Doctor, What Do You Mean By Condiments?

"Well, the word has a general and well-understood meaning', but, for my use, I would explain it by saying that it should be pronounced by emphasizing the second syllable and sounding the 'i' long, making it oon-die-ments."

Then How Would You Define It?

" I would say that it is the thing we eat with our food

"But it is a hot subject."

'that is a hot criticism, Doctor." which beguiles us to death."

You Mean By That, That Condiments Burn?

"Yes; take pepper; it irritates and burns the membranes very much like fire."

"But the doctors say it aids digestion."

"So it would warm your hand to put it in the fire."

"But that would destroy the hand."

"So the pepper has a tendency to destroy the digestive organs."

If That Be True, How Can It Aid Digestion?

"Anything that irritates the mucous membranes of the stomach increases the gastric secretion, and this is what pepper does; but in doing this, it inflames the stomach, causes excessive secretion of acid, and an uncertain number of stomach disorders."

Is That Why So Many People Want To Drink Ice Water At Meal Times?

"It is one of the reasons. If a mouthful of pepper be swallowed, the first impulse is to drink some cold water as quickly as possible to relieve the burning sensation.

When The Stomach Is Habitually Irritated With Pepper, Mustard, Alcoholic Liquors, Horse Radish, Or Indigestible Food, Cold Drinks Give A Feeling Of Relief, But Really Only Aggravate The Irritation?" "Then Pepper Is Injurious?

"It is most injurious, and should have no place in our dietaries, and should only be used as a drug."

Is Pepper Worse Than Other Condiments?

"Probably not; mustard, sage leaves and horse radish are all bad, the two latter being worse, if anything, than pepper."

How About Salt?

"Salt is much railed at by a certain class of hygienists, but is strongly defended by others."

Which Side Is Right?

"If we are allowed to make comparison with the lower animals, it would seem that carniverous (flesh-eating animals) care nothing for salt, while herbivorous (grass-eating animals) in all countries are intensely fond of salt."

That Would Indicate That Man, Living Largely On The Vegetable Foods, Would Require Some Salt?

"Yes; but not more than a quarter, and probably not more than one-tenth of what most people consume. Excessive salt eating is a bad habit, but not so bad as the use of pepper. It has been demonstrated that salt retards digestion, causes skin eruptions and other derangements of the system; and, while salt is useful, most persons would be benefited if they would cut down their salt eating to one-fourth of what they are in the habit of using."

Does Vinegar Belong To The Same Class?

"Vinegar is bad, but not wholly so; for it has some uses."

Haven't You Already Said That Vinegar Must Be Discarded?

"Yes; its uses are for the most part injurious, but still it has some use, when better acids are not obtainable."

Then Why Abandon It?

"The abundance of fruits we have furnish us acids so much superior to that of vinegar, the question of continuing the use of vinegar ought not to be considered at all, when fruits can be obtained."

Then You Would Use Sour Fruit On Salads, Instead Of Vinegar?

"Yes, or else not eat the salads at all."

Why Is Vinegar So Objectionable?

"Because it is a ferment rilled with vinegar worms, which can be seen with the naked eye. If you will get some vinegar plant and examine it, you will not care for the vinegar afterwards."

What Fruits Would You Recommend Instead Of Vinegar?

"Limes, lemons, grape fruit, sour oranges, sour grapes, sour berries or even rhubarb."

How About Spices?

"Some of the spices are not objectionable."

Which Would You Give First Place?

"I would give the first place to nutmeg."

Why So?

"Because it has an agreeable flavor, is mostly oil, and is not particularly objectionable in any way."

You Favor Nutmeg, But Condemn Other Spices?

"All-spice is not very injurious, but its flavor is not pleasant. Few people care for all-spice as a flavor, but almost everybody likes cinnamon."

Then You Would Strongly Recommend Cinnamon?

"Well, I would not recommend cinnamon or peppermint for uses in food except as a medicine."

Why So?

"Because both cinnamon and peppermint, kill bacteria to a certain extent, and are known as antiseptics. They would both have a tendency to arrest the processes of digestion. They also have a tendency to an est processes of decay, and both are useful to relieve a sour stomach. Owing to this fact, they are not desirable to mix with food for general use, but are valuable for special uses, where their antiseptic properties are needed."

How Would You Class Cloves, Caraway Seed, Ginger, Etc.?

"Cloves are very astringent, but the small quantity used is not likely to do harm. Caraway seeds cause nausea in many people, which shows that they are irritating in their nature, and should not be used at all. Ginger is a very pleasant stimulating condiment. It is quite useful, too, when such stimulants are needed, but it is not desirable for habitual use."

Doctor, You Are Much Against The Ordinary Spices Used By The Cooks, What About Tomato Catsup, Pickles, Etc.?

"As to tomato catsup, if it does not contain irritating substances other than the tomato, its use is not particularly objectionable, except where acids are harmful; but as to pickled cucumbers, onions, cabbage and olives, they are all tough', and if one cares to be free from aches and pains, he should let all of them alone."

You Have Not Mentioned Olive Oil, Doctor?

"There is no objection to olive oil, and it may, at times, be very useful, where such food is needed."

Are These All The Spices Or Condiments In General Use?

"All the important ones, although anise, fennel, parsley, sorrel, are used to some extent, but not enough to be of any particular injury or benefit either."

Then You Don't Advise The Use Of Flavoring Or Spices At All?

"There is one general objection to all of them, and that is this: they have a tendency to stimulate the appetite and cause one to eat too much, and as over-eating is a practice well-nigh universal and injurious, the things that favor it should not be encouraged."

Do I Understand From This That You Would Not Use Flavorings At All?

"I did not mean that, but they should be used to make those foods we do not like, but ought to eat, more palatable."

"Give us an illustration."

"A great many people suffer from uric acid headaches, the result of meat diet and constipation. Now, such persons may not care for cereals or coarse vegetables, and would, therefore, not eat them, to any considerable extent, because they do not like them. The proper use, then, for flavors, is to take the foods that such a person ought to eat, and flavor them so they would be agreeable. This would make the coarse cereals palatable, and if substituted for their meat diet, their headaches would disappear, and their health be entirely restored."