The Physiology of Taste by Brillat Savarin (bearly read books txt) 📖

excess of weight which intestines acquire as

soon as obesity causes them to deviate from the vertical line,

rests on the envelopes which compose the skin of the stomach. The

latter being susceptible of almost infinite distention, would be

unable to replace themselves, when this effort diminishes, if they

did not have a mechanical art, which, resting on the dorsal

column, becomes an antagonist, and restores equilibrium. This belt

has therefore the effect of preventing the intestines from

yielding to their actual weight, and gives a power to contract

when pressure is diminished. It should never be laid aside, or the

benefit it exerts in the day will be destroyed in the night. It is

not, however, in the least troublesome, and one soon becomes used

to it.

 

The belt also shows when we have eaten enough; and it should be

made with great care, and so contrived as to diminish as the

embonpoint decreases.

 

One is not forced to wear it all life long, and it may be laid

aside when the inconvenience is sufficiently reduced. A suitable

diet however, should be maintained. I have not worn it for six

years.

 

QUINQUINA.

 

One substance I think decidedly antiobesic. Many observations have

induced me to think so, yet I leave the matter in doubt, and

submit it to physicians.

 

This is quinquina.

 

Ten or twelve persons that I know, have had long intermittent

fevers; some were cured by old women’s remedies, powders, etc.

Others by the continued use of quinquina, which is always

effective.

 

All those persons of the same category, gradually regained their

obesity. Those of the second, lost their embonpoint, a

circumstance which leaves me to think the quinquina which produced

the last result had the effect I speak of.

 

Rational theory is not opposed to this deduction, for quinquina,

exciting all the vital powers, may give the circulation an impetus

which troubles all, and dissipates, the gas destined to become

fat. It is also shown that quinquina contains a portion of tannin

which is powerful enough to close the cells which contain grease.

It is possible that these two effects sustain each other.

 

These two ideas, the truth of which any one may understand, induce

me to recommend quinquina to all those who wish to get rid of

troublesome embonpoint. Thus dummodo annuerit in omni medicationis

genere doctissimi Facultatis professores. I think that after the

first month of any regimen, the person who wishes to get rid of

fat, should take every day before breakfast, a glass of white

wine, in which was placed a spoonful of coffee and red quinquina.

Such are the means I suggest to overcome a very troublesome

affection. I have accommodated them to human weakness and to our

manners.

 

In this respect the experimental truth is relied on, which teaches

that in proportion as a regime is vigorous, it is dangerous, for

he who does not follow it literally, does not follow it all.

 

Great efforts are rare, and if one wishes to be followed, men must

be offered things vacile, if not agreeable.

 

MEDITATION XXIII.

 

THINNESS.

 

DEFINITION.

 

THINNESS is the state of that individual, the muscular frame of

whom is not filled up by strength, and who exhibits all angles of

the long scaffolding.

 

VARIETIES.

 

There are two kinds of thinness; the first is the result of the

primitive disposition of the body, and is accompanied by health,

and a full use of the organic functions of the body. The second is

caused by the fact that some of the organs are more defective than

others, and give the individual an unhappy and miserable

appearance. I once knew young woman of moderate stature who only

weighed sixty-five pounds.

 

EFFECTS OF THINNESS.

 

Thinness is a matter of no great trouble to men. They have no less

strength, and are far more active. The father of the young woman I

spoke of, though, very thin, could seize a chair by his teeth and

throw it over his head.

 

It is, however, a terrible misfortune to women, to whom beauty is

more important than life, and the beauty of whom consists in the

roundness and graceful contour of their forms. The most careful

toilette, the most, sublime needle-work, cannot hide certain

deficiencies. It has been said that whenever a pin is taken from a

thin woman, beautiful as she may be, she loses some charm.

 

The thin have, therefore, no remedy, except from the interference

of the faculty. The regimen must be so long, that the cure must be

slow.

 

Women, however, who are thin, and who have a good stomach, are

found to be as susceptible of fat as chickens. A little time,

only, is necessary, for the stomach of chickens is comparatively

smaller, and they cannot be submitted to as regular a diet as

chickens are.

 

This is the most gentle comparison which suggested itself to me. I

needed one, and ladies will excuse me for the reason for which I

wrote this chapter.

 

NATURAL PREDESTINATION.

 

Nature varies its works, and has remedies for thinness, as it has

for obesity.

 

Persons intended to be thin are long drawn out. They have long

hands and feet, legs thin, and the os coxigis retroceding. Their

sides are strongly marked, their noses prominent, large mouths,

sharp chins and brown hair.

 

This is the general type, the individual elements may sometimes

vary; this however happens rarely.

 

Thin people sometimetimes eat a great deal. All I ever even talked

with, confess that they digest badly. That is the reason they

remain thin.

 

They are of every class and temperament. Some have nothing salient

either in feature or in form. Their eyes are inexpressive, their

lips pale, and every feature denotes a want of energy, weakness,

and something like suffering. One might almost say they seemed to

be incomplete, and that the torch of their lives had not been well

lighted.

 

FATTENING REGIMEN.

 

All thin women wish to be fat; this is a wish we have heard

expressed a thousand times. To render, then, this last homage to

the powerful sex, we seek to replace by folds of silk and cotton,

exposed in fashion shops, to the great scandal of the severe, who

turn aside, and look away from them, as they would from chimeras,

more carefully than if the reality presented themselves to their

eyes.

 

The whole secret of embonpoint consists in a suitable diet. One

need only eat and select suitable food.

 

With this regimen, our disposition to sleep is almost unimportant.

If you do not take exercise, you will be exposed to fatness. If

you do, you will yet grow fat.

 

If you sleep much, you will grow fat, if you sleep little, your

digestion will increase, and you will eat more.

 

We have then only to speak of the manner they who wish to grow fat

should live. This will not be difficult, according to the many

directions we have laid down.

 

To resolve this problem, we must offer to the stomach food which

occupies, but does not fatigue it, and displays to the assimilant

power, things they can turn into fat.

 

Let us seek to trace out the daily diet of a sylph, or a sylph

disposed to materialize itself.

 

GENERAL RULE. Much fresh bread will be eaten during the day, and

particular care will be taken not to throw away the crumbs.

 

Before eight in the morning, soup au pain or aux pates will be

taken, and afterwards a cup of good chocolate.

 

At eleven o’clock, breakfast on fresh broiled eggs, petit pates

cotelettes, and what you please; have eggs, coffee will do no

harm.

 

Dinner hour should be so arranged that one should have thoroughly

digested before the time comes to sit down at the table. The

eating of one meal before another is digested, is an abuse.

 

After dinner there should be some exercise; men as much as they

can; women should go into the Tuilleries, or as they say in

America, go shopping. We are satisfied that the little gossip and

conversation they maintain is very healthful.

 

At times, all should take as much soup, potage, fish, etc., and

also meat cooked with rice and macaronies, pastry, creams, etc.

 

At dessert such persons should eat Savoy biscuits, and other

things made up of eggs, fecula, and sugar.

 

This regimen, though apparently circumscribed, is yet susceptible

of great variety: it admits the whole animal kingdom, and great

care is necessarily taken in the seasoning and preparation of the

food presented. The object of this is to prevent disgust, which

prevents any amelioration.

 

Beer should be preferred—if not beer, wines from Bourdeaux or

from the south of France.

 

One should avoid all acids, except salads. As much sugar as

possible should be put on fruits and all should avoid cold baths.

One should seek as long as possible, to breathe the pure country

air, eat many grapes when they are in season, and never go to the

ball for the mere pleasure of dancing.

 

Ordinarily one should go to bed about eleven, P. M., and never,

under any circumstances, sit up more than an hour later.

 

Following this regime resolutely, all the distractions of nature

will soon be repaired. Health and beauty will both be advanced,

and accents of gratitude will ring in the ears of the professor.

 

Sheep are fattened, as are oxen, lobsters and oysters. Hence, I

deduce the general maxim; viz: “He that eats may be made fat,

provided that the food be chosen correctly, and according to the

physiology of the animal to be fattened.”

 

MEDITATION XXIV.

 

FASTING.

 

DEFINITION.

 

FASTING is a moral abstinence from food, from some religious or

moral influence.

 

Though contrary to our tastes and habits, it is yet of the

greatest antiquity.

 

ORIGIN.

 

Authors explain the matter thus:

 

In individual troubles, when a father, mother, or beloved child

have died, all the household is in mourning. The body is washed,

perfumed, enbalmed, and buried as it should be—none then think of

eating, but all fast.

 

In public calamites, when a general drought appears, and cruel

wars, or contagious maladies come, we humble ourselves before the

power that sent them, and mortify ourselves by abstinence.

Misfortune ceases. We become satisfied that the reason was that we

fasted, and we continue to have reference to such conjectures.

 

Thus it is, men afflicted with public calamities or private ones,

always yield to sadness, fail to take food, and in the end, make a

voluntary act, a religious one.

 

They fancied they should macerate their body when their soul was

oppressed, that they could excite the pity of the gods. This idea

seized on all nations and filled them with the idea of mourning,

prayers, sacrifice, abstinence, mortification, etc.

 

Christ came and sanctified fasting. All Christian sects since then

have adopted fasting more or less, as an obligation.

 

HOW PEOPLE USED TO FAST.

 

The practice of fasting, I am sorry to say, has become very rare;

and whether for the education of the wicked, or for their

conversion, I am glad to tell how we fast now in the XVIII.

century.

 

Ordinarily we breakfast before nine o’clock, on bread, cheese,

fruit and cold meats.

 

Between one and two P. M., we take soup or pot au feu according to

our positions.

 

About four, there is a little lunch kept up for the benefit of

those people who belong to other ages, and for children.

 

About eight there was a regular supper, with entrees roti

entremets dessert: all shared in it, and then went to bed.