Vegetable Diet: As Sanctioned by Medical Men, and by Experience in All Ages Part 24

CHAPTER VII.

SOCIETIES AND COMMUNITIES ON THE VEGETABLE SYSTEM.

The Pythagoreans.--The Essenes.--The Bramins.--Society of Bible Christians.--Orphan Asylum of Albany.--The Mexican Indians.--School in Germany.--American Physiological Society.

GENERAL REMARKS.

The following chapter did not come within the scope of my plan, as it was originally formed. But in prosecuting the labors of preparing a volume on vegetable diet, it has more and more seemed to me desirable to add a short account of some of the communities and a.s.sociations of men, both of ancient and modern times, who, amid a surrounding horde of flesh-eaters, have withstood the power of temptation, and proved, in some measure, true to their own nature, and the first impulses of mercy, humanity, and charity. I shall not, of course, attempt to describe all the sects and societies of the kind to which I refer, but only a few of those which seem to me most important.

One word may be necessary in explanation of the term communities. I mean by it, smaller communities, or a.s.sociations. There have been, and still are, many whole nations which might be called vegetable-eating communities; but of such it is not my purpose to speak at present.

THE PYTHAGOREANS.

Pythagoras appears to have flourished about 550 years before Christ. He was, probably, a native of the island of Samos; but a part of his education, which was extensive and thorough, was received in Egypt. He taught a new philosophy; and, according to some, endeavored to enforce it by laying claim to supernatural powers. But, be this as it may have been, he was certainly a man of extraordinary qualities and powers, as well as of great and commanding influence. In an age of great luxury and licentiousness, he taught, both by example and precept, the most rigid doctrines of sobriety, temperance, and purity. He abstained from all animal food, and limited himself entirely to vegetables; of which he usually preferred bread and honey. Nor did he allow the free use of every kind of vegetable; for beans, and I believe every species of pulse, were omitted. Water was his only drink. He lived, it is said, to the age of eighty; and even then did not perish from disease or old age, but from starvation in a place where he had sought a retreat from the fury of his enemies.

His disciples are said to have been exceedingly numerous, in almost all quarters of the then known world, especially in Greece and Italy. It is impossible, however, to form any conjecture of their numbers. The largest school or a.s.sociation of his rigid followers is supposed to have been at the city of Crotona, in South Italy. Their number was six hundred. They followed all his dietetic and philosophical rules with the utmost strictness. The a.s.sociation appears to have been, for a time, exceedingly flouris.h.i.+ng. It was a society of philosophers, rather than of common citizens. They held their property in one common stock, for the benefit of the whole. The object of the a.s.sociation was chiefly to aid each other in promoting intellectual cultivation. Pythagoras did not teach abstinence from all hurtful food and drink, and an exclusive use of that which was the _best_, for the sole purpose of making men better, or more healthy, or longer-lived _animals_; he had a higher and n.o.bler purpose. It was to make them better rationals, more truly n.o.ble and G.o.d-like--worthy the name of rational men, and of the relation in which they stood to their common Father. And yet, after all, his doctrines appear to have been mingled with much bigotry and superst.i.tion.

THE ESSENES.

The following account of this singular sect of the ancient Jews is abridged from an article in the Annals of Education, for July, 1836. The number of this vegetable-eating sect is not known, though, according to Philo, there were four thousand of them in the single province of Judea.

"Pliny, says that the Essenes of Judea fed on the fruit of the palm-tree. But, however this may have been, it is agreed, on all hands, that, like the ancient Pythagoreans, they lived exclusively on vegetable food, and that they were abstinent in regard to the quant.i.ty even of this. They would not kill a living creature, even for sacrifices. It is also understood that they treated diseases of every kind--though it does not appear that they were subject to many--with roots and herbs.

Josephus says they were long-lived, and that many of them lived over a hundred years. This he attributes to their 'regular course of life,' and especially to 'the simplicity of their diet.'"

THE BRAMINS.

The Bramins, or Brahmins, are, as is probably well known, the first of the four _castes_ among the Hindoos. They are the priests of the people, and are remarkable, in their way, for their sanct.i.ty. Of their number I am not at present apprised, but it must be very great. But, however great it may be, they are vegetable eaters of the strictest sect. They are not even allowed to eat eggs; and I believe milk and its products are also forbidden them; but of this I am not quite certain. Besides adhering to the strictest rules of temperance, they are also required to observe frequent fasts of the most severe kind, and to practice regular and daily, and sometimes thrice daily ablutions. They subsist much on green herbs, roots, and fruits; and at some periods of their ministry, they live much in the open air. And yet those of them who are true Bramins--who live up to the dignity of their profession--are among the most healthy, vigorous, and long-lived of their race. The accounts of their longevity may, in some instances, be exaggerated; but it is certain that, other things being equal, they do not in this respect fall behind any other caste of their countrymen.

SOCIETY OF BIBLE CHRISTIANS.

This society has existed in Great Britain nearly half a century. They abstain from flesh, fish, and fowl--in short, from every thing that has animal life--and from all alcoholic liquors. Of their number in the kingdom I am not well informed. In Manchester they have three churches that have regular preachers; and frequent meetings have been held for discussing the diet question within a few years, some of which have been well attended, and all of which have been interesting. Among those who have adopted "the pledge" at their meetings, are some of the most distinguished men in the kingdom, and a few of the members of parliament. Through these and other instrumentalities, the question is fairly up in England, and will not cease to be discussed till fairly settled.

A branch or colony from the parent society, under the pastoral care of Rev. Wm. Metcalfe, consisting of only eight members, came in 1817 and established itself in Philadelphia. They were incorporated as a society in 1830. In 1846 the number of their church members was about seventy, besides thirty who adhered to their abstemious habits, but were not in full communion. During the thirty years ending in 1846, twelve of their number died--four children and eight adults. The average age of the latter was fifty-seven years. Of the seventy now belonging to the society, nineteen are between forty and eighty years of age; and forty, in all, over twenty-five. Of the whole number, twelve have abstained from animal food thirty-seven years, seven from twenty to thirty years, and fifty-one never tasted animal food or drank intoxicating drinks.

And yet they are all--if we except Mr. Metcalfe, their minister--of the laboring cla.s.s, and hard laborers, too. Their strength and power of endurance is fully equal to their neighbors in similar circ.u.mstances, and in several instances considerably superior. Mr. Fowler, the phrenologist, testifies, concerning one of them, that he is regarded as the strongest man in Philadelphia. I have long had acquaintance with this sect, through Mr. M., of Philadelphia, and Mr. Simpson, one of their leading men in England, and have not a doubt of the truth of what has been publicly stated concerning them. They are a modest people, and make few pretensions; and yet they are a very meritorious people.

One thing very much to their advantage, as it shows the health-giving, health-preserving tendency of their practice and principles, remains to be related. When the yellow fever prevailed in Philadelphia, in 1818 and 1819, the infection seemed specially rife in the immediate vicinity of the Bible Christians. So, also, in 1832, with the cholera. And yet none of them fled. There they remained during the whole period of suffering, and afforded their sick neighbors all the relief in their power. Their minister, in particular, was unwearied in his efforts to do good. Yet not one of their little number ever sickened or died of either yellow fever or cholera.

Till within a few years, they have been governed solely by regard to religious principle, having known little of Physiology or any other science bearing on health. Of late, however, they have turned their attention to the subject, and have among them a respectable Physiological society, which holds its regular meetings, and is said to be flouris.h.i.+ng.

From one of their publications, ent.i.tled "Vegetable Cookery," I have extracted the following very brief summary of their views concerning the use of animals for sustenance.

"The Society of Bible Christians abstain from animal food, not only in obedience to the Divine command, but because it is an observance, which, if more generally adopted, would prevent much cruelty, luxury, and disease, besides many other evils which cause misery in society. It would be productive of much good, by promoting health, long life, and happiness, and thus be a most effectual means of reforming mankind. It would entirely abolish that greatest of curses, _war_; for those who are so conscientious as not to kill animals, will never murder human beings.

On all these accounts the system cannot be too much recommended. The practice of abstaining cannot be wrong; it must therefore be some consolation to be on the side of duty. If we err, we err on the sure side; it is innocent; it is infinitely better authorized and more nearly a.s.sociated with religion, virtue, and humanity, than the contrary practice--and we have the sanction of the wisest and the best of men--of the whole Christian world, for several hundred years after the commencement of the Christian era."

ORPHAN ASYLUM OF ALBANY.

I cla.s.s this as a community, because it is properly so, and because I cannot conveniently cla.s.s it otherwise. The facts which are to be related are too valuable to be lost. They were first published, I believe, in the Northampton Courier; and subsequently in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, and in the Moral Reformer. In the present case, the account is greatly abridged.

The Orphan Asylum of Albany was established about the close of the year 1829, or the beginning of the year 1830. Shortly after its establishment, it contained seventy children, and subsequently many more. The average number, from its commencement to August 1836, was eighty.

For the first three years, the diet of the inmates consisted of fine bread, rice, Indian puddings, potatoes, and other vegetables and fruits, with milk; to which was added flesh or flesh-soup once a day.

Considerable attention was also paid to bathing and cleanliness, and to clothing, air, and exercise. Bathing, however, was performed in a perfect manner, only once in three weeks. As many of them were received in poor health, not a few continued sickly.

In the fall of 1833, the diet and regimen of the inmates were materially changed. Daily ablution of the whole body, in the use of the cold shower or sponge bath--or, in cases of special disease, the tepid bath was one of the first steps taken; then the fine bread was laid aside for that made of unbolted wheat meal; and soon after flesh and flesh-soups were wholly banished; and thus they continued to advance, till, in about three months more, they had come fully upon the vegetable system, and had adopted reformed habits in regard to sleeping, air, clothing, exercise, etc. On this course, then, they continued to August, 1836, and, for aught I know, to the present time. The results were as follows:

During the first three years, or while the old system was followed, from four to six children were continually on the sick list, and sometimes more; and one or two a.s.sistant nurses were necessary. A physician was needed once, twice, or three times a week, uniformly; and deaths were frequent. During this whole period there were between thirty and forty deaths.

After the new system was fairly adopted, the nursery was soon entirely vacated, and the services of the nurse and physician no longer needed; and for more than two years no case of sickness or death took place. In the succeeding twelve months there were three deaths, but they were new inmates, and were diseased when they were received; and two of them were idiots. The Report of the Managers says, "Under this system of dietetics (though the change ought not to be wholly attributed to the diet) the health of the children has not only been preserved, but those who came to the asylum weakly, have become healthy and strong, and greatly increased in activity, cheerfulness, and happiness." The superintendents also state, that "since the new regimen has been fully adopted, there has been a remarkable increase of health, strength, activity, vivacity, cheerfulness, and contentment among the children.

Indeed, they appear to be, uniformly, perfectly healthy and happy; and the strength and activity they exhibit are truly surprising. The change of temper is very great. They have become less turbulent, irritable, peevish, and discontented; and far more manageable, gentle, peaceable, and kind to each other." One of them further observes, "There has been a great increase in their mental activity and power; the quickness and ac.u.men of their perception, the vigor of their apprehension, and the power of their retention daily astonish me."

Such an account hardly needs comment; and I leave it to make its own impression on the candid and unbia.s.sed mind and heart of the reader.

THE MEXICAN INDIANS.

The Indian tribes of Mexico, according to the traveler Humboldt, live on vegetable food. A spot of ground, which, if cultivated with wheat, as in Europe, would sustain only ten persons, and which by its produce, if converted into pork or beef, would little more than support one, will in Mexico, when used for banana, sustain equally well two hundred and fifty.

The reader will do well to take the above fact, and the estimates appended to it, along with him when he comes to examine what I have called the economical argument of the great diet question, in our last chapter, under the head, "The Moral Argument." We shall do well to remember another suggestion of Humboldt, that the habit of eating animals diminishes our natural horror of cannibalism.

SCHOOL IN GERMANY.

There is, in the Annals of Education for August, 1836, an account of a school in which the same simple system which was pursued in the Orphan Asylum at Albany was adopted, and with the same happy results. I say the _same_ system; I believe plain meat was allowed occasionally, but it was seldom. Their food was exceedingly simple, consisting chiefly of bread and other vegetables, fruits and milk. Great attention was also paid to daily cold bathing. The following is the teacher's statement in regard to the results:

"I am at present the foster father of nearly seventy young people, who were born in all the varieties of climate from Lisbon to Moscow, and whose early education was necessarily very different. These young men are all healthy; not a single eruption is visible on their faces; and three years often pa.s.s, during which not a single one of them is confined to his bed; and in the twenty-one years that I have been engaged in this inst.i.tution, not one pupil has died. Yet, I am no physician. During the first ten years of my residence here, no physician entered my house; and, not till the number of my pupils was very much increased, and I grew anxious not to overlook any thing in regard to them, did I begin to seek at all for medical advice.

"It is the mode of treating the young men here, which is the cause of their superior health; and this is the reason why death has not yet entered our doors. Should we ever deviate from our present principles--should we approach nearer the mode of living common in wealthy families--we should soon be obliged to establish, in our inst.i.tution, as it is in others, medicine closets and nurseries. Instead of the freshness which now adorns the cheeks of our youth, paleness would appear, and our church-yards would contain the tombs of promising young men, who, in the bloom of their years, had fallen victims to disease."

THE AMERICAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

This a.s.sociation was formed in 1837. When first formed, it consisted of one hundred and twenty-four males, and forty-one females; in all, one hundred and sixty-five. Their number soon increased to more than two hundred.

Most of these individuals were more or less feeble, and a very large proportion of them were actually suffering from chronic disease when they became members of the society. Not a few joined it, indeed, as a last resort, after having tried every thing else, as drowning men are said to catch at straws.

Nearly if not quite all the members of this society, as well as most of their families, abstained for a time from animal food. Some of them even adopted the vegetable system a year or so earlier. And there were a few who adopted it much sooner--one or two of them eight years earlier.

Of the individuals belonging to the Physiological Society or to their families, and adhering to the same principles, two adults only died, and one child, during the first two years. I will not be quite positive, but there were four in all, two adults, and two children; but this was the extent of mortality among them for about fifteen months.