A treatise on food and diet : with observations on the dietetical regimen suited for disordered states of the digestive organs : and an account of the dietaries of some of the principal metropolitan and other establishments for paupers, lunatics, criminals, children, the sick, &c / by Jonathan Pereira ; edited by Charles A. Lee.

  • Jonathan Pereira
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on food and diet : with observations on the dietetical regimen suited for disordered states of the digestive organs : and an account of the dietaries of some of the principal metropolitan and other establishments for paupers, lunatics, criminals, children, the sick, &c / by Jonathan Pereira ; edited by Charles A. Lee. 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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    of the metamorphosed tissues. In the saliva there is found an alkaline sulphocyanide ; and in consequence of the presence of this salt, the saliva possesses the property of red- dening the sesquisalta of iron. The sulphuretted hydrogen found in the alimen- tary canal is perhaps often produced by the action of decomposing organic matters on sulphates.* Metallic matter kept in the mouth becomes discolored by the action of sulphur on it. Thus the gold plates used to support artificial teeth, and the amalgam of silver, some- times employed to fill the hollows of decayed teeth, become incrusted with a film of metallic sulphuret. Moreover, the leaden blue line, which borders the edges of the gums attached to the necks of the teeth, in persons whose constitutions are under the influ- ence of lead,f is probably sulphuret of lead. The system derives its sulphur from ani- mal, vegetable, and mineral substances, used as food. Thus flesh, eggs, and milk, con- tain it. Vegetable fibrine, (as of com,) vegetable albumen, (as of almonds, nuts, cauli- flowers, asparagus, and turnips,) and vegetable caseine, (as of peas and beans,) contain it. Lastly, sulphur, in the form of sulphate of lime, is a constituent of common and spring water. Celery, rice, hops, ginger, and many other vegetable substances, contain sulphur. Though most culinary vegetables contain sulphur, yet in the Crucifercc it is especially abundant. Asafcetida, which contains sulphur, is sometimes used as a condiment; and is considered by some oriental nations as foodfor ihegods.\ An infusion of while mustard strikes a blood-red color with the persalts of iron, owing to the presence of sulphosinapisine. By this character white mustard is readily distin- guished from black mustard. Both kinds of mustard-flour charred in a tube evolve a sulphuretted vapor, which blackens paper moistened with a solution of acetate of lead. In the same way sulphur may be detected in cabbage, potatoes, and many other vegetable foods. If peas or almonds be boiled in a solution of caustic potash, and then hydrochloric acid be added, the evolved vapor blackens paper moistened with a solution of lead, thus showing that these seeds contained sulphur. The quantity of sulphur contained in various alimentary substances is as follows:— * An eminent chemical philosopher tells me that he is always much troubled with the evolution of this gas after the use of sulphate of magnesia, (Epsom salts.) That organic matter, in a state of decom- position, possesses the power of decomposing sulphates, is now fully established. 3Iany years since, my friend, Mr. Pepys, (Trans, of the Geological Society, vol. i. 399,) showed that by the mutual action of animal matter, and a solution of sulphate of iron, the latter is de-oxidated, sulphur, sulphuret of iron, and black oxide of iron, being formed. My friend, Professor Darnell, (Loud. Edinb. and Dub. Phil. Mag., July, 1841,) has also shown that alkaline sulphates are decomposed by decomposing organic matters. From his statements it appears that the waters upon the western coast of Africa, to an extent of 40 000 square miles, are impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen, to an amount, in some places, exceeding that of some of the most celebrated sulphur springs in the world ; and he suggests that the existence of this deleterious gas in the atmosphere, which must necessarily accompany its solution in the waters, may be connected with the awful miasma which has hitherto proved fatal to the explorers and settlers of the deadly shores of Africa, as well as of other places. The origin of the sulphuretted hydrogen of sea and some other waters, has been ascribed by Dr. Marcet, {Phil. Trans. 1819, p. 195,) Mr. Malcolmson, (Trans. of the Geological Society, 2d Ser., vol. v., p. 564, Lond. 1840,) Dr. A. Fontan, (Ann. de Chim. ct de Physique, July, 1840,) and Professor Daniel], to the decomposition of sulphates contained in the water, by putrify- ing vegetable matter. t See Dr. Burton's paper on this subject, in the Mcdico-Chirurgical Transactions, 2d Series, vol. v. p. 63. 1840. t See my Elements of Materia Medica, vol. ii. p. 1456, et seq. 2d edit. Also Burnes's Travels vol. i. p. 143; and vol. ii. p. 243.