A treatise on the public health, climate, hygeine [sic], and prevailing diseases, of Bengal and the North-West Provinces / By Kenneth Mackinnon.
- MacKinnon, Kenneth
- Date:
- 1848
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A treatise on the public health, climate, hygeine [sic], and prevailing diseases, of Bengal and the North-West Provinces / By Kenneth Mackinnon. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![even below tins standard. I can have no hesitation in stating that at all seasons, hut especially during the cold weather, the diet should he increased, and that at all times there should be much more variety. “ Notwitlistanding that bread is denomi- nated the staff of life, alone it does not a|)pear to he cap'ahle of supporting prolonged human existence.”* In fact no diet can he liealthy that does not give a change of nutritive substances. Wheat it is true contains most of the constituents of the tissues, hut not all of them. Five ounces per week, or about three hundred and forty grains per diem, is the supposed usual con- 8umi)tion of salt. To reduce that to ninety grains, a|ipears to me a dangerous experiment ; as a condiment, it is more ne- cessary than in cold countries, and this article is a constituent part of the blood and of the animal organized tissues, hut not of vegetables. This last fact is im|)ortant. It is opposed to the opinion of all writers on diet, only to give one meal a day. There should be two cooked meals at least. 'Phis, and that a ])risoner on hard labor should be allowed twenty-two and half chittacks, or forty-five ounces of food, per diem, was, in the opinion of the Medical Board, essential to preserve the health of prisoners, as recorded by Mr. Hutchinson, in bis work on jails. It must not be lost sight of that it is now well ascertained that prisoners recpiire more food according to their term of confinement, and the E nglish dietaries are now modified accordingly. The health of the Ntitive Army has next to be alluded to. If we were to form our estimate here of the importance of the subject by the mere casualty lists, it would be a great mistake. It is a loss to Government every hour a Sepoy is in hospital, and we must remember, how many men of the Native Army go to the Invalids from the effects of sickness. The mortality in the whole .\rmy is tiot above 1 ^ per cent, and if we excluded Bengal, which may be called foreign service, there would not Author's opi- nion on diet. More salt and food, and two cooked meals a tlay, considered necessary. Opinion of the Medical Board. Health of the Native Army. Rate per cent of mortality. * Pareira.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2870874x_0053.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
