Part 3

Dinner should not be eaten too early; that the appetite may not be violent for supper: The older we grow, the more our food should be diminished. This was the practice of Hippocrates; and by the observance of it, Cornaro lived to his extreme age.

With respect to supper, the lighter it is the better: though we do not agree with those who advise the omitting that meal intirely. Moderation is the rule of health. They were in the right who declared the mischief of heavy suppers; but the poets have long since told us what sort of people those are, who, in avoiding a fault, rush into its contrary. There is a medium sure between a heavy supper, and emptiness; and that is best. Let the old man eat liquids; and of all liquid diets, those which are partly composed of milk are best for him.

The digestive faculties in an old man are weak; but milk is in a manner ready digested. He wants an easy nourishment; and this affords it; without loading the stomach, or oppressing it during the hours of rest.

Asses milk is most easy of digestion: a pint of that, with a small toast, eaten two hours before bed-time, will be nourishing; and sit easy on the stomach. The value of asses milk is its lightness: that of the cow is richer and heavier. Those who use the latter in the country, should mix it first with an equal quantity of soft water: in London this care is unnecessary, those who sell milk do it for them.

There are many other methods in which milk is proper: milk pottage, and thin rice milk, will give a change. But some farther pleasing variety need not be denied. Weak broths of veal, chicken, and mutton, may be eat occasionally; and Jellies honestly made at home, are proper, safe, and wholesome.

These things will answer the two purposes of nourishing, and moistening; for aged persons are naturally too dry.

The breakfast is not very important. Those who eat no supper are too hungry in a morning; and the stomach being loaded with what they take at that time, is the less able to digest a dinner. This is the reason we advice old persons to eat suppers, of a right kind; these take off the too keen edge of the morning’s appetite; and there will remain just so much desire to eat, as will lead them to get a little into the stomach without loading it.

Men may fast away their appetite; and their power of digestion goes with it. The conduct of the appetite regulates the health; and this is a point not enough regarded.

It is as essential not to keep the stomach empty, as it is not to overload it. Wind is the consequence of emptiness; and this always disturbs its office. It should be constantly kept at its due employment in advanced periods of life; and this by small quantities of proper food.

Therefore breakfasts are as necessary as suppers: only those who are troubled with phlegm should eat less at this meal than others. A cup of chocolate, not made too strong, is a good breakfast. Coffee I cannot advise generally: but the exceptions against tea are in a great measure groundless.

If an elderly person likes tea, he need not deny it to himself for breakfast. Let him use the plain green sort of sixteen shillings a pound, and make it well; taking care the water boils, and allowing so much tea that it may be of sufficient strength, without standing too long upon the leaves.

Let him drink three moderate cups, with a little sugar and a good deal of milk; and take it neither too hot, nor mawkishly cool. Let him eat with it a thin slice or two of good bread, with a little butter: and he will find all this nourishing and excellent.

The virtues of tea thus drank are as considerable, as its bad qualities when ill managed. In this manner, it strengthens the stomach, and assists digestion: it keeps the body from emptiness, without loading it: the appetite for dinner will be the better for it; and the digestion will be also more perfect. Tea in this quantity is sufficient also for the great purpose of diluting; and it refreshes the spirits more than any other liquid.

The best drink at meals is malt liquor, not too strong: small ale is better than table-beer; because it will keep to a due time for safe use.

Some wine is necessary to old men: and according to the constitution, and former manner of life, more may be born by some without inconvenience. Of all wines sack is the best, if it can be obtained genuine; and the next best is mountain.

As occasion shall require, the supper foods here directed may be used by way of dinner; and broths may even be necessary sometimes for breakfast. When the stomach cannot digest solids, these liquid nourishments should supply the place: and when more nourishing things are wanted, a broth breakfast is excellent. Vipers are extolled, but ’tis an idle fancy: I have found, on repeated trials, broth of veal, and chickens, is much better.

CHAP. IV.

Of the foods persons in years should avoid.

Every thing that is heavy, and hard of digestion, must be avoided. Tho’ vegetables may be thought innocent; too much of them will in some cases prove hurtful: and there are certain kinds that should be let alone entirely.

Carrots are to be avoided, no weak stomach can digest them: turnips are innocent; and parsnips are nourishing.

Salads should be shunned: cabbage, and all its kinds, breed wind; but asparagus is diuretic; and is excellent against that common old man’s complaint, the gravel.

Bad cheese should be avoided; and there is nothing worse than eating too much butter: but very fine Cheshire cheese; or the Parmezan in a small quantity after other food, are not amiss.

All sharp-tasted things, whether in food or drink, are carefully to be shunned. They cannot be neutral upon the stomach; and they are much more likely to do harm than good.

Fruits of a due ripeness, are innocent; and much more good than this may be said of them: unripe, they hurt the stomach, and often bring on dangerous cholics.

Cucumbers weaken the digestion; and greatly prevent the natural and necessary secretions.

The pine-apple, the most pleasant of all fruits, is one of the most dangerous: its sharpness fleas the mouth; and we know what effect such a thing must have upon the stomach and bowels, when weakened by age. I have known it bring on bloody fluxes, which have been fatal. There are several kinds of this fruit; somewhat differing in quality; and a perfect degree of ripeness, in a great measure, takes off its worst effects: but these are nice distinctions: he who is wise will judge as he does of mushrooms: where many are dangerous; avoid all.

Beside rejecting things which are hurtful in themselves, those who are advanced in years would be upon their guard against all such as they are not accustomed to.

Particular constitutions will shew unforeseen aversions to peculiar medicines; and it is the same in foods. Let him who knows what agrees with him stick to it. Change is always wrong; and it may be hazardous: and ’tis idle to run into the way of danger, where there is no advantage.