Meat, Or Mixed Diet (2)
A diet of meat alone, which has been advocated by some enthusiasts, has never in the slightest degree appealed to me. Though I have been willing to experiment on all sorts of theories in reference to diet, this exclusive meat theory always appeared to be entirely devoid of the slightest excuse for existence. The individuals who have held these theories have, no doubt, effected temporary cures in numerous cases, as the average individual, if confined to any one particular food, would usually recover under its influence for the simple reason that in nearly every case the principal cause of illness is overeating, and whenever one article of diet is used and all others avoided, the natural result is the quantity eaten is greatly lessened, and the entire system secures an opportunity to thoroughly cleanse itself. It might be well to note that these same persons who were able to recover under the influence of a meat diet would have recovered far quicker under the influence of no diet at all; in other words, by fasting. I have never met but one victim of the exclusive meat-diet theory, and his appearance would not by any means have influenced me favorably towards it. This man was at one time an athlete of great reputation, and his exclusive meat diet, together with other theories along dietetic lines, had simply reduced him a physical wreck. He was finally confined in an insane asylum as irresponsible, and afterwards died of consumption. I do not for a moment believe that the cause of all his troubles and untimely end was the meat diet solely, but I firmly believe that it had strong influence in bringing about these unsatisfactory results.
The question as to which diet is superior, the mixed or vegetarian diet, may be worthy of consideration, and each individual should settle it for himself and abide by his own conclusions, but the exclusive meat diet has not a single rational excuse which will uphold it.
