbs excite appetite—they (in an increased ratio,) accelerate the action of the Bowels—and hurry the food through the alimentary canal, too rapidly to allow the Absorbents to do their work properly. ”

“ To Ice Wine is another very unprofitable and inconvenient custom—and not only deteriorates its flavour, but by rendering it dull in the mouth—people are induced to drink too much, as they are deprived of the advantage of knowing when they have got enough—for as soon as the Wine becomes warm in their Stomachs,—the dose they have taken merely to exhilarate them—makes them drunk. ”

“ Some omnivorous Cormorants have such an ever-craving Appetite, that they are raging with hunger as soon as they open their Eyes,—and bolt half a dozen hard Eggs before they are well awake;—Others are so perfectly restored by that “chief nourisher in Life’s feast,” Balmy Sleep, that they do not think about Eating,—till they have been up and actively employed for several hours. ”

“ The effect produced by Wine is seldom the same, even in the same person—and depends on the state of the animal spirits at the time—whether the stomach be full or empty, &c.
The more simply Life is supported, and the less Stimulus we use, the better—and Happy are the Young and Healthy who are wise enough to be convinced that Water is the best drink, and Salt the best sauce. ”

“ Some people seem to think, that the more plentifully they stuff themselves, the better they must thrive, and the stronger they must grow.
It is not the quantity that we swallow,—but that which is properly digested, which nourishes us.
A Moderate Meal well digested, renders the body vigorous,—glutting it with superfluity, (which is only turned into excrement instead of aliment, and if not speedily evacuated,) not only oppresses the System, but produces all sorts of Disorders. ”

“ Our Omniscient Creator has given to our Lungs, the same faculty of extracting nutriment from various kinds of Air—as the Stomach has from various kinds of Aliment:—the Poor man who feeds on the coarsest food, is supported by it in as sound Health, as the Rich man who fares sumptuously every day. ”

“ The most common cause of Dyspeptic Disorders, which are so prevalent at the commencement of the Third Period of Life—is an increasing indolence, inducing us to diminish the degree of the active Exercise we have been in the habit of taking—without in a corresponding degree diminishing the quantity of our Food—on the contrary, people seem to expect the Stomach to grow stronger and to work harder as it gets Older, and to almost entirely support the Circulation without the help of Exercise.—
As the activity of our existence—and the accommodating powers of the Stomach, &c. ”

“ Our Philosophical Poet here gives the best practical maxim on the subject for Valetudinarians—who, by following his advice, may render their Existence, instead of a dull unvaried round of joyless, useless self-denial,—a circle of agreeable sensation;—for instance, go not to your Bed till You are tired of sitting up—then remain in an Horizontal posture,—till You long to change it for a Vertical: thus, by a little management, the inevitable business of Life may be converted into a source of continual Enjoyment. ”

“ Those who are poor in Health, must live as they can;—certainly the less Stimulus any of us use the better, provided it be sufficient to properly carry on the Circulation:—I sometimes hold it lawful to excite Appetite when it is feeble by Age, or debilitated by Indisposition.
Those Stimuli which excite the circulation at the least expense of nervous irritation—and afford the greatest quantity of nutriment, must be most acceptable to the Stomach, when it demands restorative diet. ”

“ Every part of this system must be observed in proportion—and Exercise increased in the same degree, that Nourishment is introduced to the Constitution.
The best General Rule for Diet that I can write, is to Eat and Drink only of such Foods—at such times,—and in such quantities—as Experience has convinced you, agree with your Constitution—and absolutely to avoid all other.
A very different Regimen must be observed by those who live a Life with Labour—or Exercise—or of Indolence,—and at the different Periods of Life.
Human Life may be divided into Three Stages. ”

“ Exercise is the grand power to promote the Circulation through the capillary vessels, by which the constitution is preserved from obstructions,—Appetite increased, and Digestion improved in all its stages,—the due distribution of nourishment, invigorates the Nervous System, gives firmness and elasticity to the Muscles, and strength to every part of the System. ”

“ The grand secret seems to be, to contrive that the exercise of the Body, and that of the Mind, may serve as relaxations to each other.
Over Exertion, or Anxiety of Mind, disturbs Digestion infinitely more than any fatigue of Body—the Brain demands a much more abundant supply of the Animal Spirits, than is required for the excitement of mere Legs and Arms. ”

“ Most Chronic Diseases—arise from too much Food and too little Exercise,—both of which lessen the weight of the Heart and the quantity of Blood;—the first by causing fatness; the second by a diminution of the blood’s motion.
“Hence, when the Liver is grown too large by Intemperance and Inactivity, it may be lessened and brought to a healthful magnitude by Temperance and Exercise.—It may be emptied other ways by art; but nothing can prevent its filling again, and consequently secure good and constant Health—but an exact Diet and Exercise. ”

“ If either the Body or the Mind be fatigued,—the Stomach invariably sympathizes;—if the most robust do any thing too much, the Stomach is soon affronted,—and does too little:—unless this mainspring of Health be in perfect adjustment, the machinery of life will vibrate with languor;—especially those parts which are naturally weak, or have been injured by Accidents, &c. Constipation is increased in costive habits—and Diarrhœa in such as are subject thereto—and all Chronic complaints are exasperated, especially in persons past the age of 35 years. ”

“ The Studious need a full portion of Sleep, which seems to be as necessary nutriment to the Brain, as Food is to the Stomach.
Our Strength and Spirits are infinitely more exhausted by the exercise of our Mental, than by the labour of our Corporeal faculties—let any person try the effect of Intense Application for a few hours—He will soon find how much his Body is fatigued thereby, although He has not stirred from the Chair He sat on.
Those who are candidates for Health—must be as circumspect in the task they set their mind,—as in the exercise they give to their Body. ”

“ People do not at first drink from any liking or desire, but being cold, or faint with hunger or fatigue, they find immediate comfort and refreshment from the use of Spirits—and as they can purchase a dram with less money than they can cover their back, or fill their belly, so they gratify the strongest and least expensive appetite—and insensibly become drunkards. ”

“ Those who drink Wine61, &c. for the purpose it was given, as a Cordial, to cheer the Circulation, when it falters from Fatigue, Age, or profuse Evacuations of any kind, “for the Stomach’s sake,” as St. Paul recommends it, and for our “often infirmities” as a medicine—will understand, that of all the ways of saving, to run any risk of buying inferior Wine, is the most ridiculously unwise Economy. ”

“ Of all the Customs of Clothing, the most extremely absurd is the usual arrangement of Bed Clothes, which in order as the chambermaid fancies to make the Bed look pretty in the Day time—are left long at the head, that they may cover the Pillows; when they are turned down, You have an intolerable load on your Lungs, and that part of the Body which is most exposed during the day—is smothered at night—with double the quantity of Clothes that any other part has. ”

“ I generally chose the strongest meats as fittest, since they agreed well with my stomach, to keep up the power of my body under this great diminution of my food; I seldom took any Garden stuff—finding that it commonly lessened perspiration and increased my weight.—I drank four ounces of water with my meat and a pound of Claret after I had done eating. At night I ate nothing, but drank 12 ounces of water with a pipe of Tobacco, p. 63.
“There is but one Weight, under which a grown body can enjoy the best and most uninterrupted Health. ”

“ A Fire should be lighted about three or four hours before, and so managed that it may burn entirely out half an hour before you go to Bed—then the air of the room will be comfortably warmed—and certainly more fit to receive an Invalid who has been sitting all day in a parlour as hot as an Oven,—than a damp chamber, that is as cold as a Well. ”

“ The languor of Inanition, and the fever of Repletion, may be easily avoided by eating a Luncheon,—solid and nutritive, in proportion as the Dinner is protracted, and the activity of the Exercise to be taken in the mean-time.
The oftener you eat, the less ought to be eaten at a time; and the less you eat at a time, the oftener you ought to eat:—a weak Stomach has a much better chance of digesting two light meals, than one heavy one. ”