(seq. 35)

26

Materia Alimentaria

Sugar

scurvy may sometimes be brought on by a vegitable diet if it contained
oxygen; he found that two pints of water was necessary while
living on sugar, and a much smaller quantity when he
changed his diet. I have heard of a case of scurvy that occurred
for the first time under a vegitable diet. Some authors assert
that sugar will prevent the Yellow Fever, this I am convinced
is groundless from my own observations. Its occurring more
seldom now than a few centuries ago has been attributed to
a change of diet I am not of this opinion indeed I have seen
severe affections of this kind attack persons under a strict
vegitable diet. Sugars has been charged with injuring the
teeth but without foundation, for I think I have known
it to do service and whenever it has done harm it was
when the Enamel was injured. In Scotland and other
Countries where sugar is plentifully used their teeth are
generally verry good. I am acquainted with a gentleman
who used much sugar and had a new set of teeth at
the age of eighty four. But I do not suppose sugar is
inoffensive to all animals on the contrary some are
destroyed by it, it is a verry good anthelmintic, destroying