THE FAST WAY TO HEALTH /MeriAta THE FAST WAY 
TO 
HEALTH / 
Being, as to the first part, an exposition of 
the Fasting Cure and its application to 
prevalent disorders, and, as to the 
second part, a treatise on 
Food, together with 
Diets for the 
Well 
BY 
DR. FRANK McCOY 
Los Angeles 
Times-Mirror Press 
1923 Copyright, 1923 
Dr. Frank McCoy 
Los Angeles, Calif. AUTHOR’S PREFACE 
The author of this book is one who believes that disease 
is not accidental, but is caused in every case by destructive 
habits, and that good habits must be substituted for bad 
ones in order to effect the permanent cure of any disease. Bad 
habits of thought, insufficient exercise, and innumerable other 
errors of life must be considered as contributing causes, but above 
all, dietetic mistakes must be corrected. The body is composed 
of material substances which can only be obtained from food, and 
the health of the physical organism depends more upon the 
proper use of food elements than upon any other single consid- 
eration. The office of the physician should be to teach the science 
of Health, and this I have been doing for many years through 
various writings in magazines, on the lecture platform, and in 
my private practice, but sheer pressure of circumstances has 
forced me to publish this work containing the invaluable facts 
of my dietetic experience and observation. 
The need of a good, simple, and easily understood work on 
dietetics (such as I believe this to be) was apparent enough, 
and I had been considering the writing of it for some years. 
At the same time the astonishing results I was getting in the 
course of my everyday practice through the application of the 
principle of Fasting to the cure of common ailments confirmed 
me in my belief that wffien and what not to eat were quite as 
important as when and what to eat; that they were really nega- 
tive and positive aspects of the same subject; and that it would 
be as logical to combine them together in a work of this kind as 
it would be illogical to treat of one only and not the other. 
Hence the plan of the book as you find it. 
That men and women wanted such a book there was no lack 
of evidence, and that I might wu*ite it for them was an elevating 
thought that had been dwelling in my mind for years. And there (like, so many thoughts of the kind) it might have con- 
tinued to dwell had not Fate taken a hand in the business. 
People began to write to me from different parts of the 
country for advice, and a practice originally started and car- 
ried on by personal interview began to develop into treatment 
by mail, with all the onerous duties thus entailed. To tell pa- 
tients all they wanted to know involved an amount of letter and 
report writing that began to assume formidable proportions. 
It soon became evident that the obvious thing to do was to em- 
body the information in the form of a book, to be given to pa- 
tients undergoing treatment and to such others as might be 
interested. This would provide a record of the rules and infor- 
mation desired in a permanent and lasting form, and one to 
which more respect and consideration might be shown than to 
anything in letters or pamphlets. The book therefore simply 
had to be written; and it was written. 
I am not a writer of fiction, and the information contained in 
this book is based upon facts and not fancies. Other health sub- 
jects of importance other than dietary are referred to but not 
elaborated upon, as this would have been impossible in a book 
of this nature, and these must be reserved for future publications. 
I have intentionally refrained from referring to other writers 
and authorities, as I am sure that such references only tend to 
distract the mind of the reader from the point of view as it 
seems to me. No space is taken up by needless tables of food 
values, and the caloric standard is not even explained, as I find 
it of no real value in dietotherapy, but only bewilders the pa- 
tient with unnecessary information. While it is hoped that 
the reading of this volume will be interesting, it is only the 
practice of the rules laid down that will bring the desired results 
in the cultivation of more abundant health. 
Frank McCoy. 
Los Angeles, January, 1923. CONTENTS 
PART I 
Chapter Page 
I—Disease and its Causes 11 
II—The Fast Way 15 
III—Common Disorders and their Treatment 23 
Acne 23 
Anemia 25 
Appendicitis 30 
Asthma - 35 
Auto-Toxemia 40 
Backache 44 
Biliousness or Torpid Liver 50 
Bladder Inflammation (Cystitis) 53 
Blood Pressure, High 57 
Blood Pressure, Low 60 
Bright’s Disease 63 
Bronchitis 67 
Catarrh and Hay Fever 70 
Circulation—Defective 72 
Constipation 75 
Deafness 80 
Diabetes 82 
Digestive Disorders 85 
Eczema and Psoriasis 91 
Epilepsy 93 
Female Genital Derangements 98 
Fevers 107 
Flatulence 114 
Gallstones 118 
Goitre 123 
Headache 127 
Heart Derangements 131 
Hernia or Rupture 137 
Insomnia or Sleeplessness 141 
Kidney Stone 145 
Mastoiditis 147 
Obesity 150 
Prolapsus, or Sagging of Organs 156 
Rectal Troubles 161 
Rheumatism 164 
Chronic Tonsillitis 171 
Tuberculosis of the Lungs 174 
Varicose Veins 181 PART II 
Chapter Page 
1—Evolution of Diet 184 
II—Proteid Food 191 
III—Starches 213 
IY—Cooked Non,-Starchy Vegetables 234 
Y—Soups 246 
VI—Uncooked Salad Vegetables 249 
VII—Fruits 260 
VIII—Desserts 267 
IX—Milk 270 
X—Toasted Food 275 
XI—Liquids 280 
XII—Sugar 286 
XIII— Food Combinations 289 
XIV— Menus 296 
XV—Children’s Diet 300 
XVI—Some Rules on Eating 305 
XVII—Suggestions for Daily Regime 309 
XVIII—Bathing 313 
XIX—Exercise and Digestion 317 
XX—Mind and Digestion 323 PART I 
Chaptek I 
DISEASE AND ITS CAUSES 
The study of Health and Disease, which in these days 
has risen to the dignity of a science, may be said to be 
the classified knowledge of common human experience. 
No instrument or apparatus has so far been devised 
either by the ablest scientist or the most renowned in- 
ventor which can approach even closely, in delicacy of 
operation, the mechanism of the human organism, with 
its enormous range of functional power. Nature appar- 
ently created in man the very highest possible medium 
for the expression of divine intelligence. 
A study of mankind therefore necessitates infinite 
research before there can be any degree of comprehension 
of the laws by which the creative force has taken the 
smallest electrons and made of them a fitting temple for 
the soul of man. It is apparent enough that the infant, 
thrust without any choice of his into a world of difficulty 
and danger, is governed by laws of which he himself is 
completely ignorant, but that he is at the same time en- 
dowed with an innate capacity for the development of 
reasoning powers, through the instrumentality of which 
he will ultimately be able to choose the path in life which 
will lead to the highest achievement and the most com- 
plete personal success. From somewhere out of the 
eternal the heart has learned to beat, the digestive organs 
to assimilate nourishment, and the cells to perform the 
necessary changes known as metabolism. It has always 
seemed to me that the greatest study should be devoted 
to mastering the knowledge of how to live so as not to in- 
terfere with the normal order of the natural processes. 12 
The Fast Way to Health 
For the condition we call “disease” (lack of ease) origi- 
nates in every case because of a blocking of some function 
of the body through habits of life which conflict with the 
laws of nature. 
Nature is orderly, but not unkind or revengeful, and 
we have only ourselves to blame if we permit destructive 
habits to conflict with the fixed and inexorable rules of 
an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Creator. 
If we suffer, the greatest folly is to believe it is because of 
our ‘ ‘ stars ’ ’ or fate, and not through some fault of our 
own. After all, our conscious habits of life are of our own 
choosing, and these should be made to harmonize with the 
never-changing order of divine law. 
The ability to be able to point out every factor which 
can operate in producing disease in a patient is both an 
art and a science, involving as it does nothing less than a 
complete study of the patient’s entire life and habits. A 
classification of some at least of the principal of such 
causes may be made in a book of this nature, and these, it 
is felt, can hardly fail to be of inestimable value to the 
earnest seeker after truth, by giving him a solid founda- 
tion of fact to work upon in his researches, and furnishing 
him with material from which an enormous amount of 
good can be obtained. 
My experience and observation have convinced me 
that the most potent causes in the interference with health 
are the following:— 
First: First and foremost in the cause of disease is 
the congestion of blood containing morbid material in 
organs or tissues of the body. In simple language, this 
thickened blood, surcharged with the products of imper- 
fect metabolism, finds itself unable to pass as freely 
through certain parts of the body as is necessary for per- 
fect health, and, becoming gradually dammed up in Disease and its Causes 
13 
organs or tissues, produces an engorgement, which inter- 
feres with the free and natural functioning of that par- 
ticular part. There are few of the disorders from which 
mankind suffers where this condition is not present, and 
it is no exaggeration to say that it is the principal cause 
of all disease. 
This condition of the blood stream is brought about 
by: the use of more food than the body actually 
requires for its repair and growth; improper kinds of 
food elements, used in excess; and insufficient exercise 
of the muscles so that the nourishment assimilated may 
be completely used up. This is one of the main causes of 
growths such as tumors and cancers, and likewise of those 
diseases which manifest themselves by copious dis- 
charges from the mucous membranes, such as tubercu- 
losis, bronchitis, ovarian and womb disorders, and leu- 
corrhea. It follows, in consequence, that the cure depends 
upon the elimination of this congestion, and a readjust- 
ment of the habits governing eating, exercising, etc., so 
that the body may be freed from the encumbrance. In 
this connection the fasting cure is so effective in produc- 
ing quick results that the change experienced by the suf- 
ferer is hardly less marked than that felt by the prisoner 
when the ball and chain have been removed from his 
ankles. It has to be experienced to be properly under- 
stood and appreciated. 
Second: Enervation is a condition found to be pres- 
ent in many diseases, and it is caused principally by a 
waste of nerve energy. The human body might be de- 
scribed as a radiating transformer of universal energy, 
but through wrong habits of thought and action large vol- 
umes of this energy are diverted into channels where it 
is wasted, and normal functioning is impeded because of 
insufficient power being sent to those parts where it is The Fast Way to Health 
14 
most needed. The exercise of any of the destructive emo- 
tions is perhaps as powerful a cause as any of this waste 
of power, and if one gives way to fear, worry, jealousy, 
anger, etc., an enormous expenditure of energy is in- 
volved, which, if taken up in this way, is not available for 
use elsewhere. And this results sooner or later in 
impairment of some part of the system. 
Eye strain must be avoided by anyone who is desirous 
of building up strength, and it will frequently be neces- 
sary to wear suitable glasses in order to relieve unneces- 
sary effort in using the eyes. I find that too much shop- 
ping in crowded stores has a very enervating effect, and 
patients must be cautioned against this habit. Physical 
culture exercises, on the other hand, seem to be of re- 
markable assistance in building up energy, and the body 
is apparently recharged after systematic calisthenics. 
Whereas most kinds of work are enervating, graduated 
exercises, taken with a definite object in view, will be pro- 
ductive of very beneficial results. 
Enervation can also be brought on through the irrita- 
tion produced by disagreeable sounds, odors, sights, 
tastes and feelings, from which it will be apparent that 
there is great wisdom in quiet, well regulated ways of liv- 
ing. Enervation is one of the principal causes of auto- 
intoxication, as the eliminative processes simply must be 
provided with energy enough to enable them to expel the 
normal wastes of the body, and if this is interfered with 
some form of poisoning is the inevitable result, and the 
patient becomes ill. Health gives way to disease, which 
may necessitate for its cure a far greater expendi- 
ture of time, energy, effort, and expense than would 
have been necessary in devising and following suitable 
habits and regulations for a healthy and proper life. 
Keep well. You will find that it pays. Chapter II 
THE FAST WAY 
Voluntary abstinence from food as a method for the 
cure of disease, is as old as animal life itself. We find 
unmistakable evidence that the lower forms of animal 
and bird life have instinctively chosen this means of 
restoring themselves to the normal whenever it was neces- 
sary. The pristine struggle for the “Survival of the Fit- 
test” made it imperative that when the opportunity came 
for satisfying the cravings of hunger, the fortunate win- 
ner in the contest should satiate himself to the utmost 
with the food at his immediate disposal, and gorging upon 
the fruits of conquest seems to have been a reasonable 
procedure for primitive man whose sustenance was hard 
to obtain and difficult to preserve, both against putre- 
faction and the attacks of his neighbor who was no less 
eagerly desirous of satisfying his hunger for food. 
As man’s intelligence increased, he became more and 
more a ruler over nature, and we see him in the agricul- 
tural age learning how to store away, cunningly, grain 
and tubers, and even finally to preserve by drying the 
flesh of animals so as to be able to put away provisions for 
use as desired. When nutritious food became plentiful 
the cravings of hunger became less, and the cultivation of 
epicurean appetites for tasty dishes became more and 
more a vice, from which man has actually suffered in a 
greater degree than from the forced hunger of his primor- 
dial struggle against nature. 
The way has been long down the pathway of time from 
our savage ancestors to the highly evolved man of this 
age, but who can imagine what advancement could have 16 
The Fast Way to Health 
been obtained if the human race had learned the benefits 
that conld be secured spiritually, mentally, and physically 
through the control of false appetites! Here and there 
through the years that have gone, some calm soul has 
paused for a while to raise his voice in protest against 
sensual gratifications, hut the mad crowd have little 
heeded the words or the spirit of such teachings, and have 
struggled on in their pursuit of Power over everything 
but themselves; making of their bellies the graveyards of 
their souls. 
Such spiritual teachers as Krishna, Moses, Christ, 
Buddha, and Mahomet have awakened the minds of their 
followers in some degree to the moral and ethical desir- 
ability of control over sensual pleasures, but I believe a 
knowledge of the wealth of good effects ito be derived 
from the practice of temperate ways will come more abun- 
dantly to those who understand that the practice of good 
habits will bring about rapid physical changes which will 
make for more immediate happiness here and now. 
The earliest physicians and healers were practically 
united in teaching that good health depended upon ab- 
stemious living, and many of the early writers and teach- 
ers advocated the practice of denying food to the body 
that was suffering from disease. Through the centuries 
thousands of teachers have come and gone with their cir- 
cles of disciples who have practised fasting for the cure 
of disease, but because of the necessarily strict regime 
to be followed, the majority of sufferers have either not 
been informed of this treatment by their physicians, or 
have passed the method by because of their belief in 
easier systems, or a conviction that it seemed like a 
Utopian dream. Our libraries are so full of books writ- 
ten upon this subject that the diligent seeker after the 
truth cannot fail to be interested in the published works The Fast Way 
17 
of such writers as Dewey, Haskell, Tanner, Carrington, 
Hazard, Eales, Sinclair, Macfadden, Tilden, Brook, and 
a host of other earnest investigators whose findings 
and sincerity of purpose cannot be questioned. 
I have made a most exhaustive study of every method 
of cure from mind cure to modern surgery and gland 
therapy, and I have never found a single method that 
could approach even closely, in its results, the benefits 
which come from some form of the fasting cure. It is 
not my desire in this treatise on the subject to present to 
my readers an encyclopedia of Fasting and Diet, but 
rather to give them the results of my personal observa- 
tion and investigation, and the lessons they seem to me 
to convey. 
As the word “Fasting” may mean any restriction or 
regulation of food and drink, there are in consequence 
many different methods and degrees of fasting, from the 
elimination of one kind of food to complete abstinence 
from any food or drink whatsoever. Several bodily 
changes will be noted during the course of a fast which 
account for the remarkable results which follow this 
method of treatment. These are:— 
First: Fasting gives the body a chance to cleanse 
itself of the accumulation of the products of imperfect 
metabolism due to the over-injection of food which the 
body could not use for building or repair material. As 
assimilation is retarded, elimination proceeds with in- 
creased activity, and the body is truly “house-cleaning” 
itself. 
Second: The rest given the digestive organs is no 
doubt of great benefit to the person who has “lived not 
wisely but too well. ’ ’ Digestive and assimilative strength 
is increased to a marked degree if the stomach and intes- 
tines are allowed to pause in their work, that work which 18 
The Fast Way to Health 
has been going on night and day for so many years; and 
normal functioning is thus re-established. 
Third: Normal hunger soon returns for simple, 
nourishing food, and replaces the cravings of an appetite 
which has known no satisfaction. One never experiences 
the natural sensation of hunger until disease is overcome. 
Diseases cured: As fasting is undertaken with the 
object of giving the body a chance to cure itself, it can be 
used in some form in the treatment of every acute or 
chronic disorder. I do not know of a disease where fast- 
ing is contra-indicated. In the following chapters I shall 
discuss the treatment as applied in the common disorders 
where the results have been most startling. 
General Conduct of a Complete Fast: In the conduct 
of the complete fast, all food is denied the body and the 
patient is allowed only water as a beverage. As a rule 
the amount of water taken is governed by the thirst of 
the patient, which is usually a reliable guide, but in cer- 
tain fevers it seems wise to force the water-drinking to 
the utmost, and in the case of the patient’s inability to 
swallow, through constriction of the esophagus or loss of 
mental powers, it is necessary to administer the water in 
the form of a slow enema or a “Murphy Drip.” 
Fnemas: The best results can only he achieved if the 
colon is washed once or twice daily with an enema of 
warm water. This is best taken in the knee-chest posi- 
tion, allowing the water to flow slowly to avoid cramping. 
Use only plain warm water without the addition of soap 
or other irritating material. Retain the water in the 
colon for five or ten minutes while lying on the back, then 
sitting on the toilet, permit it to leave as slowly as pos- 
sible, thus avoiding injury to the rectal membrane. No 
normal bowel movements will occur during the fast, but 
the elimination of toxins will proceed with more intensity The Fast Way 
19 
if this bulk of water is given to the colon to aid it in ex- 
pelling the effete poisons which are constantly accumu- 
lating. 
Bathing: As the action of the skin is one of the most 
important eliminative functions of the body, it is neces- 
sary that suitable measures be used to increase its per- 
formance. Shower or sponge baths of tepid water seem 
to get the best results for this purpose, and are preferable 
to warm tub baths, which are enervating and contra- 
indicated for anyone who is attempting a regime for gain- 
ing strength. 
Exercise: It is advisable to keep up all of the ordi- 
nary activity of every-day life, but physical culture exer- 
cises should not be used during the fast as the muscles 
cannot be developed while material for their growth is 
withheld. Increased strength is often felt as the fast pro- 
gresses, because of the body gradually becoming free 
from the encumbrance of impurities and excess poundage. 
Breathing exercises are helpful in eliminating poison- 
ous gases from the lungs, and also in giving the 
body a large supply of oxygen to use in its adjustment of 
metabolism. 
Symptoms: As assimilation is suspended, elimina- 
tion is increased, and the accumulated toxins which are 
being ejected from the system will generally produce a 
condition similar to biliousness, with headache and often 
nausea for the first day or two. If these symptoms per- 
sist, it is an indication of an especially bad case of auto- 
toxemia, and the fast must be continued at least until the 
headache and nausea disappear. Appetite for eating 
will vanish in the first few days and will not again appear 
for many days. A lonesomeness for food may be felt for 
some time by those who are not occupied in some work 
which distracts their attention from the usual hour for 20 
The Fast Way to Health 
meals. Patients must be careful about jumping out of 
bed too quickly or walking rapidly up a hill, as they will 
often feel dizzy from the sudden change in the blood cir- 
culation to the brain. This is an ordinary symptom and 
need cause no alarm, being due to the changes taking 
place in the blood stream. The tongue will become coated 
at first, and the breath foul and offensive, until the most 
virulent of the waste products are eliminated. 
Length of Fast: If the complete fast be continued 
long enough, the tongue will become clear, the breath 
sweet, the mouth will be as clean as a baby’s, and hunger 
and strength will return to the normal. This often takes 
from thirty to sixty days and I have known instances 
where it did not return for ninety days. Such lengthy 
fasts should not be attempted by anyone except under 
the care of a physician who understands every detail and 
symptom liable to occur. I seldom find it necessary to 
advise a patient to go to the extreme finish of a complete 
fast. Satisfactory results are generally realized by 
shorter fasts, followed by a proper dietary regime, or 
by a series of short fasts. 
Fruit Fasts: Although theoretically the best results 
should follow the complete fasts, I have found by expe- 
rience that fruit fasting will bring about very beneficial 
results, and for several reasons this seems the best fast 
to use for most cases, except in the severe forms of acute 
diseases. The fruits or fruit juices used contain only a 
small amount of nutriment, which does not seem to check 
elimination to any appreciable extent, and often seems 
actually to aid in expelling waste matter, by inducing a 
steady flow of fluids from the alimentary canal, and also 
in providing bulky material when the whole fruit is used. 
The fruits most commonly recommended are the orange, 
lemon, grapefruit, fresh apricots, cherries, grapes, and The Fast Way 
21 
apples. These fruits or their juices are used several 
times a day, often with the addition of Agar-Agar or 
Mineral Oil. Agar-Agar is a dried Japanese sea-weed 
which can be purchased in any drug store in a granulated 
form, and may be used freely to provide bulk, as it has 
practically no food value. Mineral Oil is sold in all 
drug stores under various trade names and is a harmless 
lubricant which aids in intestinal elimination. Detailed 
information will be given in the following chapters 
regarding the treatment of specific diseases. 
Fasting and Starvation: Scientific fasting and 
starvation are very different, and one must never be con- 
fused with the other. If the patient voluntarily abstains 
from food when food is obtainable, he need not fear harm 
from such denial, as normal hunger will assert itself be- 
fore the condition of starvation can exist. The habit of 
eating regular meals is so firmly established that people 
have died in a few days from the fear of starvation be- 
cause they did not know that the body can live for a long- 
time without food. In most cases of forced fasting there 
is also exposure to the elements, with a choking of the 
eliminative processes. This, however, is very different 
from a properly conducted fast where food may be had 
for the asking, and where the body is aided in many ways 
—by bathing, enemas, etc., and the patient may have the 
enjoyment of every pleasure save eating. 
Patients should be cautioned not to argue with their 
friends who do not understand the philosophy of Scien- 
tific Fasting, as this only tends to disturb the mind of the 
patient, and may interfere with his cure, no matter how 
sincere he may be in attempting to follow this necessarily 
strict regime. “Thoughts are Things,” and nothing but 
harm can come from trying to convert an obstinate friend 
who does not realize the difference between fasting and 22 
The Fast Way to Health 
starvation. The time to fast is when suffering from any 
acute or chronic disease, and the fast, or series of fasts, 
should be continued until the patient is cured. After the 
cure it should not be necessary ever again to subject 
oneself to such a treatment, if the patient will only make 
a study of those habits which produced the disorder and 
substitute better ones for them. Of course, there are 
times when food should be withheld for a meal or two, 
when one is very tired or under great mental strain from 
enervating emotion, such as grief or anger or intense 
pain, but fasting should not be made a habit for the well. 
In the remaining pages of Part I of this hook will he found 
set forth alphabetically a list of the disorders commonly met 
with in the author’s office practice, together with a description 
of the treatment accorded to each, and particulars of typical 
cases selected from the office files. It may he explained that 
these are not put forward with any idea of inducing those who 
are sick to undertake the diagnosis of their own cases, or to 
lead them into thinking they have this or that specific trouble, 
hut are quoted for the guidance of such persons as have been 
carefully examined hy a reputable practitioner and pro- 
nounced to he suffering from some particular disease. To these 
the information can hardly fail to he of interest and benefit. 
In order to understand the references in the first part of the 
hook to such terms as “ non-st archy,” “salad,” etc., as applied 
to vegetables, and the division of foodstuffs into “Proteids,” 
“Starches,” and so on, the reader should first of all consult 
the second part of the hook where such terms are fully ex- 
plained and the various foods and vegetables, segregated and 
tabulated. It is true that in dealing with certain diseases, full 
lists of the vegetables recommended have been quoted in Part I 
where this has been deemed advisable, but to have kept on re- 
peating such lists would have been obviously impracticable, and 
so the terms “salad,” “non-starchy,” etc., have been employed 
instead as a simple means of indicating some particular class 
or category. Chapter III 
COMMON DISORDERS AND THEIR TREATMENT 
ACNE 
This form of skin disease is manifested by blackheads, 
pimples, scales, pustules, crusts and inflammatory red- 
ness, appearing mostly on the face and hack. The un- 
sightly condition of the skin is very distressing to the 
mind of the patient, and there seems to be no well known 
remedy which has any marked effect in overcoming this 
irritating disorder. 
It is especially liable to appear at the age of puberty, 
because of the systemic changes taking place at that 
time. The underlying cause is, however, an unwholesome 
state of the blood, produced by dietetic errors, and espe- 
cially the excessive use of greasy food such as doughnuts, 
pastry, fried food, also candy and sugar. Constipation 
exists in nearly every case, and poor circulation of blood 
to the parts affected is often present. A contributing 
cause is often stoppage of the pores and sebaceous 
glands because of a dirty skin which has not been kept 
clean by sufficient washing with soap and water. 
The cure depends upon the elimination of those excess 
materials in the blood stream which have produced the 
disease. This is best accomplished by a short fast on 
water and fruit juices, and adopting a diet free from 
greasy foods. The intestines must be kept clean by ene- 
mas, if necessary, and the skin and kidneys encouraged to 
eliminate by copious water drinking. 
The skin may be further stimulated by frequent bath- 
ing, and by brushing the entire body with a complexion 
brush. The salt glow is especially recommended. Wet 24 
The Fast Way to Health 
the body all over and rub the skin with common salt until 
it glows, then take a cold shower bath. 
To overcome the unnatural condition of the pores of 
the skin, the use of the ultra-violet ray, obtained through 
the quartz mercury vapor lamp, is recommended if you 
can find a physician who has this equipment. If this 
treatment cannot be obtained, take open air sun baths, 
entirely nude if possible, at least exposing the parts 
affected. Try to produce a slight sunburn so the skin 
will peel off, and the results will be more rapid; but do 
not expect permanent results unless you make the neces- 
sary dietetic changes, and keep the intestines free from 
the poisons which have produced the chemical changes 
which are responsible. 
Case 1. Boy, 16 years of age. Acne gradually ap- 
peared about the age of 12, increasing in severity until 
the time he presented himself to me. Was living with his 
parents, and the whole family was eating the usual un- 
wholesome, greasy diet to be found in most homes. The 
boy’s bowels did not move oftener than every second day, 
and as his mother did not believe in laxatives and con- 
sidered the use of enemas a dangerous habit, he contin- 
ued to be constipated. His face was a mass of blackheads 
and pimples. 
A grape fast was recommended, and one of ten days ’ 
duration was taken. The patient ate three meals a day 
consisting entirely of grapes without any other food, but 
he was under no restraint as to quantity and took as many 
grapes as he pleased at each meal. He drank freely of 
water at all times, and took two enemas per day of one 
quart each of warm water. Every other day the patient 
took a salt glow. He was advised to stand in the bath 
tub and wet the body all over, rubbing the wet skin as 
vigorously as possible with common salt, from the face Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
25 
to the feet, afterwards washing the body off with cold 
water, when the skin began to glow. 
The patient came to the office each day for treatment 
with the ultra-violet actinic ray, which was used for the 
face, and of such a strength as to produce a sunburn. In 
summer time this treatment could have been taken simply 
by lying in the sun with the face uncovered for thirty 
minutes to an hour, in which time sufficient ultra-violet 
rays from the sunlight could be shed upon the face to 
get almost as good a result as with the concentrated rays 
of the quartz mercury vapor lamp. 
After the fast of ten days the patient was put on 
a raw food diet, taking his choice three times daily of the 
following uncooked foods: 
Swiss Chard 
Green string beans 
Spinach 
Asparagus 
Oyster plant 
Beet tops 
Turnip tops 
Kale 
Celery 
Lettuce 
Cucumber 
Parsley 
Carrots 
Turnips 
Parsnips 
Beets 
These foods were combined together in different ways 
to suit the taste of the patient, and no other food of any 
kind was used for about fifteen days. Large quantities 
of water were drunk with this diet also. 
Before the end of the raw food diet the face was 
entirely cleared of any sign of acne or pimples. After the 
fifteen days of raw food diet the patient was put on a 
general diet regime and was warned against too free a 
use of fatty foods and sugar. At the time of writing, 
after an interval of more than three years, the patient has 
had no return of the trouble. 
ANEMIA (Thin Blood) 
A common name for this disease is often, “green sick- 
ness,” because of the fact that in the chronic form the 26 
The Fast Way to Health 
skin turns a greenish sickly color. This condition is the 
most common with young girls between the ages of thir- 
teen and twenty, which is the period for the development 
of the sexual nature. Most of the cases will be found to 
have some prolapsus of the womb with a repression of 
the normal sex urge. This blocking of the mating instinct 
is no doubt responsible for the peculiar inability of the 
blood corpuscles to carry enough oxygen and iron to sup- 
ply the cells with sufficient of these elements to insure 
perfect health. 
Of course this disease may occur with either sex at any 
age, but the majority of cases seen are at the age of 
puberty, and with girls. In almost every case another 
factor will be noticed, and that is constipation. Except 
in a few rare diseases where diarrhoea exists with ane- 
mia, you will find a toxic state of the body induced by 
retention from the intestine caused by constipation, also 
that excess acidity of the stomach is present in all cases 
and must be considered in the dietetic treatment. Other 
symptoms which are common are: great weakness, dizzi- 
ness, headache, nausea, cold, clammy skin, ringing in ears, 
feeble pulse, shortness of breath, pale tongue and nails, 
and weak eyes. 
Contrary to general belief, the patient is not usually 
thin and frail looking, but often fat and apparently over- 
fed. There is no reliable way of determining the degree 
of anemia except by a blood examination with the micro- 
scope. If anemia exists, there will be a deficiency of 20% 
to 50% in the red blood corpuscles which carry the iron 
and oxygen. In many of the cases the hemoglobin content 
of the blood will be only 25% to 60% of the normal 100%. 
If anyone has told you that you are anemic, do not 
be satisfied until you have had a blood examination made Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
27 
in a responsible laboratory. If anemia really exists, it is 
because of oxygen and iron starvation, and the causes 
which lead to this condition. 
The cure depends upon these points:— 
1st. The free use of foods containing the largest pro- 
portion of iron in an organic form, which is always pref- 
erable to the use of inorganic iron as used in iron remedies 
taken by the stomach, or given by hypodermic methods. 
All green vegetables are rich in iron, the chief in im- 
portance being spinach, asparagus, raw cabbage and 
carrots. The yolk of egg is perhaps the richest in this 
element, but must be used with caution because of the 
tendency to produce excessive fermentation and liver 
complaints if used in excess. The leafy green vegetables 
should be used in the salad form as much as possible, to 
avoid the changes which take place in the iron when the 
food is cooked. Avoid the use of all foods not containing 
iron or proteid, and make an effort to keep the stomach 
and intestines constantly supplied with material from 
which the assimilative process may extract the necessary 
iron. 
2nd. Nude sun-baths should be taken as many times 
in the day as possible without sunburn or inducing too 
rapid a heart beat. The ultra-violet rays in the sunlight 
will temporarily increase both the hemoglobin and red 
blood corpuscles more rapidly than any other method of 
treatment with which I am familiar. An increase of 10 to 
20 per cent is possible in an hour’s sun-bath, but some of 
this is gradually lost by the next day, so it is advisable 
not to let a day pass without this treatment, and in that 
way a gradual increase will be noted which will become 
permanent if the proper food is used and other necessary 
health building measures are carried out. 
3rd. Deep breathing of fresh air should be practised 28 
The Fast Way to Health 
several times daily. The increased oxygenation of the 
blood will make a temporary dizziness at first, but this 
must he expected and will soon pass away as the lungs 
and blood become used to more oxygen. 
4th. A certain amount of light exercise in the form 
of calisthenics is desirable in order to encourage metabo- 
lism. Walking is perhaps the best form of exercise to be 
used, and must be increased gradually as the strength 
permits. Rest must never be considered helpful or neces- 
sary to a cure, except for the periods between exercise, 
when it is as essential as the exercise itself. 
5th. Girls at the age of puberty suffering from this 
disease must use those exercises for the abdominal mus- 
cles which will strengthen the abdominal viscera, and 
bring back into position the organs that have been resting 
in the pelvic basin and forcing the womb out of position. 
6th. Fasting on fruit is especially to be recommended 
for the first week, during which time the red corpuscles 
and hemoglobin will increase from five to fifteen per cent 
without any other treatment. This seems improbable at 
first thought, but has been proven by laboratory tests in 
hundreds of cases. As the waste material is eliminated 
from the blood, the quality of blood is improved, and the 
percentage of those essential parts is increased to a re- 
markable degree. During season, red cherries are the 
best fruit to use, as they contain more iron than any of 
the other desirable fruits. 
Every one of the above points must be considered in 
this serious disease, and the general thought kept in mind 
that the blood must be purified, and the hemoglobin and 
red corpuscles increased by using every method known to 
have an effect upon such an increase, but above all, that 
suitable foods must be given the body to assimilate, from 
which the proper elements may be obtained. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
29 
Case 2. Young lady, 24 years of age. Blood pressure 
low. Tonsils had been removed at the age of 17, and 
valvular leakage of the heart had been present ever since, 
caused apparently by the surgical shock. The patient 
looked in the best of health, hut when her make-up was 
removed her skin was pale and anemic looking. The blood 
test showed only 50% of hemoglobin, in place of 100% 
normal. Red blood corpuscles were 2,150,000 in place of 
5,500,000, and white blood corpuscles or leucocytes 3500 
in place of 7500. 
The patient was put on an orange-juice fast, taking 
the juice of one orange every two hours during the day, 
with a glass of water each time. Two enemas daily were 
advised, also two sponge baths. This fast was continued 
for one week, at the end of which time the hemoglobin had 
increased from 50% to 75%, the red blood corpuscles had 
increased to 3,900,000, and the count of the leucocytes 
was 7000 in place of 3500. It is to be noted that this in- 
crease took place when the patient was taking nothing 
but orange juice for nourishment. 
After the orange juice the following diet was used for 
the next 40 days:— 
Breakfast—2 Coddled eggs. 
3 or 4 pieces of hard, thin, dry, brown toast. 
Dish of stewed fruit such as prunes, raisins, figs, 
apple sauce, baked apple. 
Lunch —Raw apples, 2 ounces of pecan nuts, 1 glass of 
water. 
Dinner —Lean Beef. 
2 Non-starchy vegetables, and a combination of 
salad vegetables. 
Dessert: One of the stewed fruits as at break- 
fast and jello on alternate days—that is, fruit 
one day and jello the next. 30 
The Fast Way to Health 
An examination made at tlie end of this 40-day diet 
showed the blood to be practically normal. The patient 
was then pnt on a general regime, and urged to use a large 
amount of the blood-building foods, such as lean meat and 
salad and non-starchy vegetables. The noon meal was 
changed from the apples and nuts to a mixture of raw 
salad vegetables, with the addition of one starchy food. 
After several months the patient was still in excellent 
health, and the blood test showed the blood to be perfectly 
normal. 
APPENDICITIS 
This disease is invariably present in a chronic form 
before an acute crisis exists, and is preceded by colitis 
or inflammation of the colon, and constipation. At the 
outset of an acute attack there will be colicky pains in 
the right side at the lowest part of the abdomen. The 
abdomen will be distended and the muscles over the intes- 
tines tensed. Usually an attack starts with a chill, fol- 
lowed by a rapid rise in temperature. The tongue will 
be coated and the breath offensive. Nausea is usually 
present, and often the smallest amount of water will be 
vomited immediately. Any kind of food will start stab- 
bing pains, because of the increased peristalsis induced. 
A careful examination of the rectum will show that the 
sphincter muscle of the anus is contracted only on the 
right side. 
These symptoms are present in a true inflammation 
of the appendix, but it is quite common to make a quick 
diagnosis of appendicitis when any severe abdominal 
pain is present, especially if it is on the right side. When 
the stomach organ is prolapsed into the lower abdomen 
and distended with food and gases, symptoms will often 
be brought on similar to appendicitis. Gall stone and Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
31 
kidney stone colic are frequently mistaken for appendi- 
citis. 
The cause will be found in every case to be a chronic 
state of impactment of feces in the colon, producing an 
inflammation of the large intestine. A contributing cause 
will be overeating and insufficient exercise. The lodging 
of seeds in the appendix is seldom present, and must not 
be considered as a common cause. This disease will often 
be very serious if not treated properly, but the cure is 
astonishingly simple if the following methods are used:— 
The colon must be flushed with small enemas of tepid 
water every two hours at the outset of the attack. Some- 
times it seems advisable to substitute paraffine or olive 
oil for the tepid water when sufficient water cannot be 
retained. Heat should be applied over the entire ab- 
domen by hot water bottles or hot moist towels, and this 
treatment continued until the abdominal muscles relax. 
No food or liquid of any kind should be given the patient 
until all symptoms of the acute attack disappear. Com- 
plete rest in bed is absolutely imperative, to prevent the 
sagging and pressure of the abdominal viscera which 
would be present if the patient stood upright. If pus is 
present in the appendix it will often be necessary to 
continue the fasting and enemas for several days before 
a discharge of the contents of the appendix takes place. 
Often a stoppage of the small intestine exists, but this 
will correct itself if the body is given time and the treat- 
ment outlined is rigidly adhered to. 
I have treated probably more cases of appendicitis 
than any other acute disease, and out of hundreds of 
cases there has been no fatality. After the crisis of the 
attack has passed, it becomes necessary to cure the 
chronic inflammation which exists in the colon, and con- 
stipation must be overcome. This will take a long period 32 
The Past Way to Health 
of careful dieting, and you must not look for a quick 
cure of the chronic colitis present, as many weeks will be 
required before all irritation is removed. 
(See Article on Constipation.) 
Case 3. Woman, 30 years of age. Chronic constipa- 
tion since childhood. Had a sudden colicky pain in the 
right side, which persisted after several enemas had been 
taken. The patient’s husband was under my treatment 
at that time for tuberculosis, and used the enema as an 
emergency measure in treating his wife, thinking that 
the cramps were caused only by constipation. As soon as 
he found that the tenseness of the abdomen did not sub- 
side, I was called in on the case. I diagnosed it as acute 
appendicitis, with a definite kink in the small intestines, 
causing an obstruction. The enema brought away very 
little fecal material, and because of the obstruction it 
did not seem wise to use a laxative. 
The patient was fasted with only small sips of water, 
as nausea persisted for several days, and all liquids were 
vomited immediately after taking. Hot water bottles 
were placed over the entire abdomen, but the pain in the 
right side persisted, and after about a week the patient 
became delirious. I assured the husband and the rela- 
tives of the patient that the treatment with fasting and 
enemas and hot packs on the abdomen was the only treat- 
ment necessary, and that when the pus which had col- 
lected in the appendix would pass into the colon, the pain 
would be removed, also that the kinked intestine would 
unkink at the same time, as this was caused by the ex- 
treme tension of the abdominal muscles because of the 
engorged appendix. 
Patient was delirious for several days, and during one 
of her delirious attacks, when I could not be quickly 
reached on the telephone, another physician was called Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
33 
in who advised an immediate operation. A surgeon was 
also called in consultation, who said that the patient could 
not live till morning if the operation was not performed. 
A retired physician living next door likewise advised an 
operation, hut thought that it was too late to save the 
patient’s life. 
As soon as I could be reached on the telephone I urged 
them to continue the same treatment, and not to consider 
the suggestions of the other physicians. It so happened 
that the husband had lost a sister in an appendicitis 
operation, so he finally decided to follow my advice. 
After about four days of delirium the pus started to flow 
from the appendix, and several quarts were washed out 
of the intestines with enemas. At the same time the im- 
pacted colon relaxed, and the fecal matter was quickly 
eliminated. At this time doses of flaxseed tea were given 
to the patient to assist in the elimination from the small 
intestines, but this was not advisable until the abdominal 
muscles had relaxed, so that a passage could be made 
through the intestines without danger. 
The patient rapidly recovered from all of the acute 
symptoms, and after a few days was well enough to come 
to my office and take a course of abdominal massage treat- 
ment. No food was given until after all pain had sub- 
sided, when small amounts of orange juice were used. 
This fast was kept up for about 30 days in order to 
give the intestines sufficient time to recover from their 
inflamed condition. 
After the fast the patient was put on a diet of soup 
made from non-starchy vegetables. This was kept up for 
a few days until she was able to resume a well-balanced 
diet chosen from those foods mentioned in connection 
with the treatment of constipation. The patient fully 
recovered, and is now enjoying perfect health. The con- 34 
The Fast Way to Health 
stipation has been entirely overcome, and from all ap- 
pearances the intestines are in a perfectly normal condi- 
tion. 
Case 4. Baby, aged 4 years. The mother called me 
on the long distance from a nearby town and described 
the child’s symptoms which appeared to be those of 
appendicitis. I recommended that all food be taken away 
from the child, and that immediate treatment with enemas 
be started. The mother had been a patient of mine at one 
time and understood something of my method of handling 
appendicitis cases, so she was quite agreeable to start 
the treatment at once without waiting till I had an oppor- 
tunity of seeing the child. 
The symptoms of pain and colic did not disappear 
quickly, and after two days I was forced to make a trip 
to see the case. Before I reached the bedside an osteo- 
pathic physician had been called in, who advised them 
to discontinue the use of enemas, as he claimed it was a 
dangerous treatment to use in appendicitis. I reassured 
the mother that the enemas should be continued, and no 
food of any kind given to the child. The child fasted 8 
days, taking only small sips of water, as both orange 
juice and any large amount of water taken could not be 
retained. After 8 days pus started discharging from the 
colon, and discharged steadily for about 4 days. The 
fast was continued until after all signs of pus discharge 
had ceased, making in all a fast of about 15 days, a much 
longer period than is usually necessary for a young child. 
The appendicitis was completely cured and the child 
has been well right up to the present time (that is, for the 
last 4 years) without any return of colitis or appendicitis. 
During the treatment a peculiar change took place in the 
child which I have had occasion to note in many fasting 
cases. Until the time of the sickness the child was rarely Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
35 
known to smile, and presented the appearance of a sad 
and serious faced little girl with a great sorrow. She 
never cared to stay on her mother’s lap, and at such times 
as she was in my office with her mother she seemed afraid 
of everyone in the place and did not appear to have a 
spark of playful spirit about her. After the fast how- 
ever her whole nature changed entirely and she became 
joyous and happy—of a temperament, in fact, almost 
exactly the opposite of what she had exhibited before 
starting the fast. 
ASTHMA 
Difficulty in breathing is the most characteristic symp- 
tom of asthma. Inhaling and exhaling the necessary air 
for the body’s use are accomplished mainly by the action 
of the diaphragm, which is a flat muscle separating the 
lungs from the stomach and intestines. When the dia- 
phragm is contracted the patient exhales the air and 
poisonous gases, and when it is expanded, air is drawn 
into the lungs. If stomach or intestinal gases are press- 
ing the diaphragm upward, the patient will have difficulty 
in forcing the pressure down sufficiently to inhale. A 
weak diaphragm will be unable to do its work properly 
under this condition, and there will be a struggle to draw 
enough air into the lungs, resulting in the peculiar wheeze 
of the asthmatic when attempting to inhale. Of course, 
there are contributing causes such as irritating dust and 
pollen of plants, also a deranged condition of the nervous 
system. The patient usually wheezes along to a good 
age, with the misery of seeing every proposed remedy 
fail, until he dies from the effect of drugs taken in an 
attempt to relieve his symptoms. It may be truly said 
that at first he is afraid of dying and then afraid he 
will not. 36 
The Fast Way to Health 
A permanent cure depends entirely upon the 
following:— 
First: The development of a strong diaphragm, so 
the patient can inhale and exhale to the extreme with per- 
fect freedom of movement. 
Second: Avoiding those foods which produce an ex- 
cess of stomach and intestinal gas, until digestion is im- 
proved to the point where properly proportioned meals 
may be taken. The carbohydrates (i. e., sugars and 
starches) are the only foods which can produce enough 
flatulence to bring on an asthmatic attack, and must be 
entirely eliminated for a considerable period and then 
used with great caution. The complete fast should be 
used at the start of the cure if you wish to see the wheez- 
ing stop in from twelve to forty-eight hours. 
A careful diet, free from carbohydrates, will slowly 
bring about a recovery from this distressing disease, but 
the magic of the fast will never be more quickly seen than 
in its application to this malady. If much bronchial 
mucus is present in the lungs, the cure will be slower but 
none the less sure. Advanced cases seem to yield as 
readily as those just beginning, so do not think you are 
an exception because you have tried everything from 
climate to vaccines, as I do not know of a single case 
coming under my observation where the cure was not 
complete and permanent if the patient followed instruc- 
tions carefully. Probably the reason the old cases re- 
spond to this method of treatment as easily as the mild 
ones, is because the patient who has suffered so long will 
follow a strict regime without deviating in a single de- 
gree, whereas the patient whose symptoms are just begin- 
ning has hopes for a remedy which will relieve, and allow 
him to live without diet regulations. Do not waste time 
looking for an easier method; there is no other way. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
37 
Case 5. Young man, 34 years of age. This patient 
came to me about 6 years ago. He had been subject to 
asthmatic attacks since childhood, and had not been able 
either to play ball or to climb hills at any time of his life. 
He smoked asthmatic cigarettes all day long, and kept 
asthma powders burning in his room most of the night. 
Had been doing this for several years, and seemed to 
be getting worse each year. 
"Was put on a complete fast for 20 days, using only 
water in whatever quantities desired. In order to relieve 
him quickly of the accumulated fecal matter found in the 
colon, the patient took, immediately following the exam- 
ination, 4 ozs. of castor oil mixed with 4 ozs. of lemon 
juice. This, together with the enemas which he started 
taking, flushed the colon so completely of feces and gas, 
that he was able to sleep clear through the night on the 
very first night after starting treatment. 
The fast was continued for 20 days, and then the fol- 
lowing diet was prescribed for the next 10 days:— 
Breakfast—Whites of 3 eggs. 
3 Pieces of hard, thin, dry, brown toast. 
5 Stewed prunes. 
Lunch— 1 Medium starchy vegetable in the following 
class: Carrots, turnips, parsnips, beets. 
2 Non-starchy vegetables. 
1 Salad vegetable. 
Dinner— A choice of 1 of the following: Lean beef, 
mutton or chicken. 
A choice of 2 non-starchy vegetables. 
1 Salad vegetable. 
At the end of this time the patient was able to climb 
Mount Wilson, Mount Lowe, and Camp Baldy, three of 
the highest points in Southern California, on successive 
days, with no worse effect than a slight soreness of the 
muscles. His lungs were entirely free from any tendency 38 
The Fast Way to Health 
to wlieeze, and the trouble has never reappeared since 
at any time of the day or night. For the last six years 
he has been living on a diet carefully selected from those 
foods which are not gas producing, using only such com- 
binations as will harmonize without tending to cause 
flatulence. The patient is at the present time using some 
starchy food, but taking care to combine such food with 
the proper vegetables, so as to avoid causing the pressure 
of gas against his diaphragm from which he suffered for 
years, and which was the direct cause of Iris asthma. 
Case 6. Boy, 6 years old. Had been troubled with 
asthmatic wheezing since a few days after birth, brought 
about by constant gas pressure induced by indigestion in 
the mother, and given to the child because he was fed on 
the breast. The mother had nursed the baby for six 
months, and finally the child had been put on a diet of 
modified milk with the addition of barley water. The 
distention of the abdomen continued, and the wheezing 
kept the child awake every night of its life until it was 
brought to me at six years of age. 
The child was fasted for 3% days on a fast of small 
amounts of orange juice and water, using in all about 6 
oranges daily. The examination was made in the middle 
of the day and the fast started there and then, so that no 
other meals were given on that particular day. An enema 
was given in the middle of the afternoon and another 
about 8 o’clock at night, and the child slept through the 
entire night for the first time in its life. Since then it 
has slept 11 or 12 hours every night. 
After the fast the following diet was given:— 
Breakfast—Whites of 2 eggs. 
2 Pieces of brown toast softened in hot water 
and seasoned with butter. 
3 Stewed unsulphured prunes. Common Disobders and Their Treatment 
39 
Lunch— Dish of cottage cheese. 
Dish of cooked spinach or celery. 
1 Piece of toast softened as at breakfast. 
Dinner— 1 Small piece of steak. 
1 Non-starchy vegetable. 
1 Salad vegetable. 
To guard against the possibility of any asthmatic 
attack during the night, an enema was used each night 
before the child was put to bed, but this was soon discon- 
tinued, as it was apparent in a very few days that there 
would be no return of the gas pressure. This diet was 
kept up for several months, and the child is now living 
on a well-balanced diet such as recommended in the 
menu for children in good health. 
Case 7. Old man, 82 years of age. Civil War Vet- 
eran. Had had asthma since shortly after the Civil War, 
and had been living for many years in a Soldiers ’ Home. 
Much of the time had been confined to bed, and for several 
years past had been in the Soldiers’ Home at Sawtelle, 
California. Had been unable to work because of asthma 
and had lived on a pension almost entirely since the Civil 
War, except at such times as he was supported by his 
children. Previous to the Civil War he had been a black- 
smith. 
Patient was put on an orange juice fast, taking a glass 
of orange juice three times daily, with a glass of water 
each time. He continued this fast for about 25 days. 
After the second day all signs of asthmatic wheezing dis- 
appeared, and after about the twentieth day the mucous 
discharges which he had coughed up for years entirely 
disappeared, so that before the end of the fast his lungs 
were as clear as if there had never been any trouble. 
The diet he was put on thereafter was partially chosen 
from the table at the mess room in the Soldiers’ Home, 
supplemented by food which he purchased outside of the 40 
The Fast Way to Health 
institution. I may say that I find it almost impossible 
to diet an inmate of an institution of this kind so as to 
effect a permanent cure from asthma, unless the patient 
uses only certain articles of food from the regular fare 
and supplements these with articles purchased outside 
the establishment, as all such institutions provide an 
overabundance of starchy foods, and an insufficient 
amount of those foods which it is necessary for the asth- 
matic to use. These old soldiers who do very little work 
and get only a small amount of exercise, are turned into 
veritable walking gas factories through the agglomera- 
tion of starchy foodstuff fed to them at the mess table. I 
spent a great deal of time personally teaching this case 
the proper food combinations so that he would be able to 
select as large an amount as possible from the food fur- 
nished to him at the home, as the smallness of his pension 
made it impossible for him to live entirely outside of the 
institution. He is still living at the same home and is in 
perfect health for a man of his age, without any tendency 
to asthmatic symptoms. 
AUTO-TOXEMIA 
This condition is very common, and is present in 
nearly every disease. Often when a complete physical 
examination will not disclose any organic disease, and 
where the diagnosing physician is baffled as to the cause 
of the patient’s depression, it will be found that he is 
simply suffering from a form of self-poisoning from the 
products of perverted metabolism, the poisons thus en- 
gendered not being sufficiently eliminated through the 
usual channels for the purpose. 
In my office experience I have had many patients pre- 
sent themselves to me for examination, who had been put 
through most exhaustive examinations by other physi- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
41 
cians who had told them to go home and forget about 
their troubles; that there was really nothing wrong with 
them; that they only imagined they were sick; or that 
they must be nervous. If these patients do not suffer 
from pain, and I cannot discover any organic disease, I 
always assume that they are suffering from some form of 
toxemia, which is, in almost every case, produced by 
poisons manufactured within their own bodies, but which 
have not been eliminated. The toxins produced in the 
organism alter the chemistry of the blood and other fluids 
in which the tissues of the body live. Perfect health 
depends upon the proper chemistry of the fluids of the 
body. 
This self-poisoning is produced mainly by the follow- 
ing factors:— 
When the body is enervated by a waste of mental or 
physical energy there will often not be enough nerve force 
to operate the eliminative functions properly, and the 
normal wastes of the body will not be thrown out rapidly 
enough, but will remain in the tissues and interfere with 
the normal functioning of the organs and glands. Con- 
stipation exists in nearly every case of auto-toxemia, and 
is responsible for providing much toxic material which 
overburdens the blood with waste products. Over-eating 
must be noted as one of the principal causes of auto- 
toxemia. If more food is used and digested than the 
tissues can assimilate there will be an excess of unab- 
sorbed food material in the blood stream with a conse- 
quent state of self-poisoning. If food material in the 
blood cannot be used by the body for repairing tissues, 
it Will in every case act as a poison until it is eliminated. 
Another cause worth mentioning is too free a use of 
those foods which make an excess of bile. The bile is 
used as a digestive fluid, and also as a method of excreting 42 
The Fast Way to Health 
poisons. All carbohydrates and fatty foods must pass 
through the liver in the changes necessary before they can 
be used by the cells of the body. If the liver is over- 
worked with these food materials, it will not have suffi- 
cient time or energy to perform its regular function of 
excreting the normal wastes of the body. If the skin is 
not kept active by sufficient bathing and proper exposure 
to the air, its functional efficiency will be lost, and this 
will be another cause of the retention of toxins in the 
body. 
Anyone suffering from auto-toxemia will feel very 
depressed, will be tired at all times, and sleep will not 
refresh him. He will have a coated tongue, a poor circu- 
lation, bad color of the skin, and will have ‘‘the blues” 
without any good and sufficient reason. This condition 
can be changed quickly by adopting a treatment designed 
to increase elimination, and may be permanently cured 
if good habits are substituted for bad ones, and a general 
regime for constitutional upbuilding be adopted. 
Some form of the fasting cure is necessary in order 
to induce rapid changes. A typical case of auto-toxemia 
may be cured in a few days by a fast of fruit juices and 
water. If a headache starts on the first day of the fast it 
is an indication of a severe form of toxemia, and the fast 
must be continued until the headache entirely disappears. 
It is advisable to continue the fast for several days after 
all unpleasant symptoms leave. The skin should be 
washed twice daily with sponge or shower baths, and at 
least 2 warm water enemas daily should be taken. Drink- 
ing large quantities of water is especially recommended 
in this disorder, so that the kidneys may have sufficient 
fluid to aid them in getting rid of the accumulated toxic 
material which has been located around the excretory 
organs that have not been functioning well enough to 
carry on the necessary elimination. Common Disoedees and Theik Teeatment 
43 
Lack of sufficient exercise is often a potent cause of 
auto-toxemia, as the muscular functions of the body must 
be used enough to take up the food material which has 
been assimilated. If you attempt to live on a small diet 
and lead a sedentary life you will have many dietetic 
problems which could be easily solved by eating a little 
more food and taking a large amount of exercise. 
The following case will serve as a guide to those who 
are suffering from the symptoms of auto-toxemia, and 
who have been assured that they have no other organic 
or functional disease:— 
Case 8. Male, 37 years of age. This man was en- 
gaged in conducting a very large business. Found him- 
self going to sleep at his desk in the middle of a busy day. 
Was keeping good hours, and living a temperate life as 
far as he knew. Was alarmed at his condition and vis- 
ited a number of doctors who told him he was perfectly 
well. Had passed life insurance examinations, and just 
before presenting himself to me for treatment had been 
re-examined and had taken out additional insurance. In 
spite of the assurance that he was perfectly well by the 
examining physicians, he realized that there was some- 
thing radically wrong with him. 
Upon examining the patient I found evidence of an en- 
larged liver, fatty heart, and about 15 lbs. of weight over 
the normal. Outside of these points no organic disease 
was discovered. The patient was started on a fast and 
continued on it, taking a glass of orange juice three times 
daily for 14 days. After the headache of the first day had 
disappeared the patient gradually increased in strength, 
and his sleepiness during the day time left him alto- 
gether. After the tenth day of the fast he declared that 
he was doing twice as much work each day as before the 
fast started. His weight was reduced about 20 lbs. in the 44 
The Fast Way to Health 
14 days of fasting, and after adopting a carefully se- 
lected diet he gradually regained five of the pounds that 
had been lost, so that my original estimate of his proper 
weight was correct. His skin became clean, and his eyes 
clear. His tongue lost the fur coating it had had for 
months, and he has remained in perfect health since the 
time his fast was completed. He is now living on a well- 
balanced diet and is exercising regularly at a gymna- 
sium, in addition to exercises taken each morning and 
evening at his own home. He says he feels like a new 
man. 
BACKACHE 
This is a symptom from which I find many patients 
suffering. A surprisingly large number of people who 
are not conscious of any other trouble come to me for 
diagnosis and treatment in order to be relieved of some 
form of backache. This distressing symptom has a va- 
riety of causes, such as:— 
1. Spinal Lesions. There are various forms of back- 
ache caused by spinal lesions. These lesions have been 
caused in some cases by accidents, faulty postures as- 
sumed in certain classes of occupation, or relaxation of 
the muscles attached to the spine. Spinal lesions are 
subluxated or partially dislocated vertebrae which have 
been pushed out of position or have slipped out of place 
on account of muscular weakness. Backache from spinal 
lesions may occur at any part of the spine, and will also 
affect organs of the body by an irritation or inhibition of 
the nerves issuing from the subluxated vertebrae. 
2. Misplacement of the Uterus. In females, mis- 
placement of the uterus will produce a persistent drag- 
ging-down pain in the lower back, because of the fact that Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
45 
the sagging organ is pulling upon ligaments which are 
attached to the spine. 
3. Lumbago. Lumbago in the male usually arises 
from some disorder of the prostate gland or an irritation 
of the urethra or bladder and in the female from uterine 
or bladder disorders. 
4. Inflammation of the Bladder. In either sex in- 
flammation of the bladder is a constant source of dis- 
tress in the lower back and a chronic inflammation of the 
bladder will show more pains in the back than in the 
bladder itself. 
5. Kidney Stones. Kidney stones produce a sharp 
colicky pain in the right or left side slightly towards the 
back. 
6. Occupational Strains. Aches in the upper back 
are often caused by occupational strains such as are 
brought on by sewing or knitting for a long period of 
time. 
7. Muscular Weakness. Backache may be caused 
simply by general weakness of the back muscles which 
have not been sufficiently exercised. 
If you are suffering from any form of backache you 
will find it necessary to adopt a general body-building re- 
gime, in order to be permanently cured. If spinal lesions 
exist it is advisable to take osteopathic or chiropractic 
treatments, and to supplement these by graduated exer- 
cises for the back muscles, assuming the prone position 
by lying face downwards on the floor, and using those 
exercises particularly selected and described for that po- 
sition in Chapter XIX, Part II. Do not expect to achieve 
a permanent cure of any kind of subluxated vertebrae if 
you do not take these exercises for building the back mus- 
cles, as the vertebrae will slip out of position almost as 46 
The Fast Way to Health 
quickly as they are put in place by the operator, if the 
muscles are not strengthened in the meantime. 
Since much of the backache complained of is caused 
by prolapsed abdominal organs pulling upon the spine, 
in addition to the dietetic changes which will be recom- 
mended it will be necessary to exercise the abdominal 
muscles to the utmost, with exercises taken lying on the 
back. I have never seen a case of prolapsed stomach or 
uterus which could not be raised to normal position if 
these exercises were persisted in for any length of time. 
(See article on Prolapsus of Organs.) 
If backache is caused by pain from the bladder reflex- 
ing in the spinal nerves, it will always be necessary to 
drink large quantities of water between meals, to keep 
the urine so diluted that it will not be irritating to the 
bladder. 
Any ache in the lower back will be relieved by ap- 
plications of hot towels, or the use of a high candle 
power therapeutic lamp, if such is available. Heat may 
also be applied through the enema, or through treatment 
by rectal irrigation. A suitable instrument may be pur- 
chased in any surgical supply store, which may be at- 
tached to the enema bag, and if this is inserted in 
the rectum and quantities of hot water allowed 
to run in and out, it will have a very quick effect in re- 
lieving either bladder, or prostatic, or uterine inflamma- 
tion. I find that lumbago, sciatica, rheumatism, and pain 
in the shoulders and arms may often be instantly re- 
lieved by applying heat over the bladder and over the 
lower spine upon those nerves which carry the nerve im- 
pulses to the bladder. Much pain in the back is mistaken 
for rheumatism, when it is only a reflex from an irri- 
tated bladder or uterus or prostate gland. 
In the cure of any form of backache it is well to begin Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
47 
with a general constitutional treatment, and the fasting 
cure is especially advised in all of those forms of back- 
ache which occur in the lower spine. After the diet is 
resumed, foods which are irritating to the bladder must be 
avoided, such as onions, garlic, and sometimes asparagus. 
Case 9. Young woman, 35 years of age. Suffering 
from severe pains in the lower back. Had taken many 
courses of osteopathy and chiropractic treatments, with 
practically no relief. She came to me for treatment 
mainly because she was constantly bilious, and hoped 
that a course of diet treatment would give her relief. 
I found the gall bladder enlarged and filled with 
thickened bile, showing the inability of that organ and 
the liver to do the amount of work the patient was at- 
tempting to force them to do. I also found a chronic 
cystitis or inflammation of the bladder which the pa- 
tient had never been conscious of until I made the exam- 
ination and introduced a sound into the urethra, which 
caused a great deal of pain. This “sound” is a small, 
smooth, silver instrument for probing into the urethra, 
and should cause no pain when introduced, other than a 
slight sense of discomfort. The patient remembered that 
she urinated quite frequently, and even had to get up at 
night several times for this purpose, although she had 
never had any distressing symptoms in the region of the 
bladder. 
I told her that her backache was being caused by a 
bladder which was being constantly irritated by urine 
overloaded with poisonous material that the liver had 
been unable to eliminate properly in the form of bile. 
My conclusions proved to be correct, for as soon as the 
urine cleared of the excess of bile pigment the bladder 
inflammation gradually left, and the backache then dis- 
appeared entirely. 48 
The Fast Way to Health 
The patient was fasted for about 12 days, using only 
large quantities of clear water without any fruit juice 
except that which she took at the start of the fast to 
stimulate the flow of bile. 4 ozs. of grapefruit juice 
were taken with 4 ozs. of olive oil just before retiring on 
the first night of the treatment. This passed through 
quickly, bringing with it quarts of greenish-black bile 
which was eliminated from the liver and gall bladder. 
The water fast was then taken, and after this was com- 
pleted a general well-balanced diet was resumed. The 
patient was specially cautioned to avoid foods tending to 
cause biliousness, and was advised to drink more water 
than she really desired between meals, in order to insure 
a free flushing of the bladder. 
Case 10. Man, 62 years of age. Troubled with lum- 
bago. I found the cause of this to be an enlarged pros- 
tate gland. This was reduced through a plain water fast 
of three weeks’ duration, with treatments twice daily of 
rectal irrigation taken while sitting on the toilet, followed 
by an enema taken in the knee chest position. The pa- 
tient used six quarts of hot water each time, allowing it 
to run in and out against the prostate. This, combined 
with the fasting, reduced the prostate to practically nor- 
mal size. The lumbago entirely disappeared after sev- 
eral days of the treatment and has never reappeared. 
Case 11. Married woman, 35 years of age. Had the 
history of many kinds of backache for years. Careful 
questioning disclosed the fact that the backaches started 
immediately after an operation in the hospital where a 
curettement had been performed. It was necessary to 
catheterize the patient at the time of the operation, which 
was done by the nurse in the hospital with a glass cathe- 
ter. A few weeks after this hospital experience the pa- 
tient was again taken to the hospital with what was diag- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
49 
nosed to be spinal meningitis. Her back had been troub- 
ling her ever, since the operation, but an acute form de- 
veloped, and she was in consultation with physicians who 
decided that her trouble was spinal meningitis. She 
was kept in the hospital for several weeks, and grad- 
ually recovered sufficiently to go home. Attacks of a sim- 
ilar nature occurred off and on for several years, and 
gradually the contraction and pain between her shoulders 
became almost unbearable. After many treatments had 
failed, she applied to me for diagnosis. 
I found that I could produce a pain in her back every 
time I examined the urethra and made a certain pressure. 
I assured her that this pain must be caused by a reflex 
from the bladder, and treatment was started to cure 
an persistent cystitis. The patient was fasted 
for several days and then put on a milk diet, and im- 
proved slightly. On the milk diet the patient had less 
pain most of the time, but occasionally would have a 
severe attack between her shoulders. She improved in 
health in every way, but the pain in the back did not dis- 
appear entirely. 
While visiting at a mountain resort a hemorrhage of 
the bladder developed suddenly, which could not be stop- 
ped by the local doctor. She was hurried to Los Angeles, 
and cystoscopic examination made of the bladder. This 
examination is made by dilating the urethra, and intro- 
ducing a light into the bladder. This seemed necessary 
in order to locate the spot from which the blood was 
flowing. After much probing a hard substance was found 
lodged in the urethra, which when extracted proved 
to be a small piece of glass. The bleeding instantly 
stopped, and the backache entirely disappeared as 
soon as this was removed. The patient has never ex- 
perienced any form of backache since. We assumed that 50 
The Fast Way to Health 
the glass had been left in the urethra ever since her first 
operation in the hospital. I cite this case to show you 
how very definite this bladder reflex is, and how it can 
produce pains which will be mistaken for many other 
diseases. 
BILIOUSNESS OR TORPID LIVER 
The liver is a spongy organ for the production of 
liquids necessary to digestion, which are made from 
waste products of the body and are thrown out through 
the liver into the intestines to aid in digesting food at 
the same time as they are expelled. 
When the skin becomes a yellow, sallow color, the ton- 
gue is coated, and headache persists, it is an indication 
that bile is being stored up in the liver and not sufficiently 
eliminated. Some causes of this faulty elimination are 
the following: 
1. Eating more food of every kind than the body can 
use and make a part of the cell structure. There might 
be no sign of an organic disease of the liver, but just an 
inability to function well enough to take care of an un- 
natural burden placed upon this organic function. 
2. Inability to take care of a normal amount of food, 
because the body is enervated by bad habits other than 
eating, which waste energy that should be used by the 
liver. A sedentary life, late hours, and excesses of every 
kind produce conditions which cannot really be completely 
overcome even by the most judicious dieting, beneficial as 
this undoubtedly is. 
3. Constipation may exist and produce intestinal 
toxemia by the re-absorption of poisons which have not 
been expelled rapidly enough. 
4. Although “the blues” are usually caused by this 
retention of bile, it is possible, on the other hand, for a Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
51 
bad mental state of depression caused by any of the de- 
structive emotions, so to effect the liver action that stag- 
nation of the biliary fluids will be produced. 
5. Another cause is often the stoppage of the bile 
ducts by catarrhal inflammation of the ducts, causing 
stricture by pressure of tumors or feces in the Hepatic 
Flexure of the colon; also the pressure caused by preg- 
nancy, and by the lodgment of gall stones which stop the 
flow. 
Another cause, which has been rather alarming in 
recent times, is the use of home-made liquors and home- 
brew. Heavy beers and ales have always been hard for 
the liver to handle, but the “boot-leg” preparations and 
home-brew beers produce a form of disease which when 
well developed seems almost impossible of cure. I have 
personally known of many cases of death which can be 
traced to this cause, where the autopsy has shown that 
the liver had stopped functioning without any organic 
disease. 
After understanding these causes, it is not difficult to 
formulate the necessary method of cure. Bad habits 
must be overcome which cause this unwholesome reten- 
tion. Unquestionably the entire elimination of the 
starches, sugars, and fats for a considerable period of 
time will bring about very satisfactory results, but the 
cure is rapid if a fruit fast is strictly adhered to for a 
few days, followed by careful dieting until the liver is 
able to do a reasonable amount of work, and all bilious 
habits are corrected. Clinical experience and observation 
have shown beyond the shadow of a doubt that large 
doses of olive oil, combined with an equal amount of the 
juice of some citrus fruit, such as the orange, lemon, or 
grapefruit, will dissolve the thickened bile and aid in 
bringing about quick results in patients suffering from 52 
The Fast Way to Health 
any form of inorganic liver trouble. The exact dosage 
and time for taking are described in detail in the cases 
given at the end of this article. 
Jaundice is often present, when the skin is a decided 
lemon or orange color, but if cirrhosis or some other 
organic disease does not exist, the bile pigment will be 
quickly removed and the skin speedily restored to its 
normal color if a suitable fast is used after the proper 
dosage of olive oil and fruit juice has been taken. 
Case 12. The following case is typical of many com- 
monly met with in my office practice:— 
Young lady, 34 years of age, dark hair, dark eyes, 
sallow complexion. Of a bilious temperament. Had had 
headaches for years, which could only be relieved by 
large doses of calomel, which she had taken until the 
liver did not seem to function properly without the stim- 
ulation of this mercurial preparation. Ordinary head- 
ache remedies had had no effect. Missing a meal would 
always bring on a severe form of sick headache, making 
it necessary for her to stay home from her work as a 
school teacher, and remain in bed in a darkened room 
until the calomel took effect. 
I assured the patient that it would be necessary for 
her to have a headache for a day or two at the start of 
the treatment, until elimination of the bile had been fully 
established, when her headache would disappear, and 
she would be no longer subject to this distressing trouble. 
I had a difficult time confining her to a strict fast of water 
with a glass of orange juice three times daily, as her 
headache became very severe, and she begged hard for 
some remedy to stop it. I was, however, successful in 
keeping her on the fasting regime until the headache dis- 
appeared, which was about the end of the second day. 
She continued to fast for 10 days, and resumed her Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
53 
school work as soon as the headache left her, after the 
second day of the fast. The tongue gradually lost its 
coating, and at the end of ten days the sallow skin had 
cleared, the eyeballs were again white, and she felt the 
return of her best physical and mental powers. Since 
the completion of the fast she has lived on a carefully 
selected diet, using a larger amount of greens and salad 
vegetables than formerly, and has also increased her 
physical culture exercising. It seemed advisable to take 
enemas daily for several months until the intestines 
were able to function normally. She has remained in the 
best of health ever since, and for over two years has had 
no return of the headaches. 
During the time this patient was undergoing her 
treatment, her mother took almost identically the same 
treatment as the daughter, and was cured of migraine 
headaches, which she had had since a small child. These 
headaches occur at periodic intervals, on one side of the 
head usually, and are generally considered incurable, 
arising from some supposedly unknown cause which I 
have found to be always the same as in any other kind of 
so-called sick headache. 
BLADDER INFLAMMATION (CYSTITIS) 
In acute inflammation of the bladder pain will fre- 
quently be felt when the bladder is full of urine, and also 
immediately after it is emptied of urine. As the walls 
of the bladder collapse with no urine to hold them apart, 
one part of the membrane lining the organ will rub 
against the other part, producing a shooting pain not 
only in the bladder itself but up either side of the groin 
to the lower spine. 
If the pains occur only at this time it will not be hard 
to understand that an inflammation exists in the bladder 54 
The Fast Way to Health 
which is responsible, but a chronic inflammation may 
exist which, does not produce local symptoms in the region 
of the bladder, but is evidenced by reflex pains and aches 
in other parts of the body. 
An examination of the urine will show either an ex- 
cess of acidity or an exactly opposite condition of alkalin- 
ity, usually produced by ammonia. You may test your 
urine to see whether there is an alkaline or acid excess by 
using what is called “litmus” paper, which can be pur- 
chased in any drug store, but usually if the ammonia odor 
is not present the urine will be found to be of unusually 
strong acidity. 
Outside of the local inflammation caused by venereal 
diseases, we may say that the irritation of the bladder is 
caused by irritating substances in the urine which inflame 
the lining of the bladder or the urethra, the passage lead- 
ing from the bladder. 
Such foods as onions, asparagus, garlic, and all 
alcoholic drinks have a direct effect in increasing bladder 
inflammation when it is present, as they contain irritating 
substances which the body must eliminate through the 
urine. During foggy or wet weather those who suffer 
with this disorder will find that they have more trouble, 
as more elimination of toxins will take place through the 
urinal system than usual, because the skin will not elimi- 
nate as much as in dry weather. 
Prolapsus of the stomach, or intestines will often pro- 
duce a mechanical irritation, because in many cases the 
sagging of these organs will be sufficient to cause direct 
pressure upon the bladder, and force it out of position. 
In attempting a cure of either the acute or chronic 
form of this disorder, it will be found advisable to employ 
the fasting method, and no matter what kind of irritating 
material exists in excess in the urine it can be eliminated 
during the fasting period if a water fast is used. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
55 
In case you have found that the urine has an extra 
amount of acid in it, the cure will be hastened if milk of 
magnesia or litliia is added to the water used during the 
fast, as this will make the urine bland and neutral during 
the treatment. If the urine is filled with ammonia, this 
addition of alkali will not be necessary, and in that event 
only plain water should be used. Hot sitz baths are to be 
recommended, and these are taken by sitting in the bath 
tub in about 9 inches , of hot water with only the hips and 
feet immersed. The water must be as hot as can be borne 
by the skin. Women will find that several hot douches 
a day will aid in relieving the symptoms, until the lining 
of the bladder is completely healed. 
In an acute attack it will always be found that some 
relief can be obtained by lying on the back with the hips 
elevated, so as to change the position of the bladder. In 
every form of bladder disorder you will find it advanta- 
geous to finish urinating while sitting on the toilet, by 
bending forward with the hands on the floor so that you 
are practically standing on all-fours. This tips the blad- 
der into the normal position for urinating, and it can be 
completely emptied from this position without any after- 
flow of urine such as commonly occurs to a sufficient ex- 
tent to soil the clothing. Heat should be applied over the 
bladder through the medium of a hot water bottle or hot 
towels, or best of all by the radiations from a high candle- 
power therapeutic light, if you are able to get this treat- 
ment. 
I cannot too strongly emphasize the fact that a large 
proportion of the pains experienced in different parts of 
the body are caused by a mild chronic form of bladder 
inflammation of which the patient is often not aware. If 
the painful symptoms in any part of your body are more 
pronounced when the urine is heavy and full of cloudy 
waste material, you may rest assured that much of this 56 
The Fast Way to Health 
pain is caused as a reflex from the delicate nerves of the 
bladder or urethra, and you cannot expect to be entirely 
free from these pa'ins unless you order your way of living 
so that this membrane will remain healed from all in- 
flammation. The following two cases are typical of 
many:— 
Case 13. Woman, 32 years of age. Had suffered for 
years with a pain in the left shoulder which had been 
called “neuritis” by a number of physicians. Some re- 
lief had been experienced by treatment at mineral springs 
where she drank large quantities of alkaline water and 
took alkaline baths, but for several years there had not 
been complete freedom from the pain in her shoulder. 
She was forced to urinate four or five times each night, 
but no connection was suspected between the shoulder 
pains and the bladder irritation. 
I assured her, after examination, that the so-called 
“neuritis” was caused entirely by a reflex from the blad- 
der, and to prove my contention, while she was lying on 
my examination table I catheterized her, and washed out 
the bladder with two quarts of warm water. This treat- 
ment took four or five minutes, and by the end of that 
time the pain in the shoulder, which was very acute, en- 
tirely disappeared, and without any other treatment did 
not again appear for several days. 
After being convinced that I had found the irritated 
place responsible for her neuritis, she started a treatment 
of fasting and dieting to remove the tendency to form 
urine which was causing the irritation, taking a glass of 
water every half hour during the day. This was con- 
tinued for ten days, and the patient was then put upon a 
well-regulated diet using every kind of food desired, in 
proper combination, with the exception of such things as 
onions and garlic which are always contra-indicated in 
this disorder. This cure was completed over four years Commox Disorders and Their Treatment 
57 
ago, and there has never been a return of either frequent 
urination or neuritis. 
Case 14. Woman, 52 years of age. Was confined to 
bed with an acute attack of cystitis which had lasted over 
three weeks. As far back as this patient could remember 
there had been a chronic irritation of the bladder, and 
all her life she had taken alkaline remedies in attempting 
to counteract the urine acidity, but at the time I was 
called in on the case none of the remedies were affording 
any relief. 
The patient was immediately put upon a water fast, 
using over two gallons of water daily, and as soon as 
enemas had cleaned out the entire alimentary canal, all 
her bladder pains disappeared. The water fast was 
continued for ten days, after which time the patient was 
put on the following diet: 
1 Glass of raw milk every hour until 3 quarts 
were taken. This was continued for eight days, 
and then gradually increased until she was 
taking 6 quarts daily. 
This milk diet was kept up altogether for a month, 
and after that time the patient was allowed to resume a 
normal diet. There has been no return of the cystitis for 
more than eight years, and neither treatments nor reme- 
dies have been used during that time. In spite of the fact 
that the patient had suffered during all the years of her 
life, she has remained well because she has rigidly ad- 
hered to strict dietetic rules such as are explained in the 
second part of this book. (See also cases 10 and 11 under 
“ Backache.”) 
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE 
There is no way of determining the blood pressure 
without an examination with the Sphygmomanometer by a 
competent physician. This instrument contains three 
hundred millimeters of mercury, and when it is properly 58 
The Fast Way to Health 
attached to the upper arm the blood pressure can be de- 
termined by measuring how many millimeters of mercury 
will be forced up in the column by the pressure of the 
brachial artery. The pressure should be between 120 and 
130 in an adult. If it registers above 140 at any age, it 
should be considered positive evidence of high blood 
pressure, which is brought about either by hypertension 
of the arteries, as in gout or rheumatism, excessive men- 
tal strain or worry, or is due to hardening of the arteries. 
Hardening of the arteries may be only a thickening 
of the arterial walls or may be due to deposits of 
lime on the inside of the arteries. In either case the cure 
is entirely dependent upon dietetic changes. A long fruit 
juice fast is always indicated, and I have never had a 
case under my observation and control where the pressure 
was not reduced to the normal by this method. The thick- 
ening of the walls or deposits on the walls is caused in 
every case by a toxic state of the blood, which is produced 
by dietetic errors. I find that the usual dietary pre- 
scribed depends upon the elimination of meats, alcohol, 
and tobacco, but I seldom find a patient with this trouble 
who has been fond of any of these so-called agents to 
the cause. In every case the patient has been a heavy 
starch and sugar eater, and after the fast, when the pres- 
sure is reduced to the normal, the permanency of the cure 
depends entirely upon the regulation of the use of the 
carbohydrates, and often upon their elimination for a 
long period of time. 
I have made elaborate tests to prove this theory, hav- 
ing patients use carbohydrates one day and not the next, 
and I have been able to tell the day the carbohydrates 
were used, by a blood pressure examination alone. It is 
advisable to diminish the intake of liquids if no kidney 
disease exists, as this will reduce the volume of blood and 
relieve some of the arterial tension. The bowels must be Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
59 
kept open by enemas if necessary, and the skin encour- 
aged to eliminate properly by sponge or shower baths. 
The following cases will be sufficient as models for 
you to follow, but remember, these instructions must be 
followed to the letter if you expect to reap the benefits 
which thousands have received. 
Case 15. Man, 67 years of age. Systolic blood pres- 
sure 265 millimeters. The pressure in his head was so 
high that he had been unable to lie down for over two 
weeks, and what little sleep he was able to get was taken 
sitting in a Morris chair. The blood pressure had affected 
his brain, so that the power of speech was impaired, and 
he could not make himself understood. 
The patient was immediately put on an orange juice 
fast, using the juice of an orange every two hours with 
a glass of water each time, and taking one enema and one 
sponge bath each day. Blood pressure was gradually re- 
duced in the course of the fast until it reached a normal 
pressure of 125 millimeters systolic pressure. The fast 
was continued for about thirty days, and then the patient 
was put on the following diet:— 
Breakfast—2 Eggs. 
3 Pieces thin, dry, brown toast. 
Dish of stewed prunes or figs. 
Lunch— Choice of a mixture of the following non-starchy 
salad vegetables: Swiss Chard, green string 
beans, spinach, asparagus, oyster plant, beet 
tops, turnip tops, kale, celery, lettuce, cucum- 
ber, parsley, carrots, turnips, parsnips, beets. 
Dinner— Choice of one of the following: Lean beef, mut- 
ton, chicken, fish, Belgian hare. 
Choice of 2 cooked non-starchy vegetables from 
the following class: Spinach, asparagus, sum- 
mer squash, string beans, lettuce, celery, 
cucumber. 
Choice of one or more of the following salad 
vegetables: Lettuce, celery, cucumber, toma- 
toes. 
No dessert. 60 
The Fast Way to Health 
A diet similar to this has been continued for the past 
8V2 years without an increase in blood pressure. At 
various times during that period I have re-examined the 
patient and found the blood pressure to vary between 
125 and 130 millimeters. I wish you would especially 
note in this case that the cure was permanent, and the 
patient has remained in good health ever since. 
Case 16. Married woman, 42 years of age. Suffered 
from pains in the head, as though an iron band were 
clamped tightly round the skull. Was having profuse 
menstruation, which continued most of the month with 
very few intervals in which it stopped entirely. Systolic 
blood pressure was 228 millimeters. 
I explained to the patient that I believed high blood 
pressure was producing the excessive bleeding, and that 
in this way she was being relieved of the danger of a still 
higher blood pressure, with the possible rupture of a 
blood vessel in the brain which would cause paralysis or 
apoplexy. A fast was started on a glass of grapefruit 
juice taken three times daily, with a glass of water. The 
usual enemas and sponge baths were taken, and the blood 
pressure reduced to 125 millimeters systolic in 4 days. 
However the fast was continued for several days longer, 
and the patient then resumed a well-balanced diet, using 
a selection similar to the one in the case last cited. Her 
blood pressure has remained normal for about a year and 
a half. Menstruation has entirely ceased, and she has 
passed through the menopause period safely, without 
any of the symptoms so commonly associated with that 
change. 
LOW BLOOD PRESSURE 
This is the condition which precedes tuberculosis, dia- 
betes, cancer and all disorders where there is great ener- 
vation. In every case low blood pressure and enervation Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
61 
precede the above mentioned diseases, and are not caused 
by them. With low blood pressure, the arteries become 
flabby and relaxed, and the muscles and tissues of the 
body are found to be in a similar state. Every cause 
which is weakening to the body may be responsible for 
the production of low blood pressure. 
The cure consists in building up the blood stream and 
developing all the functional powers of the body. The 
extreme weakness will be gradually overcome by proper 
dietary changes, with the use of physical culture exer- 
cises and walking. Improvement, however, is very slow, 
and you must be patient and not easily discouraged if 
you expect to overcome this serious and dangerous con- 
dition. In the following case note the length of time nec- 
essary to effect a cure:— 
Case 17. Female, 38 years of age. Had been en- 
ervated for several years, but could not find anything to 
cure this condition. Upon examination I found her suf- 
fering from a real anemia, with 95 millimeters systolic 
blood pressure. The patient was put on a fruit fast con- 
sisting only of apples. Apples were eaten during the day 
as desired, and water was taken each time. The patient 
averaged only 6 or 8 apples daily, as this seemed to sat- 
isfy her craving for food. This fast was continued for a 
week, by which time the blood pressure tested 102 mil- 
limeters systolic, with an Increase in hemoglobin and red 
blood corpuscles. 
The patient was then put on the following diet:— 
Breakfast—Bowl of whole wheat mush, made from coarse- 
grained entire whole wheat, soaked over night 
and cooked one hour, and seasoned with but- 
ter and cream, but no sugar. 
1 Cooked, non-starehy vegetable, and raw celery 
or lettuce. 62 
The Fast Way to Health 
Lunch— 2 Soft-boiled eggs. 
3 Pieces of brown toast. 
Dish of stewed prunes. 
Dinner— One of the following proteid foods: Lean beef 
or mutton, chicken, turkey, fish, or Belgian 
hare. 
2 of the non-starchy cooked vegetables. 
1 or more salad vegetables. 
Stewed fruit or jello for dessert. 
This patient was working in an office, and I thought 
it advisable that she should use the foods as prescribed, 
because it would be more convenient for her to get the egg 
and toast meal at a downtown restaurant than any of the 
others—that is to say I arranged the order of the meals 
in such a way as to cause the patient the minimum of 
inconvenience. She was instructed to exercise morning 
and night, and certain definite exercises were prescribed 
which she took at home. In addition to this I advised 
her to walk a mile each morning before going to the of- 
fice ; a mile at lunch hour; and a mile before dinner in the 
evening. This was gradually increased to two miles each 
time, and a walk added in the evening after dinner. I 
have found walking to be one of the best exercises for 
building up general strength, and of great value to any- 
one who is attempting to raise their blood pressure, as 
they will find that the strength of every part of the body 
is gradually increased in direct proportion as examina- 
tion shows an increase in blood pressure. 
The patient continued on this diet with slight varia- 
tions, and the blood pressure gradually increased so that 
at the end of 3 months it was 110 millimeters systolic, at 
the end of 5 months 116' millimeters, and at the end of 9 
months exactly 120 millimeters systolic, the normal pres- 
sure. In the exceptional case the blood pressure may be 
brought to normal in a shorter period of time, but the 
length of time required in the above case is typically true Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
63 
of most of these cases. The patient has remained well in 
every way, with the blood pressure perfectly normal for 
over three years. 
BRIGHT’S DISEASE 
The function of the kidneys is to separate from the 
blood such waste material as can he excreted in liquid 
form. As a result of certain tissue changes, a great deal 
of the tine ‘ ‘ ashes ’ ’ resulting from the oxidation of dead 
cells is thrown out in the urine. The albumen in the body, 
however, should not be eliminated in this way, but be- 
cause the liver is often very sluggish on account of over- 
work it becomes unable to take care of an ordinary 
amount of proteid food, and the kidneys consequently as- 
sist in the elimination. This sets up an inflammation of 
the lining membrane of the kidneys, and when such a con- 
dition begins the patient is in the first stages of Bright’s 
Disease. 
Contrary to popular belief and the opinion of most 
physicians, this throwing out of proteid in the urine and 
the resultant irritation produced, is not caused by ordi- 
nary meat eating; in fact the Salisbury meat diet is often 
advisable in the treatment of any stage of Bright’s 
Disease. 
The following causes may be considered as the most 
important in the production of this disease:— 
First: Overeating of all kinds of food. 
Second: Enervation or weakness brought on by 
overwork or destructive habits of thought. 
Third: The use of an excess of sugars and starches in 
the diet. 
Fourth: The use of inharmonious food combinations. 64 
The Fast Way to Health 
Fifth: Lack of sufficient exercise to take care of a 
normal amount of food, which should be converted into 
tissue. 
Anyone suffering from this disease may have traces 
of albumen showing continually in the urine for several 
years before the kidneys are overworked enough for the 
patient to become conscious of any symptoms. The urine 
will gradually become cloudy and often scant, and there 
are other symptoms such as pain in the back over the re- 
gion of the kidneys, although usually these will manifest 
themselves lower down in the spine because of the irri- 
tation produced in the bladder from this heavy, irritating 
urine. 
The worst forms of Bright’s Disease are those in 
which the blood pressure is high, but as the treatment of 
Bright’s Disease and high blood pressure is practically 
the same, the patient may expect a cure from both disor- 
ders if proper treatment is started soon enough. 
There is no disease which yields so readily to treat- 
ment by the fasting cure as this one, and even the most 
serious looking cases will often be cured in a remark- 
ably short time. It is of course possible that the dis- 
ease may have progressed so far as to produce structural 
changes in the kidneys from which these injured organs 
can never recover, but these cases are very rare, and if 
the patient is willing to follow strict habits of life, a com- 
plete cure can usually be effected. 
A fairly long fast should be taken first of all, followed 
by an appropriate diet such as outlined in the case below. 
As the cure progresses the patient must be encouraged 
to take up light forms of exercise, gradually increasing 
the amount of calisthenics until able to go to a gymnasium 
for more vigorous kinds of exercise. From that time on, 
if the patient expects to remain well he must keep in Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
65 
training almost as strictly as an athlete does, as by so do- 
ing the bodily forces will use up any reasonable amount 
of food that may be eaten, because of the stimulation of 
the functional powers, with a consequent calling upon the 
digestive organs for increased nourishment. 
Case 18. Man, 42 years of age. Upon examination 
his blood pressure was found to be 180 millimeters sys- 
tolic, which is 60 millimeters above normal. Large 
amounts of albumen had been showing in the urine for 
several years, and he had been turned down for life insur- 
ance on two or three different occasions. He had learned 
to examine his own urine by boiling it in a test tube, and, 
after heating, the coagulated albumen was so heavy that 
it could not be poured out of the test tube. He had first 
been told of his condition by a physician eight years be- 
fore, and the albumen had been gradually increasing since 
that time. During the eight years he had lived almost ex- 
clusively on a vegetarian diet, and he declared that he 
had probably not used more than 1 lb. of meat in the 
whole of that period. 
I assured him that the inharmonious food mixtures he 
had been taking, and the excess of starchy food which 
nearly all vegetarians use, were probably mostly respon- 
sible for his disorder. At the time he came to me for 
treatment he was hardly able to attend to business, and 
felt that he had ‘‘reached the end of his rope” as he 
put it. 
He was immediately started on a fast, using as many 
grapes as desired during the day, and being urged to 
drink large quantities of water. His method was to eat 
a handful of grapes whenever he felt like it at any time 
of day, limiting himself only to the extent of not taking 
more than 3 lbs. on any given day. The urine was exam- 
ined every day for the first week, and on the fourth day 
of the fast was entirely clear of any signs of albn- 66 
The Fast Way to Health 
men. The grape fast, however, was continued in all for 
one week, at the end of which time the blood pressure had 
returned to the normal figure of 120 millimeters. 
His fast was then changed to taking a glass of orange 
juice 3 times daily, with a glass of water each time. This 
was kept up for another week, and more for the sake of 
variety than anything else he was then put on an apple 
fast, using a small, juicy apple every two hours, together 
with a glass of water. This was continued for two weeks, 
so that altogether he fasted on fruit or fruit juice for 28 
days. After the fourth day of his grape fast no further 
traces of albumen were again discovered in the urine. 
In breaking his fast at the end of 28 days, the fol- 
lowing diet was prescribed:— 
Soup to be taken three times daily, made from the 
following vegetables: Spinach, asparagus, celery, 
parsley. These were ground together in a food 
grinder, and cooked for about two hours. 
He was allowed to use as much of this as he desired 
3 times a day, and encouraged to drink a large amount of 
water between these meals. This special diet was used 
for 4 days, after which time he was given the following:— 
Breakfast—Whites of 3 eggs. 
3 or 4 pieces of thin, dry, brown toast. 
Dish of stewed fruit, selected from the follow- 
ing : Prunes, figs, raisins, dried apricots. 
Lunch— 2 ounces of almond or Pecan nuts. 
2 or 3 apples. 
Dinner— One-half pound Salisbury steak. 
2 non-starchy vegetables. 
Choice of one or more salad vegetables. 
Dessert: Every other day a dish of stewed fruit 
and on the alternate days a dish of jello, with 
whipped cream if desired. 
During all of the diet treatment the patient was com- 
ing to my office every day for massage and electro-ther- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
67 
apy treatments, and continued to do so for several 
months, during which time the urine was watched care- 
fully, and although it was heavy at times, consequent 
upon the overwork of the patient in looking after a neg- 
lected business, it never showed any signs of the presence 
of albumen. 
This cure was effected more than 6 years ago, and the 
patient has remained in perfect health ever since, without 
any return of the high blood pressure. Of course he has 
followed his diet during these years, has learned more 
about selecting his food, and has never returned to his 
former habit of indiscriminate eating. 
BRONCHITIS 
The true cause of chronic inflammation of the lungs, 
commonly called bronchitis, is the irritation produced by 
toxic mucus being eliminated through the inside lining 
membrane of the lungs. This mucus condition is some- 
times only on the main forked tubes that convey air from 
the windpipe to the lungs, but in the more advanced cases 
all the minute branches of the bronchia are involved, pro- 
ducing a state similar to tuberculosis, and this may exist 
for many years before changing into a serious acute form. 
If the patient’s strength is maintained through the years, 
a fair age may be reached, with only the wretched symp- 
tom of constantly coughing up quantities of catarrhal 
phlegm, but the disease is easily cured by proper diet and 
by hygienic living. 
This trouble is really nothing more or less than a ca- 
tarrhal state of the lungs, and all mucus forming foods 
must be eliminated until the delicate membrane is re- 
stored to the normal, when it can again resume its work 
of expelling only gaseous poisons. A fast of several days 
will clear the lungs of accumulated material which has 68 
The Fast Way to Health 
been forming for many years, and if a suitable diet is 
continued after the fasting period a quick cure may be 
expected. 
There are several factors connected with tuberculosis 
which are not present with bronchitis, and the cure is so 
much more rapid with the latter disease because the pa- 
tient’s strength is greater, and there is less tissue degen- 
eration to be corrected. 
As in catarrh of the nose and throat, the strictest diet 
must be maintained for a long time, because of the fact 
that the membrane has been literally soaked in mucus for 
years, and will tend to resume its former habit of elim- 
inating toxins in a solid form unless the material for such 
poisons is withheld from the blood. 
Case 19. Man, 73 years of age. Had suffered from 
bronchitis for years. Believed also that he had asthma. 
I found that he had never suffered from the typical asth- 
matic wheezing, but that his lungs had always made a 
whistling sound because of the air passing through bron- 
chial tubes covered with an excess accumulation of mu- 
cus. He had attempted to alleviate his condition for 
years by using asthma remedies, and by various changes 
of climate, but with very little effect. Large quantities 
of mucus were coughed up each morning, and during all 
the day, in fact so much during the day that he had had 
difficulty during his life in keeping a position, because 
everyone suspected that he had tuberculosis. 
I assured him that his trouble was caused by a 
catarrhal blood stream, which was depositing its mucus 
and waste products in the lungs instead of in the usual 
eliminative channels, and that as soon as this excess was 
removed from the blood, he would become well. A fast 
of orange juice was used at first, the patient taking the 
juice as desired during the day, and drinking plenty of 
water each time the juice was taken. After 15 days of Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
69 
this fast, a change was made to a fruit fast, and the pa- 
tient used on successive days plums, grapes, and apricots, 
using only one fruit on each day, and keeping this up for 
20 days more. Before this fruit fast was completed the 
mucus had entirely disappeared, and the patient was not 
raising any mucus in the morning except a very slight 
frothy material, which finally disappeared after several 
more weeks of a carefully selected diet, wherein the car- 
bohydrate foods were used in only small quantities. 
The patient took a daily treatment with the ultra-vio- 
let light applied to the membrane of the nose and throat, 
and this no doubt made his recovery more rapid than it 
would have been if he had been forced to use only home 
treatment. A salt glow was also recommended and used 
every other day during the course of treatment. 
Case 20. Girl, 8 years of age. Had suffered from 
bronchitis since a baby, coughing up each day quantities 
of mucus, and having a characteristic whistling sound in 
the lungs. She had never been able to play with other 
children because her breath was so short that she could 
not endure any long exertion without bringing on more 
whistling and great enervation. Tonsils and adenoids 
had been removed when 3 years of age, and to all appear- 
ances the bronchitis had been made worse following the 
operation. I believe this is usually the case when these 
organs are removed, if the patient’s habits are not cor- 
rected to cure the catarrhal state responsible in the first 
place for the enlarged tonsils. It seems that more mucus 
forms in the lungs in every case after the tonsils have 
been removed. 
After a 3-day fast on orange juice and water all signs 
of the bronchitis disappeared, and no traces have since 
been found of any catarrhal condition, as the child has 
been living since the fast upon practically a starch-free 
diet, using mostly proteid foods, with a large amount of 70 
The Fast Way to Health 
salad and green vegetables. She is now studying clas- 
sical dancing, and able to do the hardest exercises with- 
out the slightest fatigue, and without producing any 
whistling or wheezing in the lungs. 
CATARRH AND HAY FEVER 
These disorders of the mucous membrane of the nose 
and throat are really of constitutional origin, and due to 
the discharge of mucus from a blood stream surcharged 
with the products of an excess assimilation of fatty and 
carbohydrate foods. Because of the inability of the elim- 
inative organs to throw off this excess mucus, it is dis- 
charged through the mucous membranes, which, in turn, 
become irritated and develop a chronic state of engorge- 
ment and inflammation. The invasion of bacteria, or 
breathing of an excess of dust or flower pollen, will easily 
bring on an acute attack, because of the congestion of 
serum already there. In order to bring about a cure, it 
is first advisable to cleanse the blood of this excess of ac- 
cumulated toxic material as rapidly as possible, and adopt 
a diet free from those foods which furnished the mate- 
rial for the catarrhal phlegm. 
There will always be noted a derangement of the di- 
gestive functions accompanying these troubles, together 
with a torpid liver and a sluggish circulation, and these 
conditions must be corrected to bring about a complete 
and permanent cure. 
Case 21. Married woman, 40 years of age. Had suf- 
fered from catarrh all her life, with hay fever during 
the months of May, June, and July of each year. She 
came to my office at the start of one of her hay fever at- 
tacks three years ago, in the month of May. Her eyes 
and nose were red, and she was forced to wipe them al- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
71 
most constantly. She sneezed so violently and often that 
it was impossible for her to go out much in public. 
A fast was started, using only plain water, and drink- 
ing a glass every half hour during the entire day. No 
fruit juices were used in this fast, as I find they fre- 
quently produce irritation in anyone suffering from hay 
fever, and although the fruit fast will sometimes have 
beneficial effects, my experience is that every case re- 
sponds to the plain water fast. 
The fast was continued for 9 days. On the second 
day the sneezing stopped, and at about the sixth day all 
signs of hay fever had disappeared. The patient re- 
ceived daily treatment with concentrated radiations from 
the ultra-violet light, as produced through the quartz 
mercury vapor lamp, and this no doubt hastened the 
cure. I suggested that the patient drive out into the 
country and walk through the hay fields, in order to con- 
vince her that the cure had been made through a cleans- 
ing of the blood stream, and that if she remained in a 
condition free from catarrh, she need never fear any 
slight irritation which might be produced by the smell 
of hay or the pollen of plants. She has remained well, 
and without a sign of hay fever, during three seasons, and 
seems to be completely cured. 
Case 22. Female, 34 years of age. As I am writing 
this article in the month of August, I feel it might be 
helpful to my readers to report a case recently called to 
my attention. This patient had been under treatment 
the previous fall for stomach ulcer, which had been 
cured by the adoption of a strict dietetic regime, and the 
patient restored to good health in about three months 
after starting the treatment. It had been over six months 
since I had seen her, but she came to my office a few days 
before this article was written and reported to me that 72 
The Fast Way to Health 
she liad had no signs of the hay fever this year which 
she had had every year since a small child. She had for- 
gotten to tell me about this at the time her case was diag- 
nosed, but thought it might be interesting to me to know 
that the general good health which had resulted from 
the adoption of correct habits of life liad cured her hay 
fever, even although I was not already aware that she 
suffered from that disease. 
By profession she was an actress, and during some 
years the hay fever had been so troublesome that she was 
forced to cancel theatrical engagements, simply because 
she could not go through a performance without sneezing 
many times. I report this case because it proves my con- 
tention that hay fever is a constitutional disease, and the 
cure does not depend upon local treatments to the mem- 
brane of the nose and throat. 
CIRCULATION—DEFECTIVE 
Good circulation of pure blood is absolutely necessary 
for the enjoyment of perfect health; indeed, the wonder- 
ful mechanism of the human body may be deprived of 
life altogether and the blood emptied by a single dagger 
thrust. The cells of the body are literally floating in a 
sea of blood. Circulation varies in different parts of the 
body, and even in good health there is a very marked dif- 
ference in the rapidity of the flow in the various portions 
of the anatomy. 
It is the popular belief that the blood is pumped from 
the heart to all parts of the body and returns again to 
the heart, completing the circuit in about four minutes. 
I do not believe this to be entirely true, as my investiga- 
tion has shown that only waves of blood are sent out by 
the heart into the circulation, and that these waves par- 
tially purify the blood as they pass along, forcing the Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
73 
older, devitalized blood back through the venous circula- 
tion to the heart and lungs to be re-oxygenated. 
In some parts the blood becomes thickened with the 
waste products of the tissues. If a complete stoppage ex- 
ists, caused by a blood clot, it may cause instant death if 
it occurs in the heart or brain. When a chronic partial 
stoppage exists in any part, it produces slow death of 
that part. If the hands or feet are cold under ordinary 
conditions, you may rest assured your circulation is de- 
fective. Lowered vitality will produce defective function- 
ing of the heart, or any part of the circulatory system. 
The heart must be considered as an organ for the con- 
trol of the circulation, and any organic or functional dis- 
order of that organ will be the cause of poor circulation. 
If the valves of the heart allow the blood to leak back, the 
action of the heart will be increased, but even this extra 
rapid action of the heart will not overcome the sluggish 
circulation in the extremities of the body. Dropsy is a 
state often produced when the blood or other fluids of the 
body become congested in the feet and hands, because of 
a lack of muscular tone in the walls of the arteries and 
veins. A poor circulation below the waist is often 
caused by tight corsets, belts, or garters, and tight neck- 
bands will cause a slowing up of the circulation in the 
neck and face, and produce puffy face and double chin. 
Tight hatbands cut off the circulation to and from the 
scalp, and constitute a common cause of baldness. 
The first change to be considered in bringing about a 
cure is to see that the thickened blood is reduced to nor- 
mal. This is best accomplished by fasting for a few days, 
which will give the body a chance to remove the foreign 
substances from the blood. This should be followed by 
careful dieting during the time that other methods of 
treatment are being put into use. Cold baths in the form 74 
The Fast Way to Health 
of shower or sponge baths should be taken twice daily. 
In some cases it seems advantageous to lie for three or 
four minutes in a tub of cold water. 
If local congestion of the circulation exists, such as in 
blood poisoning in the foot, where immediate help is nec- 
essary, it will be advisable to use a hot bath on that part 
where the blood is stagnating, but this should only be 
taken as an emergency treatment, and not for those who 
have a chronic condition of sluggish circulation, as the 
hot bath is always relaxing, and makes the blood vessels 
lose their muscular tone. Friction rubs with either a cold 
wet towel or a dry towel are recommended for increasing 
the activity of the pores and the skin circulation. Sleep 
with a small amount of covering over the body, and use 
a hot water bottle for the feet. 
No permanent cure of any form of defective circula- 
tion is possible without an increased amount of muscular 
exercise. This may be taken in the form of calisthenics, 
but the best single exercise of all for this trouble is walk- 
ing. Walks should be taken several times daily, increas- 
ing the length of the walk gradually as the strength 
permits. 
Case 23. Female, 30 years of age. Examination dis- 
closed a slight valvular leakage of the heart, with a low 
blood pressure. The hands and feet had a purplish, mot- 
tled aspect. Patient complained of great weakness, and 
constant numbness of the hands and feet. A water fast 
was advised, which the patient at once started, using 
only water for 4 days, and following this by an exclusive 
milk diet. At the start of the milk diet the patient had 
an 8 oz. glass of milk every hour during the day, until 3 
quarts were taken. This was raw, unpasteurized milk 
from Holstein cows. Each glass of milk was preceded by 
a teaspoonful of orange juice. No other food or liquid 
of any other kind was used. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
75 
At the end of three weeks of this diet, the patient’s 
heart valves were functioning normally, and no sign of 
valvular leakage existed. The circulation had improved 
in the hands and feet, so that they seemed quite normal. 
The patient was then put on a general diet regime, using 
well-balanced combinations of food, and started system- 
atic exercising, using calisthenics twice daily and taking 
long walks. During the milk diet the patient was allowed 
to exercise as much as was needful in the performance 
of necessary housework, but vigorous exercising was not 
started until after the milk diet was completed. A grad- 
ual gain in weight was shown, and at the present time the 
patient weighs about 15 lbs. more than at the start of the 
treatment. She is feeling well, and seems to be in perfect 
health. 
CONSTIPATION 
This is probably one of the most common complaints 
of the present day, and may he said to be entirely an ail- 
ment of civilization. It is present in most diseases, and 
is an important causative factor always to be considered 
in the cure of any specific trouble. Women are much 
more subject to the disorder than men, because of their 
comparative inactivity, and the weakness of their abdom- 
inal muscles. The constriction of tight corsets and cloth- 
ing is a cause common with women, and those of this sex 
whose abdominal muscles are weak usually suffer from 
prolapsus of the stomach and intestines, which condition 
is a potent cause of constipation. 
In constipation the feces are generally too dry for 
want of sufficient lubricating fluids from the intestines, 
and it will be found that the kidneys are eliminating a 
large amount of liquid which would soften the feces if 
it could be used in the intestines. I believe that the free 76 
The Fast Way to Health 
drinking of liquids has a tendency to cause constipation 
rather than to cure it as is commonly believed. 
The most frequent causes of constipation are the 
following:— 
1. Waiting for some uncomfortable sign that the 
bowels wish to move, in place of going to the 
toilet at certain fixed and regular times. 
2. Insufficient exercise. 
3. Long continued use of laxative medicines. 
4. The use of food which is especially constipating, 
such as milk, cheese, starches, and sweets. 
5. Lack of green non-starchy vegetables in the 
diet, to provide bulk. 
6. Insufficient mastication of starchy foods. 
7. Inharmonious mixtures of foodstuffs. 
No matter what the cause of constipation may have 
been, it always seems advisable at the beginning of the 
cure to cleanse the entire alimentary canal completely by 
fasting and enemas. The fast with various kinds of 
fruit seems to be the one most successful in the treatment 
of constipation, and the following fruits are found to be 
the best to use for this kind of fast:— 
Apples 
Grapes 
Peaches 
Apricots 
Plums 
Ripe Figs 
Tomatoes (which are 
really a fruit) 
The whole fruit should be used, and the skin should 
never be removed from any of them. It is sometimes 
found advisable to remove the skins of peaches and figs 
when they are used with other foods, but this does not 
hold good during the fast, when the skin furnishes bulk 
which is needed. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
77 
One of these fruits should be taken for several days, 
or a different fruit on each day, according to the desire 
of the patient. I generally recommend the use of agar- 
agar with this fruit fast, and have the patient take a 
teaspoonful of the granulated form several times daily. 
This provides more bulk, and gives the intestines mate- 
rial to aid in the elimination of accumulated toxic ma- 
terial from the colon. 
At least two enemas daily should be used during the 
fruit fast, and this fast should be continued for several 
weeks. After the fast is completed the patient is put on 
a diet free from those foods which are constipating, 
rather a full diet being employed, and as large a use as 
possible made of greens and non-starchy vegetables. 
Meat may be freely used if taken with sufficient greens. 
It is advisable for some time to keep down the amount of 
starch, and to eliminate milk from the diet altogether. 
Muffins made from real whole-wheat flour are helpful, if 
they are used in the right combination with other foods. 
After eating is resumed the enemas should be taken 
only once daily, and that one taken by the patient while 
sitting on the toilet, allowing a small amount of water to 
run in and out of the rectum, which will be sufficient to 
encourage the start of the bowel movement. It is abso- 
lutely necessary to go to the toilet twice daily whether 
the impulse to do so is felt or not. You will find it help- 
ful to put the feet on the rung of a chair placed in front 
of the toilet, so that you are sitting in practically a squat- 
ting position—this being the posture adopted by many 
of the native peoples of the Orient. Whether you are 
troubled with constipation or not you will find that this 
will give you more satisfactory bowel movements. 
If fruit is desired, it may be taken before retiring, 
and this will aid in overcoming constipation. Only one 78 
The Fast Way to Health 
fruit at a time should be used. Avoid laxatives and 
cathartics of every description, as they tend to deplete 
the intestines of their lubricating fluids, with the result 
that when they are not used the feces become dry. The 
most helpful exercises for constipation are those taken 
lying on the back, or what may be truly called ‘ ‘ setting- 
up” exercises. Long walks are specially recommended, 
and are of more direct benefit in overcoming constipa- 
tion than with almost any other form of ailment. 
Case 24. Woman, 67 years of age. Had been in good 
health for about 30 years, but previous to that time had 
been sick with many different ailments. At 37 years of 
age she discovered the beneficial effect of enemas, and 
started taking one each day, using an ordinary fountain 
syringe, and sitting on the toilet while taking it. She 
quickly got rid of her rheumatism and other troubles 
which she had at that time, and continued taking one 
enema daily until the time she presented herself to me 
for treatment, remaining in perfect health during all the 
thirty years. 
She came to me because of an accident which had in- 
jured her spine, and told me of her experience with the 
enema. As I do not treat patients even with a broken 
bone without putting them on a well-balanced diet, I did 
the same in the case of this patient, and had her discon- 
tinue the enema. To her surprise she found that her 
bowels would move two or three times daily. This case 
clearly shows that the long continued use of the enema 
does not “paralyze” the action of the intestines as is 
claimed by many authorities. 
Case 25. Female, 37 years of age. Constipated since 
a little girl. Had had many bilious attacks, also rheuma- 
tism and frequent headaches. Bowels never moved with- 
out a laxative. On a number of occasions she had waited Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
79 
several days for a movement to start, but without result, 
and finally she would have to resort to some strong 
laxative. 
The patient was put on an apple fast for 35 days, eat- 
ing a medium sized apple every two hours during the 
day, and drinking a glass of water each time. Two ene- 
mas daily were taken. The bilious symptoms and head- 
aches entirely disappeared during the first week of this 
fast, and by the end of the second week the rheumatism 
had entirely left her. After 35 days of this diet the pa- 
tient was put on a diet of the following:— 
Breakfast—1 Dish of whole wheat mush made from entire 
coarse-grained whole wheat, seasoned with but- 
ter or cream. No sugar. 
Lunch— 2 Cooked non-starchy vegetables. 
Salad of several non-starchy salad vegetables. 
Dinner— 1 of the following proteids: Lean beef or mut- 
ton, chicken, Belgian hare, or fish. 
2 non-starchy vegetables, and choice of one or 
more salad vegetables. 
Dish of stewed fruit for dessert, selected from 
the following dried fruits: Prunes, figs, raisins, 
apricots. 
The enema was continued once daily for a week, and 
was taken during that time while sitting on the toilet. 
By the end of the first week of this treatment the bowels 
moved freely by themselves, and there has been no re- 
turn of constipation since. The patient has gradually 
changed her diet, so that she is now using almost every 
kind of food, but combining it properly, and using an ex- 
tra amount of bulky, non-starchy and salad vegetables. 
There has been no return of the headaches or rheuma- 
tism or any of the other symptoms from which she had 
been suffering. 80 
The Fast Way to Health 
DEAFNESS 
An interference with the sense of hearing may be 
caused by a retention of wax in the outer ear. This may 
be removed by soaking the entire external canal in warm 
olive oil, which can be poured in while lying on the side. 
Allow the oil to remain for several minutes, and repeat 
this for a number of days, when the wax can be easily 
removed with a small ear spoon. 
A common cause of deafness is a chronic state of en- 
largement of the tonsils. (See article on Tonsillitis.) 
Of course an injury to the ear may cause a complete deaf- 
ness which cannot be cured by any means, as a broken 
ear drum cannot be replaced. The most common cause 
is no doubt a catarrhal state of the nose and throat, and 
if this is the real cause the cure is certain as soon as the 
catarrh is treated and disposed of. (See treatment un- 
der article on Catarrh and Hay Fever.) 
The following two cases are typical:— 
Case 26. Male, 65 years of age. This patient was a 
retired physician who had been totally deaf for about 10 
years. He came to jne in the hope that I might be able 
to give him a diet which would relieve the catarrhal con- 
dition in his head and throat which had existed all his 
life. He remembered having catarrh as a boy, and was 
never entirely free from it at any time, but in spite of 
all the treatments he took in his endeavors to overcome 
the trouble, it gradually increased through the years, so 
that when he presented himself to me for treatment he 
was using several handkerchiefs daily. He gradually be- 
came deaf during the years of his practice, and the last 
few years had been spent as a specialist on a certain 
branch of medical science where acute hearing was not 
essential. After becoming totally deaf he found it hard 
to continue his practice at all and consequently retired 
from it altogether. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
81 
I explained tlie benefit of the fasting cure for his 
catarrhal condition, and suggested that his hearing might 
be regained. Of course he did not believe this, after 
eminent specialists had failed to help him. He started on 
an orange juice fast to rid his system of catarrh. Dur- 
ing the fast he used only the juice of 6 oranges daily, one 
taken every two hours with a plentiful supply of water. 
The fast was continued for 25 days. After the tenth day 
certain loud noises could be heard. His hearing con- 
tinued to improve, and on the eighteenth day of the fast 
he passed the test used for railway trainmen, and could 
hear a watch tick 18 inches from either ear. 
At the end of 25 days he was placed for a further 10 
days upon the following diet:— 
Three times a day soup made from the following vege- 
tables : Celery, asparagus, parsley, spinach. These were 
ground together in the raw state and then cooked for over 
an hour. After the cooking was completed he was al- 
lowed to add a small amount of butter and salt for sea- 
soning. One or two bowls of this mixture were taken 
three times daily during the ten days, and then the fol- 
lowing diet was taken for several months:— 
Breakfast—Whites of 3 eggs. 
3 or 4 pieces of thin, brown, dry toast. 
Dish of stewed fruit, selected from the follow- 
ing: Figs, dates, raisins, apples. 
Lunch— A raw food meal, using a choice of the following: 
Spinach, lettuce, string beans, carrots, turnips, 
asparagus, parsley, oyster plant, parsnips, 
beets. 
Dinner— Roast beef or beefsteak. 
2 non-starchy cooked vegetables. 
Choice of the following salad vegetables: Let- 
tuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery. 
No dessert. 82 
The Fast Way to Health 
After several months of this diet the patient was al- 
lowed to make other changes in his diet, being careful to 
avoid inharmonious food mixtures, and cautioned to use a 
small amount of fats and starches. The cure was com- 
pleted several years ago, and from time to time I have 
heard from the doctor, who has resumed practice, and has 
had no return of catarrhal symptoms or deafness. 
Case 27. Boy, 4 years of age. Came to my office with 
his mother and small brother 2 years of age. The mother 
brought the 2-year-old baby to my office to be treated for 
enlarged tonsils, because she wished to avoid an opera- 
tion, believing that a previous 6ne was responsible for 
the older hoy’s deafness. The operation had been per- 
formed two years before, and there had been a gradual 
increase in deafness since that time. 
1 assured her that if the older child took the same diet 
treatment as the baby was to take to cure the enlarged 
tonsils, his hearing would be improved. The younger 
child started treatments both constitutional and local, and 
the tonsils were reduced to normal size. At the same time 
the older boy followed the diet of the younger, and with- 
out any local treatments or any special advice, his hear- 
ing was completely restored. It has remained perfect 
ever since that time, which is now about a year ago. Ap- 
parently some injury had been caused, in the course of 
the operation, to the Eustachian tube—the air tube lead- 
ing from the throat to the ear. I assume that the fast 
absorbed the scar tissue produced by the injury, or per- 
haps it was only because his chronic state of catarrh was 
removed. 
DIABETES 
This disease is present only with those patients who 
are so enervated that their metabolism becomes faulty, 
that is, their cells are literally dying faster than they are Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
83 
being built up. It is not essentially a kidney disease, but 
one evidence of tbe disorder is the elimination by the 
urine of large quantities of sugar. The patient generally 
voids a large quantity of urine during the 24 hours, 
and has to urinate frequently. In every case the sugar 
in the urine is caused by the liver’s inability to take care 
of the sugar and starch assimilated. 
From this point of view you will see that the kidneys 
are really saving the life of the patient by throwing out 
the waste sugar which the body cannot use, because the 
liver cannot do the extra work it has been called upon to 
do. Often the appetite will be enormous, and the trouble 
is more liable to occur in those people with a tendency to 
obesity. The saliva is usually scanty, and often sores will 
form in the mouth. There will be a strong thirst, and the 
patient will want to drink large quantities of water. The 
breath has a peculiar smell similar to ether, caused by 
the acetone which is being eliminated by the breath. Men 
are more susceptible to the disease than women. 
Anything which produces enervation and makes the 
body lose its resistance to disease may have an effect in 
producing diabetes — mental shocks, nervous strains, 
overwork, worry, anxiety, all have a tendency to favor the 
development of this affliction. Autointoxication is always 
present, and the cure of this condition of self-poisoning 
is always necessary before the diabetes itself can be 
tackled. A tendency to derangement of the pancreas and 
liver always exists, with functional impairment of the 
liver and clogging up of bile in the gall bladder. 
In spite of the seriousness of this disease, it is easily 
curable in the case of middle-aged patients. The 
younger the patient is the more difficult the cure, because 
if the metabolism is imperfect at an early age it shows 
a radical functional impairment of the liver and pan- 84 
The Fast Way to Health 
creas, while with those of more advanced age a certain 
amount of lost resistance may be expected. 
The start of the treatment of diabetes depends upon 
a treatment for the liver and gall bladder such as I recom- 
mend in the articles written about diseases of those 
organs. It is advisable the first night to take 4 ounces of 
olive oil together with 4 ounces of grapefruit juice, jnst 
before retiring, and beginning next morning to take the 
juice of a grapefruit every 3 hours during the day, and 
drink large quantities of water with the juice. The sugar 
in the urine will usually disappear after a few days of 
this fast, and will not again reappear, if the patient will 
rigidly follow such instructions as are outlined in the 
cases cited below. 
Following the fast, a milk diet is generally of benefit, 
but not over three or four quarts should be taken each 
day, and it is always necessary to use the juice of lemons 
or oranges with this diet, in order to stimulate the flow 
of bile properly so that the patient will not become bilious. 
Exercise should be gradually increased as the sugar 
leaves the urine, but proper periods of rest taken during 
the day, and the patient must sleep as long as possible 
at night. Any mental causes which are responsible for 
the patient’s loss of energy must be removed, that is to 
say, helpful, happy, healthy thoughts must be substituted 
for those which were causing depression and enervation. 
Case 28. Male, 54 years of age. Examination showed 
a large amount of sugar in the urine. The patient had 
been unable to work in his office as an attorney for some 
time. Systolic blood pressure was only 95 millimeters. 
The grapefruit juice and olive oil treatment was admin- 
istered the first night, followed by a fast of grapefruit 
juice. This was continued for 12 days. On the third day 
of the fast all traces of sugar had disappeared from the Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
85 
urine, but the fast was kept up for another nine days, and 
the patient was then given a milk diet, using a glass of 
milk every hour until three quarts had been taken. Each 
glass was preceded by a teaspoonful of lemon juice. 
This milk diet was continued for over three months. 
The patient was then put on a diet of the following:— 
Breakfast—Whites of 3 eggs. 
3 pieces brown, thin toast. 
Choice of stewed fruits. 
Lunch— Choice of one of the following fruits: Apples, 
pears, grapes, ripe figs, peaches, apricots, 
plums, or a glass of orange juice. 
Glass of water added. 
Dinner— Three-fourths pound Salisbury steak. 
2 non-starchy vegetables. 
Choice of several salad vegetables. 
No dessert. 
He kept to this diet for about three months and then 
gradually introduced other articles of food, so that now 
he is taking almost any eatable he desires, but using it in 
proper proportion and combination with other foods. 
Many examinations of the urine have been made in this 
time, without a trace of sugar being found. He has now 
resumed his law practice, and is apparently in perfect 
health, has a normal blood pressure of 120 millimeters 
systolic, and abundant energy for his work. 
DIGESTIVE DISORDERS 
In health, the digestive functions are carried on with- 
out pain. A healthy person is not aware of the work 
being done by his stomach and intestines. The first symp- 
toms of digestive disorders are a feeling of either weight, 
oppression, distension, flatulence, palpitation, or various 
other unpleasant symptoms which are generally included 
under the term ‘£ indigestion. ’ ’ If the cause of these 
symptoms is not removed, the next step will be the devel- 86 
The Fast Way to Health 
opment of gastric ulcers, enteritis (irritation of the small 
intestines), or colitis (inflammation of the colon). One 
of the most common indications of abuse of the digestive 
functions is the universal symptom of constipation or im- 
pacted colon. 
Among the manifold causes of digestive disorders are 
the following: 
1. The use of indigestible foods and those whose very 
composition proves them unsuitable for use as food by 
the laws of physiological chemistry, such as: onions, 
garlic, dry beans, flapjacks, cabbage, cakes and pastries, 
bananas, and all mixed condiments. Remember your ex- 
periences with those foods and place them in the “taboo” 
class in spite of the recommendation of so-called authori- 
ties whose judgment is often impaired by their own appe- 
tites. 
2. The use of inharmonious combinations of foods 
whose chemical mixture make them undergo excessive 
fermentative processes. (See chapter on Food Combina- 
tions.) 
3. Overeating of the best food properly combined 
will be a source of digestive disturbances both of an acute 
and chronic nature. 
4. Eating when your system is exhausted or when 
you have insufficient hunger. 
5. Mental disturbances, such as worry, hate, fear, 
jealousy, etc., waste an enormous amount of energy which 
might be used to better advantage in digesting and assim- 
ilating food. 
6. Insufficient mastication, especially of starchy 
foods. 
7. The use of too much liquid at the meals, whether it 
be coffee or water, will over-distend the stomach and 
weaken the gastric juices. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
87 
8. Injuring the stomach or intestines with strong 
drugs which results in the destruction of the delicate lin- 
ing of these organs. 
9. Irregularity of meals. 
Those who have not reached the chronic stage of a 
disease of the digestive organs will find that by sub- 
stituting good habits of eating for harmful ones the re- 
sults which quickly follow will be astounding. However, 
a short fast is a good preparation for any radical change 
in the dietary regime, and is necessary in advanced cases 
in order to ensure rapid benefit from the treatment. 
The following ailments will cover the typical varieties 
of gastro-intestinal diseases met with in my office prac- 
tice :— 
Gastritis. The word “gastritis” means an inflam- 
mation of the gastric organ or stomach, and is probably 
the most common form of trouble with the digestive ap- 
paratus. Mild forms of gastritis will be noticed in those 
who find they have a gnawing in the stomach when they 
miss a meal. This gnawing is never an indication of hun- 
ger, but shows that the walls of the stomach are suffi- 
ciently inflamed to irritate each other when the stomach 
is empty. If dietetic errors are not corrected this gnaw- 
ing becomes more pronounced, and more of a burning 
feeling is felt three or four hours after meals, caused by 
the irritating effect upon the inflamed membrane of an 
excess of gastric juice left in the stomach after the diges- 
tion of the last meal. 
This gnawing or burning may exist for many years 
before the patient will think it serious enough to consult 
a physician, as drinking a glass or two of water or eat- 
ing a small amount of food will generally relieve any of 
the gastritis symptoms. As soon as the stomach is dis- 
tended by water the irritation will cease, or if a small 88 
The Fast Way to Health 
amount of food is eaten, the gastric juice, which is acid, 
will have food material to work upon, and the lining of 
the stomach will not be so irritated. The sooner this ir- 
ritation appears after a meal the more serious is the 
form of gastritis present, and if the treatment of this 
disorder is neglected it will eventually turn into ulcer or 
cancer. 
Case 29. Woman, 32 years of age. Was troubled 
with a large amount of stomach gas, and a feeling of dis- 
comfort about two hours after each meal. Had been told 
by a diagnosing physician that she had a stomach ulcer 
and must be operated on at once, but she came to me for 
advice because she hoped to avoid an operation. 
Patient was put on a plain water fast for five days, 
using water as desired any time during the day. During 
this time she suffered no discomfort and lost all her 
former symptoms. If a real stomach ulcer had existed, 
this change would not have taken place so rapidly. After 
the fifth day the patient was put on a milk diet, using at 
first three quarts of pure unpasteurized Holstein milk, 
and taking four ounces of milk every thirty minutes until 
three quarts were taken. No other food was used, and no 
water was drunk during the course of the milk diet. This 
diet was continued for about four weeks, after which time 
the patient was put on a general diet, using well-propor- 
tioned meals with correct combinations of food, and has 
since suffered no symptoms of gastritis or any digestive 
disorder. 
Stomach Ulcee. This is a condition present only 
with those who have suffered for years with gastritis, 
and who have neglected to change their dietetic habits so 
as to cure the inflammation of the stomach which must 
exist before an ulcer can start. The red, inflamed lining 
of the stomach which is present in gastritis becomes more Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
89 
irritated around the pylorus or exit from the organ, 
and an ulcer gradually starts which proceeds rapidly to 
penetrate through the stomach once it has made a proper 
beginning. When any ordinary article of food is eaten 
it will cause great pain and finally vomiting. In the worst 
stage of the ulcer, blood and pus will be vomited along' 
with any food material which the patient attempts to eat. 
Sometimes cow’s milk can be retained if milk of mag- 
nesia is added to it to counteract the stomach’s acidity, 
but the treatment which is the best at the start of such a 
case is to use an alkaline water fast, drinking a glass of 
water every thirty minutes, to which has been added a 
small amount of milk of magnesia or baking soda. Some- 
times it is necessary to drink this alkaline water during 
the night, so that the stomach never at any time becomes 
empty, or in such a condition that the gastric juice might 
irritate it further. 
After a few days of this regime, with the patient 
having complete rest in bed, a suitable milk diet should 
be used for several weeks. As soon as the acute symp- 
toms subside, the patient should be encouraged to leave 
the bed and walk as much as possible, taking care not to 
bring on further irritation of the stomach by any too 
violent exercise. You may expect two to three months to 
elapse before the stomach is sufficiently healed to adopt 
a general diet regime, but by the time this is taken the 
patient must be thoroughly familiar with the changes nec- 
essary in his dietetic habits from those he practised be- 
fore the ulcer was developed. 
Case 30. Young man, 26 years of age. Had been 
vomiting for several days all the different food prepara- 
tions which his physician had been advising him to eat, 
and on the day I was called in on the case he had had 
several vomitings with blood and pus mixed in with the 90 
The Fast Way to Health 
food stuff. Had been suffering every hour of the day 
except the time he was under an opiate. 
I advised an immediate enema, and instructed that 
this he used three times daily. The patient was given a 
pint of warm water to drink, in which had been dissolved 
a teaspoonful of baking soda. This was immediately 
vomited, bringing with it the remainder of some malted 
milk mixture which he had taken an hour previously. 
He was immediately given another pint of hot water with 
a teaspoonful of soda in it, and he succeeded in keeping 
this in his stomach. After ten or fifteen minutes the 
abdominal muscles lost their tenseness, and he became 
quite comfortable. A glass of hot water was given him 
every thirty minutes, with a very small amount of milk 
of magnesia or bicarbonate of soda in each glass. The 
painful symptoms entirely disappeared, and he was kept 
on this water fast for ten days, being awakened suffi- 
ciently every hour at night to take a pint of water. 
At the end of this ten days he was placed upon a milk 
diet, taking four ounces of milk every half hour during his 
waking hours, and being aroused every hour during the 
night and given eight ounces. After a few days it became 
apparent that the night feeding was unnecessary, and his 
milk diet was changed to taking six ounces of milk every 
thirty minutes during the day. By this time he was able 
to leave his bed and take short walks. 
This last change in the milk diet was continued for 
six weeks. He was then placed upon the following diet:— 
Breakfast—French omelet. (See chapter on Proteid 
Food.) 
3 slices of thin brown toast, moistened with 
hot water, and seasoned with butter or 
cream. 
Prune whip, made by mincing stewed prunes 
and beating them up with the white of an 
egg, no other sugar being added. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
91 
Lunch— A quart of raw milk taken 8 ounces at a time 
every 15 minutes. 
Dinner— Whites of 3 eggs prepared by mixing with 3 
tablespoonfuls of water, and beating in a 
dry pan over a slow fire until cooked to a 
jelly-like consistency. 
Dish of 1 cooked non-starchy vegetable pre- 
pared by grinding in a food grinder before 
cooking, to ensure that it is well minced. 
Choice of one of the following raw salad veg- 
etables, ground through a food chopper: 
Spinach, celery, or lettuce. 
Dish of jello. 
This diet was continued for another month, and after 
that the patient was instructed to adopt a general diet, 
being careful to avoid all inharmonious food mixtures, 
and to follow the dietetic rules explained in the last part 
of this book. He has remained in perfect health ever 
since, and has never had a return of any digestive dis- 
order. 
ECZEMA AND PSORIASIS 
These diseases are due to irritants in the fluids of the 
body which seek an outlet through the skin and mucous 
membranes. 
Eczema is characterized by extreme itching, making 
it a very discomforting and irritating disease. The skin 
is scaly and generally exudes a serum,'making an addi- 
tional danger of easy infection from outside bacteria. I 
have had many very serious cases of infection starting 
with eczema which was poisoned by scratching bacteria 
into the irritated skin, thus setting up a state of acute 
septicaemia. 
The potent causes in the diet are an excess of all 
starches and sugar, and their use in improper combina- 
tions with other food, such as acid fruits. Buckwheat 92 
The Fast Way to Health 
and oatmeal are particularly irritating to the digestive 
tract and skin, and must be entirely eliminated from the 
dietary. 
Psoriasis is similar to eczema, but occurs mostly on 
the skin where there is hair growing. White mother-of- 
pearl scales form with a red base, but there is no itching 
as in eczema. The causes of psoriasis are identically 
the same as in eczema, and the cure depends upon the 
same treatment. The hair will come out in patches if 
this disease is not arrested quickly, and for that reason 
I urge you to cut the hair short and use the ultra-violet 
ray treatment as soon as possible, or at least use sun- 
bathing on the affected parts. The action of the sun is 
slower, and it is imperative that you cut the hair short 
or shave the part, so the actinic rays of the sun can reach 
it, as they do not penetrate the hair, but must strike di- 
rectly against the skin. This local treatment will get 
wonderfully quick results, but the disease is never cured 
until the systemic causes are removed. 
Case 31. Boy, 8 years of age. Had suffered with 
eczema since a few days after birth. Had been treated 
by many physicians, and many patent medicines and 
salves had been employed with absolutely no effect. The 
physicians who examined and treated the case said they 
had never encountered a more stubborn one. 
A water fast was used for four days. Three times 
daily a teaspoonful of common baking soda was added to 
the water, so that the boy had what might be called an 
alkaline water fast. At the end of that time all itching 
had disappeared, and the skin was almost entirely clear. 
The child was put on a well-balanced diet, avoiding antag- 
onistic mixtures of food, but using almost every kind of 
food in season, and in perfectly proportioned combina- 
tions. This cure was affected over six years ago, and Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
93 
there has been no return of any symptom of eczema since 
that time. 
Case 32. Man, 35 years of age. Had had psoriasis 
since a small boy. All of the hair on the body had been 
removed by the disease, and it was at this time extend- 
ing rapidly through the hair on the head. I advised clip- 
ping the hair close to the skull so that powerful radia- 
tions from the ultra-violet light could be thrown against 
the scalp. A straight water fast was used for thirty-two 
days, and at the end of that time the skin was almost en- 
tirely clear. Some scaly traces remained which were 
eventually removed by further application of ultra- 
violet light therapy. 
The patient was a small man weighing 125 pounds and 
worked constantly during the fast in a machine shop, 
doing hard manual labor. He now has a luxuriant growth 
of hair, without any sign of a return of any skin dis- 
order. The hair which had been destroyed on the body 
has not grown in again, as no doubt the roots were 
killed during the long continuance of the disease. He 
is now using a well-balanced diet, without avoiding any 
particular article of food except those which are always 
tabooed by me as unfit for use by anyone. He has re- 
mained cured for over four years. 
EPILEPSY 
The principal cause of this serious affliction is a cer- 
tain peculiar toxemia produced by decomposition and 
fermentation in the colon. Other contributing causes are 
a contracted rectum, intestinal worms, a long prepuce or 
foreskin in the male, or too large vaginal labia in the 
female. 
These contributing causes should be removed in every 
case to assure a complete cure; but the dietetic manage- 94 
The Fast Way to Health 
ment of the case is the most important, and no permanent 
cure can be expected unless the alimentary canal is kept 
free from poisons. This disease is usually chronic in 
nature, and very stubborn in most cases, but a cure may 
be looked for if the strictest regime is followed faithfully 
and long enough to cleanse the system entirely from the 
virulent toxemia which is responsible for the disorder. 
A quick cure is generally achieved if a long fast is 
adhered to, until normal hunger asserts itself, and the 
tongue becomes pink and clean. Sometimes the seizures 
will occur more often than usual at the start of the fast, 
and this may be regarded as a good sign that the poisons 
are being stirred up by the systemic house-cleaning. 
Often after several days of violent and repeated spells 
they will stop entirely, and no more will occur if the fast 
is continued, and is afterwards followed by a suitable 
diet. If the fast does not bring on more spells than 
usual the cure will be slower, and occasional attacks may 
be expected, which will be further and further apart, until 
they cease altogether. 
After the cure the patient must be content not to 
overeat, and the bowels must be kept freely open. Eectal 
dilation is always advisable, and this treatment may be 
easily used at home. The dilation should last ten min- 
utes, and be used twice daily. For some time after the 
cure seems certain, two enemas daily should be taken, 
with one quart of warm water each time, in the knee- 
chest position. 
Case 33. Man, 32 years of age. Had been a Seventh 
Day Adventist, and lived on a strict vegetarian diet all 
his life. Epileptic seizures started when he was 24 years 
of age, and continued at irregular periods for six years 
until he came to me as a patient. His residence was in 
another town, and he thought he could not stay in Los 
Angeles for treatment. He was therefore put upon a diet Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
95 
regime and advised to follow that strictly, in order to see 
if a cure could be effected without a fast being resorted 
to. However in a short time he suffered another epileptic 
seizure, and returned to Los Angeles and started a fast 
under my directions. 
The patient was put on a fast of grapefruit juice, us- 
ing the juice of one grapefruit every two hours during 
the day, combined with a glass of water. The first night 
of this fast four ounces of olive oil and four ounces of 
grapefruit juice were taken together just before retiring, 
in order to stimulate the action of the liver and gall blad- 
der. This fast was taken for fourteen days. No attack 
occurred during this period, and the following diet was 
taken at the end of the fourteen days:— 
Breakfast—2 coddled eggs. 
2 pieces hard, dry, brown toast. 
1 dish cooked apple sauce without sugar. 
Lunch— 2 raw apples with 1 ounce of either pecan or 
almond nuts, together with a glass of 
water. 
Dinner— 1 Small piece of broiled steak. 
1 dish of spinach. 
Raw celery. 
1 dish cooked prunes (without sugar). 
This diet was taken for two days, after which the din- 
ner was changed to the following:— 
Dinner— Choice of one of the following: Lean beef, 
mutton, chicken, turkey, Belgian hare, fish. 
Choice of 2 of the following cooked vegetables: 
Celery, asparagus, spinach, Swiss chard, 
summer squash, small green string beans, 
kale, lettuce, chayotes, oyster plant, beet 
tops, French artichoke, mustard greens, 
turnip tops. 
Raw celery as much as desired. 
Choice of the following cooked fruits: Prunes, 
pears, apricots, figs, raisins, apple sauce or 
baked apple. 96 
The Fast Way to Health 
Vigorous exercises wejre recommended morning and 
night, and long walks advised. The patient has remained 
in perfect health since that time, and has had no return 
of epilepsy. I am citing this case in support of my con- 
tention that epilepsy is not caused by a meat diet, but is 
always produced by a toxemia originating in the large 
colon from the fermentation of different foods, and more 
especially from starches and sugars. Other diseases of 
course may be produced by excessive meat eating, espe- 
cially if meat is used in wrong combination with other 
foods, yet I do not believe it is a factor to be considered 
in the cause of epilepsy. After health is restored to the 
normal, nuts and cheese may be substituted for meat by 
those who have a religious or ethical objection to the 
use of fleshy foods. 
FEMALE GENITAL DERANGEMENTS 
There is undoubtedly no class of disorder which has so 
far-reaching an effect upon the nervous system as de- 
rangement of the genital organs. Our teaching upon the 
cause of these disorders in the past has been very limited 
owing to the hypocritical restriction upon anything which 
treated of the sexual life; but the dawn of a new age is 
breaking, when knowledge will dispel ignorance and we 
will he ashamed of what we so often called innocence. 
A veritable tidal wave of thought upon these subjects is 
sweeping the world and we may look for more true teach- 
ings in the next few years than in the entire historical 
period of mankind. 
In such a necessarily short treatise I feel compelled to 
present to you those factors which have more particularly 
to do with Dietotherapy, and to mention only such other 
important causes as I hope to elaborate in future writ- 
ings. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
97 
Chief among the irritating sources of genital derange- 
ments are the following:— 
1st. A sluggish state of the blood stream through 
being surcharged with heavy foreign material which is 
productive of congestion in the womb and ovaries, and 
creates an engorged state which interferes with the nor- 
mal functioning of these organs. 
2nd. The pressure of prolapsed abdominal viscera 
upon the reproductive organs and the distension and irri- 
tation of intestinal gas. 
3rd. Repression of the normal sexual instinct and 
function through psychological resistance, physical mal- 
formation, or misplaced position of organs. 
In each individual case you may look for one or more 
of the above causes, which must be removed if the patient 
is to enjoy perfect health. The digestive disorders may 
be corrected through proper attention to necessary diet- 
ary changes, and the prolapsus caused by weakened mus- 
cles of the abdomen may be overcome through develop- 
ment of muscular tone by selected exercises. The 
deeper psychological factors so productive of harm 
through interference with the normal expression of sex- 
ual life are the causes most difficult to deal with, and 
often must be supplanted by suitable physical measures 
to bring about the removal of the unnatural accumula- 
tion of stagnant blood until a more natural sexual attitude 
is adopted. 
Painful Menstruation. The menstrual life of 
woman is as varied as climate and racial development. 
Among all the primitive races the act of menstruation 
is performed without discomfort, and has as its object 
the ejection of an unfertile egg of microscopic size, which 
requires very little fluid or effort, and often only a thin 
transparent serum is necessary for the purpose. 98 
The Fast Way to Health 
Civilized woman, however, because of various rea- 
sons, has developed the habit of having a copious dis- 
charge of blood once every twenty-eight days to ac- 
complish the same object. I have personally known of 
several cases where this has not been necessary, but 
these are rare exceptions, and the health of the average 
female depends upon the execution of this function every 
four weeks. If pain is present and only a small amount 
of blood is eliminated it is due to some congestion in 
the womb or ovaries, resulting from some of the rea- 
sons given in the first part of this chapter. 
The following case will describe the treatment ad- 
visable for this class of disorder:— 
Case 34. Unmarried woman, 27 years of age. Suf- 
fering from backache in the lower part of the back, and 
had great pain at the start of each menstrual period, 
so that she was confined to her bed two or three days 
at a time. The backache also occurred at irregular 
times during the month. 
I found the uterus prolapsed out of position and ly- 
ing upon the rectum, with a small fibroid tumor growing 
through it. The patient was put on a fast, at first tak- 
ing three meals a day of cherries (taking all she de- 
sired each time) and using at least one glass of water 
with each cherry meal. This was continued for fifteen 
days. On the tenth day of this fast the menstruation 
started with less pain than at any time in her life. 
After the first fifteen days of treatment with a cherry 
fast, the fast was changed to plain water for an addi- 
tional five days. In both these fasts two enemas daily 
were taken to ensure a complete cleansing of the lower 
bowel. Following this water fast the patient was put 
upon a diet of the following:— Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
99 
Breakfast—1 dish of whole wheat mush made from whole 
wheat, coarse ground, cooked slowly for one 
hour, and seasoned with butter or cream. 
Lunch— Choice of one of the following fruits: Apples, 
figs, cherries, or peaches, together wfith 2 
ounces of pecan or almond nuts. 
Dinner— Choice of one of the following proteids: Lean 
beef or mutton, fish, chicken, turkey, Bel- 
gian hare. 
Choice of 2 cooked non-starchy vegetables and 
choice of salad vegetables. 
Dessert: Stewed fruit. 
Proper exercises were recommended for developing 
the abdominal and back muscles, and certain electrical 
treatments were given to aid in raising the prolapsed 
uterus. By this time the backaches seldom occurred 
during the month, but generally appeared in a mild form 
at each menstruation. 
Treatment was continued for several months with 
steady improvement, but there was not a complete dis- 
appearance of all symptoms. Shortly after this the 
patient was married, and after three months of married 
life a re-examination showed the uterus in normal posi- 
tion, with no fibroid growth evident. About a month 
after marriage the backache entirely disappeared, and 
two menstruations have been passed without a sign of 
any symptoms of pain or disorder during the menses. 
The change in her condition after marriage was so 
rapid, that I am forced to believe that in this case, as in 
many others, the adoption of normal sexual habits had 
a great deal to do with the cure. 
Scanty and Irregular Menstruation. This condi- 
tion is often the result of an anemic state of the blood, 
but is commonly caused by some form of gastrointes- 
tinal derangement which produces pressure upon the 
womb and ovaries, either by impacted feces or excess 100 
The Fast Way to Health 
gas pressure. The anemia must be cured by proper 
dietary changes, and the correction of all habits which 
produce the faulty metabolism. If a low blood pressure 
exists, it will often take several months before a normal 
menstrual flow is established, occurring at the proper 
intervals. When such toxemias as tuberculosis or dia- 
betes exist, these diseases must be cured, and the patient 
well on the road to complete recovery before the body 
will have enough strength to re-establish the normal 
menses. While the valves of the heart are leaking, the 
circulation of the blood will be so weak that the menses 
will often cease until the heart is able to function prop- 
erly. The management of the following cases will ex- 
plain the treatment necessary in this disorder:— 
Case 35. Married woman, 37 years of age. Head- 
aches from childhood. Menstrual periods varied from 
6 weeks to 8, 11 and even 20 weeks. On one occasion 
patient lapsed to six months, and at another time twenty 
months passed without any sign of the menses. Dur- 
ing this last period a valvular heart trouble developed 
and she could not climb one flight of stairs or use her 
arms in house work. Had been told by three different 
physicians that at her age nothing could be done to cor- 
rect this condition. She had been examined by many 
physicians in different parts of the country, and had 
been treated by them with medicines, electricity, oste- 
opathy, etc. When the patient came to me for treat- 
ment she had not menstruated for ten weeks, and was 
suffering from chronic gastritis which she had had for 
several years. 
Was advised to take an orange juice fast, and con- 
tinued this for thirty days, using the juice of about six 
oranges daily, with a plentiful supply of water. After 
about two weeks of this fast menstruation started, and Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
101 
has continued to occur at regular periods every four 
weeks for the last seven years. The chronic condition 
of gastritis was, of course, cured by the fast, which was 
followed by judicious dieting. The headaches stopped 
after the second day of the fast, and have never oc- 
curred since. The patient is now 44 years of age, and 
has every appearance of being in perfect health. 
Profuse Menstruation. This disorder usually oc- 
curs with women who are passing through the change 
of life or menopause, and is to be attributed to one or 
more of the following causes:— 
1. A certain condition of the blood, where the co- 
agulation or clotting is not normal, due to the absence of 
certain elements. 
2. Lacerations or tears in the womb left from 
childbirth will cause a constant bleeding at this period, 
which often can only be stopped by repairing the tears 
by surgical methods. 
3. A common cause is often the irritation set up 
by the growth of small tumors inside of the uterus, 
which produce enough disturbance to cause a steady flow 
of blood. 
4. Cancer of the womb. 
In correcting this condition it is first advisable to 
fast the patient for a few days on plain water, which 
should then be followed by a diet for several days of 
nothing but gelatin or jello. This will quickly supply 
the deficiency of gelatin substances in the blood, and 
produce a normal coagulating power. If it does not 
stop the bleeding, an examination should be made to 
see if a tear in the womb is causing the irritation. If 
such a laceration is not found you may rest assured 
the bleeding is produced by internal polypus growths 
inside of the uterus. These growths should be removed, 102 
The Fast Way to Health 
which can be done by a simple surgical procedure called 
a curettement. If a cancer of the uterus exists, it may 
be cured in certain stages by a long fast, with the addi- 
tion of proper electro-therapeutical measures. 
The following are three typical cases, which may be 
regarded as models for treatment:— 
Case 36. Woman, 45 years of age. Menstruating 
steadily for three months. Several doctors told her an 
operation was absolutely necessary to remove tumors 
in the womb, which they said existed. Upon examina- 
tion I could not discover the presence of any such tum- 
ors, and immediately put the patient on a water fast, 
which was taken for four days, after which the patient 
took the following diet:— 
Six times daily she dissolved the contents of 
one package of jello or gelatin in a pint of hot 
water, and immediately drank it. 
This was taken for three days, but on the first day 
of the gelatin diet menstruation ceased entirely. How- 
ever, the gelatin was continued for two days more, after 
which the patient took a well-balanced diet, using a dish 
of jello every other day for several weeks. Four weeks 
after menstruation ceased, the menses again started, and 
continued normal for about four days. They have since 
appeared at the regular 28-day intervals for over two 
years. It has never been necessary to take any further 
treatment, as the patient seems to be perfectly normal 
in every way. 
Case 37. Unmarried woman, 38 years of age. Had 
menstruated steadily for over six months. She was very 
anemic from loss of blood, and had been confined to her 
bed for over two months, being unable to stand on her 
feet because of great weakness, but this did not seem 
to have any noticeable effect toward stopping the men- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
103 
struation. Had been advised by several physicians to 
have an operation, but would not consent. 
I advised her to have a curettement. She was taken 
to the hospital practically against her will, and was op- 
erated upon, and several small tumors removed from 
the inside of the womb. She was in such a weakened 
condition that it was necessary to use only local anes- 
thetics, but the curettement was performed quickly, and 
all bleeding stopped immediately afterwards. 
The patient was then put on a milk diet for several 
weeks, and then finally upon a diet such as I would 
prescribe for anemia—practically the same as outlined 
in Case 2. After about three months of treatment she 
was restored to perfect health. 
I cite this case particularly to show that if the dietetic 
treatment does not get quick results, it is often neces- 
sary to submit to surgical interference, no matter how 
prejudiced your point of view may be against attempt- 
ing to cure disease by surgery. 
Case 38. Woman, 48 years of age. Had been men- 
struating every two weeks for about four years. Upon 
examination I found a large laceration at the neck of 
the womb. The patient was put on the same fasting and 
jello regime as in Case 36, and the menstruation changed 
to every three weeks, and continued this way for several 
months, until I gave her a course of electrical treatment, 
using the positive galvanic current in treating the lac- 
eration. This finally stopped the bleeding, so that her 
menses were restored to the normal, and for over two 
years they have been perfectly regular. This was a case 
where the cure could be made by electro-therapy com- 
bined with diet treatment, but there are many cases 
where the tearing of tissue has been so great that it can 
only be repaired by skilful surgery. 104 
The Fast Way to Health 
Uterine Fibroids. Tlie first indication of this dis- 
order will usually he an acceleration of the xmlse, with 
heart palpitation, and a dragging down feeling as if 
something were lying on the rectum. It is generally im- 
possible for the patient to know whether or not she has 
a fibroid by any examination she can make of herself, 
until it has grown to a considerable size. If you have 
been examined by a competent physician and told that 
you have a fibroid tumor of the uterus, you will probably 
be told that an operation for removal of the organ is 
the only course that will save your life. 
I do not believe that surgical measures are necessary 
or advisable in the treatment of fibroid tumors. There 
are several factors which must be considered in un- 
derstanding a possible cure without surgery. The im- 
mediate cause of every one of these growths is the con- 
gestion in the uterus of morbid material deposited from 
a sluggish circulation. The cause of the sluggish circu- 
lation in the uterus is either because of malposition of 
the organ, or because of a repression of the normal sex- 
ual function. Statistics which I have gathered for the 
last ten years have shown that in every case of either a 
fibroid tumor or cancer of the breast or uterus, the 
patient lacked sexual desire entirely, or was so improp- 
erly mated that the sexual function could not be properly 
expressed. There has been no exception to this rule. 
However, I find that a long fast will absorb this enlarge- 
ment and toughened growth, so that with sufficient exer- 
cise of the abdominal muscles, combined with hot sitz 
baths and hot douches, the uterus can be made to remain 
fairly normal even although the sexual repression is not 
removed. 
Case 39. Young woman, 28 years of age. Upon 
examination I found a large fibroid tumor partially pro- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
105 
truding from the vagina, and about the size of a large 
grapefruit. The stomach and intestines were prolapsed 
and lying upon the fibroid, which was being pushed down- 
ward by the weight. 
An orange juice fast was started, using a glass of 
orange juice three times daily, together with a glass of 
water. Although the patient weighed only 112 pounds 
at the start of treatment, this fast was continued for 
twenty-eight days, reducing the weight to ninety-two 
pounds. By this time about tliree-fourths of the tumor 
had been removed by the absorbing power of the fast 
treatment. The patient was put on a milk diet at this 
point, taking a glass of raw milk every hour until three 
quarts were taken each day. This was gradually in- 
creased to six quarts daily, and the patient’s weight was 
brought up from 92 pounds at the end of the fast, to 128 
pounds at the end of sixty days. 
She then started a general diet, using calisthenic 
exercises and taking long walks, and appeared to be in 
good health, although the fibroid growth had not entirely 
disappeared. She continued taking treatments for sev- 
eral months, with very little change in reducing the shape 
of the uterus. After six months in all of treatment she 
was married, and during the first month of married life 
all signs of the tumor entirely disappeared. She is now 
in perfect health, with the tissues of her uterus in as 
healthy a condition as it would be possible to find in one 
who had never suffered from a female disorder. 
Case 40. Woman, 54 years of age. Her home was in 
San Francisco, and she had been examined by the leading 
surgeons of that city, who advised an operation for the 
removal of a large fibroid tumor which almost completely 
filled the lower abdomen. She waited several months 
after being first told of her serious condition, until every 
one of the surgeons who had advised an operation re- 106 
The Fast Way to Health 
fused to operate upon her, claiming that she could not 
live through it because of a heart trouble which had de- 
veloped through the tremendous pressure of the tumor. 
A close friend happened to call upon her, who had 
been a patient of mine in Los Angeles, and had been 
cured of a fibroid tumor. She telegraphed to me asking 
my advice, stating that the patient’s pulse beat was then 
160 per minute, and that the doctors gave her no hope 
of recovery. I telegraphed as follows: 
“Put patient on water fast at once, allow- 
ing her to drink water only when very 
thirsty. She may add a few drops of lemon 
to the water. Two enemas daily. Two ep- 
som salt sponge baths daily.” 
These instructions were followed strictly, being easily 
interpreted by the friend who had been my patient, and 
who had been under a similar treatment. After two 
weeks of this fast the pulse had reduced to a little under 
100, and the patient was strong enough and had im- 
proved enough in every way to be able to take the train 
trip of 500 miles to Los Angeles. Her fast was continued 
for two weeks while in Los Angeles, during which time 
she took various local treatments with therapeutic lights, 
electro-therapy, etc., but because of lack of funds re- 
turned to San Francisco at that time. When she left 
the pulse was ninety, and the tumor had been reduced, 
according to her estimate, to about one-third of the origi- 
nal size. She was then placed upon the following diet:— 
Breakfast—Whites of 2 eggs. 
3 pieces brown, thin toast. 
5 Senna prunes. (See recipe in chapter on 
Fruits.) 
Lunch— One of the following fruits: Pears, peaches, 
grapes, apples, apricots, plums, or a glass of 
orange juice. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
107 
Dinner— Lean beef or mutton. 
1 non-st.archy vegetable. 
Raw celery or tomatoes. 
This diet was continued strictly for three months, 
and she reported to me by letter, claiming there was a 
gradual improvement in her health in every way, with a 
slow decrease in the size of the tumor. She was then 
put upon a diet which gave her a larger quantity of food 
value, and continued on this diet for over two years, 
with occasional fasting periods which she took of her own 
accord. She was advised to take treatments at her home 
with hot applications over the abdomen, and three times 
a week was advised to take a hot bath containing a large 
quantity of epsom salt. She was also instructed to take 
two hot douches each day, and vigorous calisthenic exer- 
cises twice daily. At the end of two and a half years 
from the time I first gave her the advice by telegraph, she 
again presented herself to the same surgeons who had 
refused to operate upon her, and they pronounced her 
perfectly well, and said there was no sign of any fibroid 
growth. This case is given particularly to show what 
may be accomplished in treatment by mail, if the patient 
is willing to follow the instructions to the letter. 
FEVERS 
The cause of every acute fever is some form of sys- 
temic toxemia or poisoning of the body by toxins which 
the eliminative processes have not been able sufficiently 
to expel. The blood, thickened by this irritating, poison- 
ous material, is unable to pass through the capillaries 
and small blood vessels as easily as before. This pro- 
duces a rapid action of the heart, because of the circula- 
tory effort to push the blood along through contracted 
openings, and the poisoning and friction set up by this 108 
The Fast Way to Health 
forcing process produce an increased temperature of the 
body. 
In some fevers the poisons are of such a nature that it 
is necessary to expel the surplus amount through the 
skin, in addition to the elimination which takes place 
through the regular channels for excretion. In this event 
the skin will show the irritation produced by breaking 
out in different kinds of rashes, varying according to the 
nature of the poison. 
The most common kind of fever met with by a physi- 
cian in general practice will be what is called a “bilious 
fever.” With this condition the tongue becomes coated, 
the breath offensive, the pupils of the eyes will turn yel- 
low, and the skin will often assume a sallow and yellow 
hue. There will be no cough present with this fever as 
in influenza, and often the lack of this symptom will be 
the distinguishing diagnostic point in determining the 
fever to be caused by a derangement of the liver and 
gall bladder. 
Fever is always found in a patient suffering from an 
inflammation of the appendix where pus is present. The 
fever associated with influenza is produced by toxemia 
of an especially virulent nature, and in the effort of the 
body to eliminate this poison the lungs become inflamed 
with the irritating material which the body is trying to 
throw off in the form of gases. This disturbance pro- 
duces a slight cough at first, but before the disease is 
cured the patient will be forced to cough up large quanti- 
ties of phlegm which have accumulated in the air pas- 
sages because of the irritation caused by the influenza 
toxins. 
The eruptive fevers such as measles, chicken-pox, 
smallpox, and scarlet fever, are all produced by different 
poisons which have accumulated in the body because of Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
109 
wrong habits of life, and the acute stage of the disease 
is simply a period of crisis, during which time the bodily 
forces are practically going through a revolution in an 
effort to rid the body of its long continued poisoning. 
Even the so-called “infectious” diseases must have a 
suitable soil in the body for the cultivation of infectious 
or contagious bacterial life. 
A neglected cold will often develop into some form 
of disease where there will be fever, and in this connec- 
tion an axiom of Benjamin Franklin’s has often been 
misunderstood. He said: “Feed a cold, and starve a 
fever,” but the meaning he intended to convey was not 
that these were the two ways of treating two different 
troubles, but that if you fed a cold you would have to 
starve the resultant fever. 
No matter what kind of fever develops, the fasting 
regime should be started at once, at the very first sign 
of a rise in temperature. The best fast is usually that 
taken with large quantities of water, to which has been 
added a desired amount of lemon juice. If the fever is 
caused by the accumulation and poisoning of bile in the 
blood stream, as in bilious fever, the addition of the 
lemon juice will bring about a more speedy recovery. 
A bilious fever might rise to 102 or even 103 degrees, 
but would subside to the normal in the first day or two 
if this fast were used and frequent enemas taken. 
It is always advisable in treating fever to sponge 
the body several times daily with epsom-salt warm water, 
which is made by dissolving a tablespoonful of epsom 
salts in a quart of water. When in bed the patient should 
be kept well covered, and it is advisable to keep the body 
wrapped in woolen blankets, so that in case a perspira- 
tion starts the moisture will be taken up by the wool 
blanket, and the pores of the skin will remain open and be 
allowed to continue eliminating freely. If the patient 110 
The Fast Way to Health 
perspires while ordinary sheets are touching the body, 
the sheets will become wet with the perspiration, and if 
a small amount of air gets under the covers these wet 
sheets will become cold and clammy, causing the pores 
to contract, and making the temperature rise quickly, 
because the skin elimination has been suddenly checked. 
If the fever persists after two days, and there are 
no special symptoms to indicate appendicitis, mastoiditis, 
or any other disease where there is an accumulation of 
pus, either a slight cough will start, as in influenza, or 
the skin will break out with some kind of a rash. If the 
fever reaches this stage the patient must be kept sweat- 
ing constantly, and he must be forced to take a glass of 
water every fifteen or twenty minutes. More covers 
should be added to the bed, and a hot water bottle placed 
at the feet. 
If a skin eruption does not develop, it is always ad- 
visable to rub the body with oil of wintergreen, being 
careful to avoid having any of the oil touch the genital 
organs, as its efficacy lies in the fact that it irritates the 
skin and aids in keeping the pores open, thereby induc- 
ing a more copious perspiration. If a rash appears on 
the body, this in itself will cause enough irritation of the 
skin so that the oil of wintergreen will not be needed, 
as it would cause an almost unbearable burning if ap- 
plied in those circumstances. 
The foregoing describes the general conduct of any 
kind of a fast for an acute fever, and below I will give 
you further details of the handling of two typical cases. 
Case 41. Young woman, 28 years of age. She had 
developed a violent headache while working, and had 
been forced to go home and lie down in a dark room. The 
headache continued for several hours, and a fever gradu- 
ally developed. When I was called in on the case I found Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
Ill 
that her temperature had reached 103 degrees. Her ton- 
gue was heavily coated, and she had every appearance 
of being in a state of poisoning caused by biliousness, 
but as there were a great many cases of influenza at that 
time I started giving her the sweating treatment as out- 
lined in the earlier part of this article. 
After taking two enemas and getting a large accumu- 
lation of feces away from the colon, she was given sev- 
eral strong doses of lemon juice and water, using the 
juice of a whole lemon to each glass of water. While the 
enemas were being taken the bed was properly prepared, 
so that when she was put back into it she got in between 
heavy woolen blankets, with a hot water bottle at her 
feet, and a good many other heavy coverings on top of 
the woolen blankets. Her chest was then rubbed with 
plain kerosene oil, which can be used as a substitute for 
the wintergreen oil if the latter cannot be secured quickly 
enough, but care must be exercised not to apply too 
much kerosene or the skin will be blistered, a thing that 
cannot happen with the wintergreen oil no matter how 
much may be used. 
The patient started to perspire almost immediately, 
but the temperature continued to rise until it was over 
104 degrees, by which time she was in a semi-delirious 
condition and had to be practically held down in bed. 
After an hour of copious sweating the fever started to 
lower, and within eight hours was down to the normal 
temperature of 98.6 degrees. By that time she was able 
to sleep, in spite of the continuation of the headache, but 
this had disappeared when she wakened up about four 
hours later. She was allowed to remain in the woolen 
blankets for a few hours longer, but did not perspire 
any more, and when it became evident that the fever had 
entirely subsided she was given a sponge bath, after 
which she was again put between the woolen blankets in 112 
The Fast Way to Health 
order to avoid any danger of closing the pores too 
quickly, and thereby imprisoning poisons still to be elim- 
inated. 
The fast was continued, the patient drinking large 
quantities of water, and two enemas daily were taken for 
several days. On the day after the disappearance of all 
traces of fever the patient was allowed to sit up, and two 
days later was able to go back to work. As the tongue 
did not clear up rapidly she was kept on a fruit juice 
fast for about ten days in all, in order to cleanse her sys- 
tem thoroughly from accumulated toxins. After this 
she was placed upon a normal diet, and was instructed 
to take more vigorous physical exercise and to diminish 
the amount of fat and carbohydrate foods she had been 
in the habit of eating. In this case there was no skin 
eruption, and no cough developed. 
It will thus be seen that in the cure of bilious fever 
although the temperature may reach a high point for a 
short time, it will rapidly diminish to the normal if suit- 
able eliminative measures are used to aid the body in 
expelling the poisons. 
Case 42. Man, 39 years of age. Came to my office 
for examination for stomach trouble. He said he had 
been feeling out of sorts for some time, and had been 
expecting to come to me for diagnosis and treatment, 
but had been putting it off until that very day, on the 
morning of which he had developed a headache between 
the eyes, and did not feel able to go to work. 
In the course of examination, in addition to the diges- 
tive derangement I was able to discover, I found his 
temperature to be 102 degrees. He said that he did not 
have a cough, but during the examination I noticed that 
he coughed slightly several times, and after several more 
tests were made I told him that no matter what his Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
113 
chronic condition might be it was my opinion that he was 
apparently having an acute attack of influenza. He was 
loath to believe this, but was finally persuaded to go 
home and go to bed between woolen blankets. 
The treatment that was then given to him was almost 
identical with that mentioned in the previous case, No. 
41, but his fever continued to rise until it reached 104 
degrees and finally two-fifths of a degree over that figure. 
This temperature continued for over two days, in spite of 
the eliminative treatment he was undergoing, and then 
gradually started to reduce, but it was over six days from 
the day he came to my office before the fever was normal. 
His cough became worse, and by the time the fever had 
abated he was coughing up large quantities of mucus. 
He was advised to stay in bed for about a week after 
the fever had entirely left him, and was given a very 
light diet consisting mostly of soup made from non- 
starchy vegetables. Of course he was greatly weakened 
by being forced to remain in bed for so long a period, 
but after two weeks of carefully selected diet, gradually 
increasing the amount of exercise, he was finally able to 
return to his office. From that time on the patient came 
to my office for treatment with electro-therapy, and took 
daily radiations over the chest from a powerful thera- 
peutic light. It was, however, over two months from the 
time he was able to start working again before the cough 
had entirely disappeared. He is now in the best of 
health, with no symptom of any of the lung trouble which 
so often follows a case of influenza. 
I cannot over-emphasize the necessity for following 
the strictest regime after recovering from influenza, as 
the largest percentage of cases eventually die of tuber- 
culosis because simple measures are not adopted for 
curing the inflamed condition of the lungs which always 114 
The Fast Way to Health 
exists after the acute symptoms of influenza have 
disappeared. 
FLATULENCE 
This distressing symptom is without doubt the most 
common ailment for which patients come to me for treat- 
ment. The most characteristic statement I have heard 
from patients, and from probably 95 per cent of them, is: 
“I have so much gas!” while the great majority, being 
asked what symptom they would like to get rid of first, 
almost invariably reply: “I think the thing that bothers 
me most is so much gas! ’ ’ 
Besides the auto-intoxication which is produced by 
the fermenting foods which make gas, the gas pressure 
is itself a cause of diseases of the ovaries, womb, heart, 
gall bladder, spleen, and other organs, because of the con- 
gestion of the circulation in those organs by the constant 
pressure exercised upon them by gas pockets. 
Of course the cause of the gas formation must be in- 
vestigated, understood, and removed, before the disap- 
pearance of this unpleasant symptom can be looked for. 
Some of the main causes of flatulence are the follow- 
ing: overeating of any kind of food; improper combi- 
nations of food; the use of an excess of starches and 
sugars (remember, anything out of which you could 
make homebrew—beer, or liquor—might furnish the ma- 
terial for gas formation, because of fermentation in the 
stomach or intestines); the use of food which is gas pro- 
ducing in itself, such as: onions, garlic, cooked cabbage, 
etc.; eating when tired; eating too rapidly. 
Some form of the fasting cure is always indicated in 
the treatment of this disorder, in order to completely 
cleanse the entire alimentary canal of the accumulation of 
toxins and fecal matter. During the fast the digestive Common- Disoeders and Their Treatment 
115 
juices, which are often improperly balanced in this dis- 
order, will adjust themselves, and after the fast is com- 
pleted will be found to be in proper proportion to one 
another. 
After the fast it is necessary to adopt the strictest 
dietetic regime, and continue for a long time to avoid 
those foods which ferment easily. Under no circum- 
stances should you ever use a food which is seasoned with 
onions or garlic, and baked beans and cooked cabbage 
should be positively taboo. If you experiment you will 
find that a salad flavored with garlic by simply rubbing 
it around the dish, will spoil an otherwise perfect 
dinner by producing quantities of gas. From a study of 
the chemical composition of onions and garlic it does not 
appear that this could be possible, hut practical expe- 
rience has proven it to be an infallible rule. 
I must urge you to be particularly careful about tak- 
ing enough time for your meals, and generally this can 
best be brought about by masticating the food very thor- 
oughly and swallowing it in small quantities, enjoying 
every bite as it passes out of the mouth. You will find 
if you eat your food slowly and carefully that you will 
be satisfied with a much smaller quantity. When eating 
rapidly you will notice that you often swallow a large 
amount of air with the food, and this, added to the air 
already in the stomach, will distend the abdomen and 
make you feel uncomfortable. 
If you are tired when mealtime comes, it is far bet- 
ter for you in every way that you should lie down and 
take at least a 30-minute rest, even if the food has to be 
put away and warmed again for your meal. Do not be so 
anxious to please the cook as to eat when you haven’t 
enough energy to digest your food. When really tired, 
rest, and not food, is most needed. 116 
The Fast Way to Health 
You will find great benefit from taking vigorous phys- 
ical culture exercises and long walks, no matter what 
kind of work you may be doing. You will have no diffi- 
culty in believing that this is indispensable to the brain 
worker, but I can assure you that even a man working 
at the hardest kind of manual labor will be benefited 
through proper systematic calisthenic exercises, and be 
better able to digest his food. 
The description of the following cases will make clear 
the usual method of handling such:— 
Case 43. Male, 41 years of age. Came to me suffer- 
ing with pains in the abdomen. Had been treated for 
several months by a stomach specialist for ulcers of the 
stomach, but after a careful diagnosis with the use of 
the X-ray I could discover no sign of ulceration, and de- 
cided that his pains were caused entirely by pressure of 
gas from fermenting food. The diet he had been using 
for stomach ulcer was such as I might have prescribed 
for him if I wished him to have a large amount of stom- 
ach and intestinal gas, and really I could not have sug- 
gested anything more unwholesome if I had actually been 
attempting to make him sick. He was taking starches 
and fruits together indiscriminately, and drinking cream 
at meal times and in between meals. At breakfast he 
had a glass of orange juice followed by a dish of oatmeal 
seasoned with sugar. This combination had been pre- 
scribed by a stomach specialist for the cure of stomach 
ulcer, but what it actually did was to make him get stead- 
ily worse. 
I immediately put him on a fast of water for three 
days, after which the following diet was taken:— 
Breakfast—Whites of 3 eggs. 
3 or 4 slices of thin, brown toast. 
Choice of stewed fruit, without sugar. 
Lunch— Glass of orange juice, with a glass of water. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
117 
Dinner— One proteid from the following list: Lean 
beef or mutton, chicken, turkey, fish, or 
Belgian hare. 
2 non-starchy vegetables. 
Raw celery. 
This diet was taken for over one month. After the 
sixth day of the diet all abdominal pains disappeared 
and never again returned. From that time on he was 
never conscious of having any gas formation, and did 
not expel any either from the intestines or by belching. 
A careful examination made every few days showed that 
gas was still being formed from the improperly propor- 
tioned digestive juices, but this entirely disappeared 
during the first month of treatment, and the patient is 
now in perfect health, with no symptoms whatever in the 
abdomen to remind him that he is the possessor either 
of a stomach or intestines at all. 
The mixed diet he had been using before starting un- 
der my treatment, had been given him under the belief 
that he was suffering from stomach ulcer, and a great 
deal of soft, starchy food was used, some dieticians be- 
ing under the impression that stomach ulcers are best 
treated by soft, mushy foods, no matter how much fer- 
mentation they may cause. If stomach ulcer had been 
present, the diet he was taking would have made him 
worse, and as it was, fermentation was increased because 
of the large amount of carbohydrate food he was using. 
Case 44. Woman, 38 years of age. Was suffering 
from palpitation of the heart and shortness of breath. 
Weight was 127 lbs. Although this weight seemed about 
normal for her height, her abdomen measured 48" when 
it should have measured about 25". This was caused 
by an accumulation of fat, chiefly because her intestines 
were constantly filled with a large amount of gas, dis- 
tending the abdomen until it became of an unnatural size. 118 
The Fast Way to Health 
A fast of grapefruit juice was started, using a glass 
3 times daily, together with a glass of water, and after 
the third day of this fast the abdomen had decreased 
to 38", a loss of ten inches in circumference. This 
bloated condition which had been removed was almost 
entirely gas. The fast was continued for 20 days, dur- 
ing which time the abdomen came down to 24" in circum- 
ference, that is to say exactly half the circumference at 
the start of the treatment. 
The patient was then put upon a diet practically the 
same as that given in Case 43, whereupon the abdomen 
again gradually increased in size until it was about 35" 
in circumference, and then it was steadily reduced 
through systematic exercising for the development of 
the abdominal muscles. There was no further bloated 
appearance from gas pressure, but the abdominal walls 
had been so distended and stretched out of shape, 
that it took several months before the abdomen was 
again of a normal contour. Constipation, which had ex- 
isted for many years, was entirely overcome, and a par- 
tial obstruction of the bowels was removed, which had 
no doubt been responsible for a good deal of the accumu- 
lation of gas which could not force its way through to 
the rectum. The patient is still in perfect health after 
several years, and remains so through living upon a care- 
ful diet, combined with sufficient muscular exercise to 
keep up the tone of the abdominal muscles. 
GALLSTONES 
Gallstones are alkaline concretions which form in the 
gall ducts or gall bladder, from the stagnation of thick- 
ened bile. It frequently takes years for their formation, 
during which time the alkaline accumulations pack harder 
and harder together, allowing the softer part of the bile Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
119 
to flow out, and leaving behind these hardened, calcareous 
substances. The blocking of the gall ducts leading to 
the intestines will produce symptoms often mistaken for 
other diseases. 
Fully one-half of the patients who come to me believ- 
ing they have stomach ulcers or gastritis, are really af- 
fected with some form of gall bladder disorder. I have 
found a very large number of cases, improperly diag- 
nosed as stomach ulcer by other physicians, which have 
responded so rapidly to treatment as gall bladder de- 
rangements, as to lose all symptoms in a day or two. 
When there is a stoppage of bile in the gall bladder, 
either by thickened bile or by gall-stone formation, there 
will always be a tender spot halfway between the navel 
and the ribs on the right side of the abdomen. The color 
of the skin usually changes every few days, becoming a 
yellow, sallow hue at irregular intervals. The tongue 
will be coated, there will be loss of appetite and there 
may or may not be sharp, colicky pains felt on the right 
side. 
I have had many cases where large gall-stones have 
been removed by my treatment, where no typical gall- 
stone colic had been experienced at all. If the sharp 
pains and contractions of the gall-stone colic are present 
in their worst form, the patient will be unable to stand 
or even sit up straight, but will be forced to lie down 
with the knees drawn up to the chest. Even this position 
does not relieve the pain. I am convinced that these 
colicky symptoms are not present in most cases, and that 
a serious stoppage of bile or a blocking up of the bile 
ducts with a gall-stone may be present without any of 
such symptoms being in evidence at all. 
There is no doubt that this disorder is caused by 
over-indulgence in starches and sugars, without sufficient 120 
The Fast Way to Health 
vigorous exercise to take care of the excess. Out of thou- 
sands of cases of this trouble which have come under my 
observation, I have never discovered one affecting an 
athlete who kept himself in good condition by constant 
training. It occurs almost entirely among those living 
a sedentary life, and who insist on eating such a kind 
and quantity of food as only hard physical exercise 
would necessitate. 
The first method of treatment to be used for any dis- 
order of the liver or gall-bladder is the olive oil and 
fruit juice regime. Just before retiring the patient usu- 
ally takes 4 ozs. of olive oil, together with 4 ozs. of lemon, 
orange, or grapefruit juice. The oil and fruit juice are 
beaten up well together into as much of an emulsion as 
possible, and the mixture, if taken just before retiring, 
is less liable to cause nausea while the patient is asleep. 
This may be taken on one night only, or on several nights 
in succession, and should be followed by a fast with 
grapefruit juice, lemon juice, or orange juice. This fast 
should be continued as long as necessary, and the olive 
oil treatment may be taken as many times as seems ad- 
visable to accomplish a thorough cleansing of the gall- 
bladder and liver. 
You will find it a great aid to the cure if osteopathic 
or massage manipulations of the gall-bladder are used. 
Heat treatment over the liver and gall-bladder may be 
expected to increase the rapidity of the cure. This heat 
is best administered through the radiations from a pow- 
erful therapeutic light. 
After the removal of the gall-stones has been accom- 
plished, do not forget that an increased amount of exer- 
cise is absolutely essential to ensure a permanent cure. 
The carbohydrates must be reduced in quantity, and all 
those rules given in the article on Biliousness rigidly ad- 
hered to. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
121 
Case 45. Man, 40 years of age. Had suffered from 
several attacks of gall-stone colic, and had been advised 
to undergo an operation, but would not consent, because 
in several cases with which he was familiar where opera- 
tions had been performed the patients had only received 
temporary relief, and afterwards had a more aggravated 
form of the trouble than before. 
I was called in on the case while he was having a 
most severe attack of gall-stone colic, and it was several 
hours before the cramps could he relieved. At first he 
was so nauseated that everything taken into his stomach 
would be immediately vomited, and the olive oil regime 
could not be administered until after the acute attack 
had subsided. However, through the use of small 
amounts of lemon juice, together with hot applications 
over the gall-bladder and hot enemas, the trouble was 
sufficiently relieved during the first day to enable him, 
after 24 hours of this treatment, to retain 4 ozs. of olive 
oil and 4 ozs. of lemon juice. After taking these he was 
able to sleep for 12 hours, being utterly exhausted from 
the acute attack. 
As soon as he awakened he was given an enema of 2 
quarts of hot water. This brought away about 200 small 
gall-stones with quantities of bile and mucus. The olive 
oil treatment was administered each night for three more 
days, the patient using a lemon juice fast during the rest 
of the time, that is, taking the juice of half a lemon in a 
glass of water every half-hour of the day. The fast was 
not continued long, as the patient wanted to get back to 
his office for some important business, so he was put upon 
a careful diet, and the olive oil and grapefruit juice taken 
every third day for six more times. The bile stones and 
gall-stones continued to come out with the enemas until 
they were all gradually eliminated, and at the end of 30 122 
The Fast Way to Health 
days there was no further sign of anything except bile 
being brought away. 
This cure was effected over four years ago, and the 
patient has remained in perfect health ever since, with 
not the slightest return of any symptom of gall-stones. 
He has also remained well in every way, without any of 
the headaches which he experienced for so many years, 
and which were no doubt caused by a chronic state of 
biliousness. 
Case 46. Woman, 71 years of age. Had been 
treated all her life for stomach and intestinal disorders, 
but upon examination I assured her that her trouble was 
mostly in the gall-bladder and liver, and that she gave 
every evidence of having a large accumulation of gall- 
stones. She had been to most of the leading specialists 
in the United States who had diagnosed her case quite 
differently, and she was loath to believe that gall-stones 
were the cause of her digestive troubles, as she had never 
had sharp pains in the region of the gall-bladder. How- 
ever, she was soon convinced of the accuracy of my diag- 
nosis by the results she received from the very first few 
days of treatment. 
The first night under treatment she took the grape- 
fruit juice and olive oil regime, following this with a fast 
of grapefruit juice, taking the juice of a grapefruit every 
2 hours, with a glass of water. The first morning after 
taking the olive oil the enema brought away a large quan- 
tity of gallstones, and without any further adminstra- 
tion of oil they continued to pass for several days. 
After ten days she was put upon a regular diet, and con- 
tinued taking osteopathic treatment, with manipulations 
of the gall-bladder. Her digestion was improved, and 
she felt better in every way for about three weeks. At 
the end of that time she again became nauseated, and Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
123 
even though she immediately started fasting she vom- 
ited for about two days. The material vomited con- 
tained a large amount of bile, and I told her that I be- 
lieved this unexpected nausea was caused by some more 
gall-stones which were trying to pass into the intestines 
through the gall ducts, but she was not able to take any 
more olive oil at this time because of her extreme 
nausea. 
At the end of two days the nausea suddenly ceased, 
and a few hours afterwards the enema washed out a 
large gall-stone about 1%" in diameter, of a very hard 
consistency, and looking like a piece of sandstone. The 
stone was examined in several laboratories and pro- 
nounced to be a gall-stone. I have seen many gall-stones 
removed through this treatment, but usually they are 
only from in diameter, being dissolved to that 
size before they can pass through the gall ducts. This 
large stone, however, was brought away without any 
cramps or colic, and with only symptoms of nausea until 
it passed through. 
This cure was completed over a year ago, and the pa- 
tient has remained perfectly well since that time, hav- 
ing lost entirely all of the digestive disorders from 
which she had suffered for years. She declares that she 
does not know of any time in her life when she felt so 
well as at present. She is living on a simple, well-se- 
lected diet, but even at such times as she has used pro- 
hibited foods she has felt no distress whatsoever. 
GOITRE 
This is a disorder affecting the thyroid gland, and is 
evidenced by a swelling of the gland, which enlarges 
either outwardly or inwardly. The simple form of 
goitre is the one in which the thyroid enlarges outwardly, 124 
The Fast Way to Health 
and makes the neck very large. In exophthalmic goitre, 
on the other hand, the thyroid grows inwardly against 
the carotid arteries and nerves of the neck, producing 
such an effect upon the nerves and blood circulation go- 
ing to the eyes as to make the eyes protrude. In either 
form of goitre the heart is usually affected because of 
the increased work thrown upon it when the circulation 
is forced through the enlarged thyroid gland. 
The gland may be enlarged gradually through a con- 
striction in the neck caused by the collar bone pressing 
down upon the thyroid, or it may be enlarged suddenly 
during childbirth if the patient is allowed to throw her 
head backwards while making a certain kind of strain, 
in an effort to aid in expelling the child. This may be 
avoided by the nurse holding the patient’s head up and 
not allowing her to throw it backwards. The most com- 
mon cause, however, is the accumulation in the thyroid 
of certain materials deposited there from a thickened 
blood stream. These materials are usually in the form 
of food substances which the cells of the body cannot use, 
and which are produced by an excess of starchy food. 
This extra material congests or dams up in the thyroid 
gland, producing an enlargement, and blocking the cir- 
julation, which has the effect of causing a rapid heart 
beat, and often trouble with the valves of the heart. 
No matter what the original cause of the goitre may 
have been, the cure is always possible through the use of 
the fruit fast. This treatment of course removes the 
thickened material from the blood, and the circulation 
carries off the excess material which has been dammed 
up in the gland. The thyroid decreases in size, and some- 
times the enlargement entirely disappears, but if the size 
does not become perfectly normal the cure can at least 
be so complete that there will be a free circulation 
through the thyroid, and the heart strain will be re- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
125 
moved. Even if the enlargement came suddenly from a 
strain, it can be reduced by the fasting cure, and will re- 
main normal if the diet is well regulated from that time 
on. 
Case 47. Young lady, 18 years of age. Was suffer- 
ing from a simple goitre, which is the largest kind, how- 
ever, and her neck was enlarged to about 18 inches. She 
started fasting on the juice of one orange every two 
hours, and continued this fast for exactly 30 days. All 
signs of the enlarged thyroid had disappeared at about 
the twentieth day of the fast, but it was thought advis- 
able to continue fasting to ensure a permanent cure. 
The fast was broken upon the following diet:— 
Breakfast—1 Egg. 
3 Pieces brown, thin toast. 
Dish of stewed fruit. 
Lunch— Choice of whatever desired of the following 
raw vegetables: Spinach, asparagus, string 
beans, lettuce, celery, parsley, carrots, tur- 
nips, beets, parsnips. 
Dinner— Small piece of broiled steak. 
2 Cooked, non-starchy vegetables. 
Salad of two or more non-starchy vegetables. 
This diet was continued for two weeks, and then 
other articles of food were added, until at the end of a 
month the patient was using almost any article of food 
desired. She was, however, advised to be cautious in the 
use of starches, and if they were used to use them only in 
small quantities, and always in proper combination with 
other food. The patient has remained perfectly well for 
over eight years, and about a year ago gave birth to a 
baby, without the strain of childbirth having any effect 
upon the thyroid. Her neck seems to be perfectly nor- 
mal in every way, is well formed, and there is no evi- 
dence of any enlargement of the thyroid gland. 126 
The Fast Way to Health 
Case 48. Young man, 24 years of age. Was a returned 
soldier, and was receiving compensation from the Gov- 
ernment as being incurable. Upon examination I found 
him suffering from an aneurism of the thoracic aorta, 
valvular leakage of the heart, exophthalmic goitre, with 
hyperthyroidism. His systolic blood pressure was 180 
millimeters, and his pulse 160 beats to the minute. 
At the time he presented himself to me for treatment, 
the Government doctors had told him that he had about 
three months to live; that if an operation were performed 
upon his thyroid he might live a little while longer; but 
that there was no hope of a permanent cure. 
He was immediately put on a fast of a glass of or- 
ange juice three times daily, with a glass of water. This 
was continued for 30 days. At the end of this fast he 
was placed upon a milk diet, taking 3 quarts daily. His 
improvement became so rapid from the very first, his 
blood pressure being reduced and his pulse quickly re- 
turning to normal, that before the end of the plan of a 
30-day milk diet he had established a homestead claim 
and was chopping out sagebrush and greasewood. 
After the 30 days of the milk diet, he was then put 
upon a well-balanced diet, being warned against too fre- 
quent a use of starches, and by the end of three months, 
which was the time given him to live by the Government 
doctors, he was apparently perfectly well. He has re- 
mained in good health ever since, that is for a period of 
about two years, and a few days before this article was 
written, I re-examined him and found no traces of the 
aneurism, the heart functioning perfectly in every way, 
blood pressure 120 millimeters systolic, and pulse 72. At 
the present time he is a perfect physical specimen of 
manhood, with no organic or functional defect. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
127 
HEADACHE 
The cause of headache seldom can be found in the 
head itself, but must be understood to be the symptom 
of some other disorder located in another part of the 
body, which affects the nerves in the head by reflex 
action. 
If the ache seems back of the eyes, it is either caused 
by constipation or eye strain. If the headaches occur 
only on bright, sunny days, it indicates that suitable 
glasses should be worn. If not manifested in this way, 
you may expect that constipation is the principal cause, 
and often you will find a pressure in the rectum of im- 
pacted feces. 
The bilious “sick” headache is accompanied by nau- 
sea, and can only be cured when biliousness is over- 
come. Anemia produces a peculiar dizzy feeling in the 
head, and will persist until the proper changes are made 
in the blood. If this is the case, you must be satisfied 
with a slow cure. 
The low blood pressure headache, caused by fatigue, 
is quite common with women who “love to shop.” High 
blood pressure headache is usually evidenced by a feeling 
of pressure around the head, as if a band of iron were 
being drawn tightly round the skull. This is easily cured 
as soon as the blood pressure is reduced. 
Bad air is frequently a cause of headache, if the suf- 
ferer sits too long in a stuffy room without sufficient ven- 
tilation or a plentiful supply of fresh air. Headache at 
the top of the head is caused by some disorder of the 
bladder. 
The form least understood is that which occurs at the 
base of the brain, and is always brought on by uterine 
congestion. The principal causes of this congestion in 
women are troubles of menstruation, prolapsed uterus, 128 
The Fast Way to Health 
constipation (which makes pressure against the uterus), 
and congestion in the womb caused by an incomplete ter- 
mination of the sexual act. 
Migraine is a form of headache which makes habitual 
visits at certain definite times, and will often occur on 
some particular day of the week. There is much rea- 
son for believing that this is caused by certain expectant 
states of the mind, but I have never treated a case which 
could not be cured by the methods used in the ordinary 
form of headache. Cases of many years’ standing, which 
have resisted all medicinal remedies used, are often 
cured as quickly as an ordinary bilious headache. 
In the above discussion of the causes of headache, you 
will see that headache is only a symptom of some other 
disorder, and I refer you to the articles on those other 
subjects, as discussed in other parts of this book. The 
typical cases listed below will suggest to you the proce- 
dure to be taken in your own case. 
Case 49. Woman, 30 years of age. Had suffered 
from headaches in the forehead and behind the eyes for 
15 years. In my examination of this patient I found no 
organic trouble, and thought at first that she needed a 
change of glasses, but after an examination of the eyes 
by a competent oculist, we found that there was not 
enough eyestrain to be responsible for her repeated head- 
aches. I re-examined the rectum, and found a large mass 
of impacted feces. On further questioning I discovered 
that although the patient had not been troubled with con- 
stipation, she had had difficulty in starting a bowel move- 
ment, because it seemed that there was a blocking up or 
packing of the feces in the rectum. As soon as this was 
started the bowels would empty themselves normally. 
A fast of ripe figs was recommended for several days, 
the patient taking the figs as often as desired. Two Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
129 
enemas daily were used, and the bowels were completely 
cleansed of all accumulations. The patient was then put 
on a well-proportioned diet, and cautioned to avoid those 
foods which were particularly constipating, such as 
starches and sugars. In addition she was told to use 
only a small amount of toast, as all toasted foods, being 
concentrated, tend to produce constipation. 
A few days after resuming her diet a slight head- 
ache occurred again, and upon examining the rectum 
once more, I found the same condition of impacted feces. 
I then advised a course of treatment with rectal irriga- 
tions of cold water. This treatment is given by patients 
to themselves while sitting on the toilet. A rectal irriga- 
ting tube for the purpose can be purchased in any surgi- 
cal supply store and consists of an instrument which can 
be attached to the enema bag and which has an in- 
let and outlet so that water can run in and out. In this 
way several quarts of cold water can be brought into con- 
tact with the rectal membranes, which seems to aid in 
producing a healthy tone of the rectal muscles, and helps 
in the cure of a dilated rectum. I advised the patient to 
use glycerine suppositories twice a day for several 
weeks, to help in lubricating the rectal opening. 
With these treatments and the continuation of the 
diet, the patient lost all traces of the headaches. Her 
bowels move normally twice a day at the present time, 
and with a stool formed of the proper consistency, so 
that with the increased strength of the rectal muscles, 
there is no stopping or plugging up of waste material. 
Case 50. Female, 34 years of age. Had suffered 
from headaches in the back of the head ever since the 
age of puberty. They occurred a day or two before the 130 
The Fast Way to Health 
start of menstruation, disappearing for a day during the 
period, and recurring just at the completion of the men- 
strual flow. They also occurred at different times dur- 
ing the month. 
I found the uterus out of position, being prolapsed, 
along with a prolapsus of the stomach and the intestines. 
She came to my office for examination several days be- 
fore the time for the menses to occur, and started a fast 
using only plain water. Two enemas a day were taken. 
The menses started without a sign of headache. Relief 
from this kind of headache caused by uterine congestion is 
usually brought about as quickly as the bowels are com- 
pletely emptied by enemas, as this frees the circulation 
going to and coming from the uterus, and the congestion 
is thereby relieved even if only temporarily. 
The fast was continued for ten days, and the patient 
was then put on a general diet. Suitable exercises were 
recommended for developing the abdominal muscles, 
thereby so strengthening the entire abdomen and pelvic 
section that the uterus was slowly brought back to the 
normal position. The stomach and intestines were also 
restored to their proper places by the same developing 
exercises. The headaches in the back of the head re- 
curred in a mild form for several weeks until the prolap- 
sus of the uterus was entirely cured, when they ceased 
altogether, and have not occurred since. The normal 
sexual impulse, which had been absent several years, re- 
turned, and a few months later this patient became 
pregnant for the first time in her married life of sixteen 
years, and gave birth to a strong boy. The child is now 
4 years of age, and the mother has never had a recurrence 
of any form of headache. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
131 
HEART DERANGEMENTS 
Valvular Troubles 
The circulation of blood through the body is governed 
by the heart with its many valves, and it is therefore 
essential for the enjoyment of perfect health that the va- 
rious parts of this organ should work with the proper 
co-ordination. Many persons who have not had a thor- 
ough examination by a competent physician, are unaware 
of any heart defect, and often suffer from certain symp- 
toms, such as general weakness, shortness of breath, and 
poor circulation, without knowing that these conditions 
are frequently caused by insufficiency of proper tone of 
the heart valves. In some cases the valves are gradually 
narrowed or hardened with a consequent inability to 
close completely. In other cases, an inflammation of the 
entire membrane lining of the organ exists. 
The principal causes are: 
1. Overeating of all kinds of food, and drinking of 
too much liquid. 
2. The use of an excess of starches and sugars used 
above the bodily requirements and producing flatulence. 
3. The use of improper combinations of food which 
produce excess stomach and intestinal gas. 
4. The use of gassy food such as onions, garlic, 
cooked cabbage, dry beans, etc. 
5. Over-exertion to which the body has not been ac- 
customed. Athletes who overtrain at one time and do 
not take care of themselves in the intervals between 
contests, will often bring on this trouble. 
6. Any growth in the body or enlargement of an or- 
gan which interferes with the free circulation of the 
blood will make an undue strain upon the heart muscles. 
(See Rapid Heart.) 132 
The Fast Way to Health 
If the patient will recognize the above causes as re- 
sponsible for this condition, he has already understood 
many of the changes in habits necessary for a cure. In 
this disorder, as with many others, we are often half 
dead before it is recognized, but half cured when we un- 
derstand the causes which are responsible. 
In order to give the heart something of a rest it is 
advisable to fast from all food except the juice of acid 
fruit for a few days, after which the patient should use 
a diet free from all gas-forming material. A strict diet 
of proteids and non-starchy vegetables, with the elimina- 
tion of all carbohydrate foods such as starch and sugar, 
is indispensable to a complete cure. 
The blood must be thinned of weight-producing ma- 
terials, so the volume will be decreased and the quality 
increased. Small amounts of liquids are to be used, 
especially when dropsy is present. The weight of the 
body must be kept down to the point where no excess 
fatty deposits are present, as this condition causes a 
needless strain upon the heart. 
All the muscles of the body must be exercised care- 
fully with slow calisthenic movements, which should be 
increased gradually as the strength permits. Any influ- 
ence which is inclined to weaken the functional system, 
will also weaken the heart muscles. The evening meal 
should be eaten early to give the stomach sufficient time 
for emptying before sleep, and a hot water bottle should 
be placed at the feet at night to aid the circulation of 
blood during the sleeping period. 
The above outline of the treatment essential for a cure 
explains in a general way the method I have used suc- 
cessfully in hundreds of cases. Do not consider your 
case incurable until you have followed carefully the di- 
rections I have given you, for at least a year if necessary. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
133 
Every case will be benefited, and I have records of many 
hopeless patients who were restored to perfect health 
through this method. 
The following case will give yon a definite model to 
follow in applying the cure to yourself:— 
Case 51. Valvular Trouble. Young woman, 35 years 
of age. Had been troubled with cold hands and feet for 
years, and could not go in the ocean without having her 
lips and finger nails turn blue. Felt very weak most of 
the time, and was unable to do any regular work. Be- 
fore coming to me she had been turned down for life in- 
surance because of valvular leakage of the heart. I 
found that she also had a prolapsed stomach and intes- 
tines, and that she was troubled with a good deal of stom- 
ach and intestinal gas. I explained to her that I believed 
that this gas pressure was responsible for her heart 
trouble, and that if she would diet carefully the gas could 
be removed. 
She accordingly started on a fruit-juice fast, drinking 
nothing but water, in each glass of which she squeezed 
a few drops of lemon juice. No other food or liquid of 
any kind was taken for 15 days. At the end of that time 
the blood pressure, which had been 110 millimeters sys- 
tolic, rose to 115 millimeters, and she felt better in every 
way. She was then put on a milk diet, using three 
quarts daily of pure Holstein milk, taken in the raw, un- 
pasteurized state, at the rate of one glass every hour 
during the day until 3 quarts had been taken. Before 
each glass of milk the patient took a teaspoonful of lemon 
juice, which aids in the digestion of the milk. This diet 
was continued for 30 days, and at the end of that time 
she was given a diet of the following:— 134 
The Fast Way to Health 
Breakfast—2 Coddled eggs. 
3 Slices of brown, thin toast. 
Dish of stewed fruit, selected from the follow- 
ing list: Prunes, raisins, figs, apricots, 
baked or stewed apple. 
Lunch— One quart of milk taken one glass at a time 
every 15 minutes until the four 8-oz. glasses 
in the quart are taken. 
At this lunch of milk she also used a quarter 
of a pound of raisins. 
Dinner— Choice of one of the following proteid foods: 
Beef or mutton, chicken, turkey, Belgian 
hare, and fish. 
One of the following cooked non-starchy veg- 
etables : 
Summer squash 
Small green string beans 
Spinach 
Egg plant 
Beet tops 
Kale 
Cucumbers 
French artichokes 
Zucchini (Italian squash) 
Celery 
Swiss Chard 
Asparagus 
Oyster plant 
Turnip tops 
Mustard greens 
Chayotes 
Parsley 
Lettuce 
Choice of one of the following raw or salad 
vegetables: 
Watercress 
Asparagus 
Cucumbers 
Spinach 
Celery 
Parsley 
Lettuce 
Endive 
Tomatoes 
After several weeks of this diet, combined with osteo- 
pathic treatment and massage, also the proper electro- 
therapy treatment, she was restored to the normal, and I 
conld not discover any sign of the valvular trouble in the 
heart. She has since passed an examination in one of the 
largest insurance companies and is working in their of- 
fice, remaining in perfect health. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
135 
Fatty Heart 
We are all familiar with the headline seen so often in 
the morning paper: “Mr. Prominent Citizen, apparently 
in the best of health, sat down to read the evening paper 
after a hearty dinner, and was found dead in his chair.” 
After this a list of his virtues follows, and never a 
thought printed about the cause of death which will point 
to a lesson to be learned. Is there any mystery about 
such a death? Better for the coming generations if the 
headlines read thus:— 
“Mr. Over-Fed stuffed himself to death last night, 
and cheated himself, his family, and his community of 
what might have been a useful citizen. ’ ’ 
A fatty heart is only present with the obese and the 
over-fed. Young men just at the prime of life who have 
been prosperous, often make the mistake of indulging 
their appetites to the extreme, at the same time as they 
give up physical exercise. This brings on the typical 
case of fatty enlargement of the heart, which will result 
in sudden death as soon as the pressure of fat and gases 
against the heart becomes too pronounced. 
Sometimes there is warning in advance by such symp- 
toms as shortness of breath, palpitation upon exertion, 
and discomfort when lying on the left side; but often 
these are not noticed soon enough, and Mr. Over-Fed 
finds himself suddenly joining a class in harp playing. 
The cure is simple and depends almost entirely in re- 
ducing the weight of the whole body. No special organic 
treatment is necessary. The scales are the best guide 
to your progress, and must be consulted often. (See 
chapter on Obesity.) 
Case 52. Man, 40 years of age. Weight 206 lbs. Was 
unable to sleep at night because of the discomfort he 
experienced when lying down. The palpitations of his 136 
The Fast Way to Health 
heart were sufficient to shake the bed. After a careful 
examination, I could find no organic trouble except an 
enlarged, fatty heart. He was put on the following 
diet:— 
One or two sliced tomatoes three times daily, 
taken in place of other meals. One glass of 
water was allowed with each meal of tomatoes, 
and no other food of any kind was taken. 
This diet was continued for exactly a month, during 
which time the patient lost 36 pounds in weight. A re- 
examination of his heart with the X-ray showed that it 
had been reduced at least two inches in diameter. His 
breathing was perfectly normal, and there was no sign 
of any palpitation. Since adopting a careful diet his 
weight has remained at about 170 pounds which I con- 
sider normal for a man of his height. 
Tachycardia (Rapid Heart) 
The cause of this condition is to be found in valvular 
leakage of the heart, which makes the extra heart beats 
necessary in order to disseminate the blood properly 
through the tissues as in an enlargement of some organ 
of the body such as the thyroid, or the growth of a tumor. 
Such enlargements are caused by the collection of waste 
material in the organ, which blocks the free circulation 
of blood through the part, resulting in an engorgement 
of blood and a consequent heavy, rapid pulse beat, which 
is essential in order to force enough blood through the 
body in spite of this resistance. 
The cure depends upon the absorption of the deposits, 
which is best accomplished through the fasting methods 
I have explained in the articles on Goitres and Tumors. 
The following cases will show how quickly the heart beat 
may be reduced to normal: Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
137 
Case 53. Young woman, 25 years of age. Pulse 120. 
I found a small enlargement of tlie thyroid gland, and a 
slight valvular leakage of the heart, which would account 
for the rapid pulse. The patient was put on a fast, taking 
a glass of grapefruit juice three times daily together 
with a glass of water. This was continued for three 
weeks, during which time the pulse gradually reduced 
until at the end of the third week it had reached the nor- 
mal, which is about 72 beats per minute. The enlarge- 
ment of the thyroid entirely disappeared, and no signs 
of valvular heart trouble could he detected. 
The patient then resumed a well-balanced diet, and 
has since been employed by a telephone company as an 
operator, after being subjected to a rigid examination, 
this company employing only those who can pass insur- 
ance tests. 
HERNIA OR RUPTURE 
The abdominal viscera are separated from the mus- 
cles of the abdomen by a smooth covering called the peri- 
toneum. When a break occurs in the peritoneum and the 
intestines protrude through the opening it is called a 
rupture. The common location for the break is either 
around the navel or low in the groin. These breaks oc- 
cur many times because of a sudden strain, or in the 
case of an accident to the abdomen. While there are no 
doubt some people who from birth have a thin perito- 
neum, and because of this are easily subject to rupture, 
yet the underlying causes must always be considered as 
the following:— 
First: The distension of the peritoneum in certain 
places by the pressure of intestinal gas or impacted feces. 
Second: A weakened state of the abdominal muscles 138 
The Fast Way to Health 
which should support the peritoneum and assist it in 
holding up the abdominal contents. 
In all cases of hernia which I have examined I have 
found an excess of intestinal gas far above the normal, 
also a lack of development of the abdominal muscles. 
This lack of development is always present with those 
athletes who have suffered a rupture, and whose partic- 
ular form of athletic endeavor is one in which the ab- 
dominal muscles are not brought into play. The boxer, 
who must have strong muscles covering his abdomen 
and solar plexus, never suffers from rupture, and no 
amount of straining will be sufficient to break a perito- 
neum which is so firmly supported. 
I find a great many ruptures contracted by persons 
who were formerly athletes, and who, after years of 
idleness, have again attempted to take up some form of 
training. The first day after their return to exercising 
they overdo matters in attempting to perform some stunt 
which would have been easy enough for them at one time. 
Their flabby muscles however will not respond as they 
once did, and a tear in the peritoneum results. More 
danger actually exists for those who know how to do 
stunts but are in an unfit physical condition than for 
those who have never been athletes at all, and do not 
understand enough about exercising to be able to hurt 
themselves. 
In the treatment of any case of hernia it is first of all 
important to empty the intestines completely from all 
fecal material, so that there will be a minimum of pres- 
sure behind the tear in the abdominal wall. In this way, 
when the abdominal muscles are exercised and begin hold- 
ing the intestines more firmly, the break in the perito- 
neum will be able to close and grow together. The ex- 
ercises for developing the abdominal muscles should be 
taken lying on the back, with the hips elevated higher Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
139 
than the head. Sometimes the bed can be tilted up at 
one end by putting blocks of wood under the legs at the 
foot, so that this end is raised at least one foot higher 
than usual. Another method is to make a board two feet 
in width and six feet long, and use it by placing one end 
on the floor and the other on the side of the bed. This 
should be covered with quilts, and a pillow placed on the 
floor at the lower end of the slanting board. The patient 
should then lie on his back and take the exercises de- 
scribed on pages 320-321. 
If it is possible to secure a suitable truss, this should 
be worn while the cure is taking place. Most trusses for 
sale on the market consist of a steel spring passing 
around the body which brings to bear against the rup- 
tured part a small, hard, rubber-ball-like arrangement. 
These trusses will prevent the cure of the rupture no 
matter what measures may be adopted, as the hard rub- 
ber ball keeps the tear in the peritoneum constantly 
forced open, making it impossible for the edges to come 
together sufficiently to heal. If you search long enough 
you will be able to find some form of truss in which the 
attachment that presses against the rupture is shaped 
larger and flatter than the ball attachment. There is an 
ideal support being manufactured in Los Angeles which 
holds the rupture as easily as can be done with the hand, 
but I do not know of any other suitable form being made 
elsewhere in the United States which is so perfect. As 
I have many patients in various parts of the country be- 
ing treated by correspondence and advice, I would wel- 
come any information readers can send me regarding a 
suitable truss which can be purchased in other parts of 
the country. The name of the Los Angeles manufacturer 
will be gladly furnished upon application. 
As the exercises recommended are continued, the 
patient must be specially careful to avoid overeating, and 140 
The Fast Way to Health 
to regulate the diet in such a way that there will not be 
an excess accumulation of gas in the intestines. If these 
methods are followed a hernia may be cured at any age, 
and there is no way of telling whether a cure is impossi- 
ble or not unless a strict regime such as outlined above 
is followed for several months. I have found patients of 
an advanced age who were cured as rapidly as younger 
patients, after having been ruptured for many years. It 
might be thought that after a long interval it would he 
impossible for the edges of the tear to heal, but actual 
practice has shown that neither the age of the rupture 
nor of the patient having it makes any material differ- 
ence. 
Case 54. Man, 36 years of age. A few days before 
coming to me he had discovered a lump forming in the 
lower right groin, and consulted a surgeon who advised 
an immediate operation. As the patient’s wife was ex- 
pected soon to give birth to a child, he feared the nervous 
shock which might be given her if he were forced to 
undergo a surgical operation. Accordingly he came to 
me for treatment, because he happened to know of a 
case of rupture which had been cured by my methods. 
He was started immediately upon a fast, using as 
much water as desired during the day, but no other liquid 
or food of any kind, and continued this fast for two 
weeks. At the end of that time the abdomen had lost 
its distension, and the rupture could not be seen. The 
patient was then put upon a carefully selected diet, such 
as given under the article on Constipation and was ad- 
vised to start in with the exercises for the development 
of his abdominal muscles, as explained in the first part 
of this article. 
After being on this diet for a few days he was advised 
to have a truss fitted by the truss maker I have men- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
141 
tioned, in order to give more support to that part of the 
abdomen where the tear had taken place. He continued 
wearing the truss for several weeks, and increased his 
exercises until his abdominal muscles were as strong as 
a boxer’s. As a precaution against intestinal, fecal, or 
gas pressure, I advised him to take one enema daily, 
which he did for some time until his bowel movements 
became so frequent that this was no longer necessary. 
After several weeks of exercising I was not able to 
discover any evidence of the hernia by the most careful 
examination, and it has shown no signs of returning. 
This cure was effected about three years ago, and the 
patient has long since discarded the truss, having now 
every appearance of being entirely cured. 
INSOMNIA OR SLEEPLESSNESS 
Eight hours of sleep appear to be required by the 
average adult as the proper period for relaxation, and 
if a longer time is necessary it is usually because of the 
enervation produced by overwork or destructive habits. 
If the hours of work are not too long, sufficient exercise 
is taken, and correct dietary rules followed, you will find 
eight hours of sleep to be sufficient, and even a shorter 
period will often suffice. 
The theory has been advanced that if the right bal- 
ance could just be struck, and man could divide the hours 
of the day into exactly the right amounts of exercise, of 
study, and of relaxation, no sleep would be required at 
all, but this seems hardly possible or even probable at 
the present stage of evolutional development, because of 
the necessity for working so many hours at a time that 
the body becomes tired enough to require sleep. There 
are, however, a few animals that hardly sleep at all, and 
many more that sleep only occasionally, apparently get- 
ting the same benefit by simply resting. 142 
The Fast Way to Health 
In man, then, sleep is a state of self-hypnosis which 
he himself induces, during which time the forces of the 
body are able to repair broken-down cells and tissues 
which have been injured in the course of a strenuous 
day’s work, and which also permits the body to recover 
from the poisoning caused by excess of food, and the 
toxins produced by inharmonious combinations of the 
same. If one is not able to relax into this state of sleep, 
it is either because of psychological or mental disturb- 
ances, or because of certain physical irritations which 
keep the mind of the patient conscious of the physical 
body. 
A person who is not able to stop thinking actively 
about business or who worries over troubles, will often 
develop a chronic state of insomnia which develops into 
a habit, easily corrected however if proper mental 
changes are made. The most common cause of insomnia 
is no doubt the irritation produced from indigestion, 
and the pressure of large quantities of gas in the stomach 
and intestines. I find many patients who have been rest- 
less at night and unable to forget their troubles, able to 
enjoy a refreshing sleep in a day or two after starting 
on a fast, with enemas to cleanse the stomach and intes- 
tines of the accumulation of fecal material, that is to say 
most of those who think they are troubled with insomnia 
because of a nervous mental state, are really being irri- 
tated physically by the pressure of impacted feces and 
gas in the colon, but which has not been sufficiently pro- 
nounced to make them conscious of it, since no pain has 
been experienced. 
No matter what the cause may be that is keeping the 
patient awake, it is always advisable to place a hot water 
bottle at the feet upon retiring, in order to attract more 
blood to the lower extremities, and so withdraw it from 
the brain Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
143 
I have never known a case of insomnia that conld not 
be easily cured by using a combination of the treatment 
for removing stomach or intestinal irritation, the patient 
meantime taking an increased amount of physical exer- 
cise, and the use of some simple mental suggestions upon 
going to bed. After you are sure that all physical irri- 
tation has been removed, learn to suggest sleep to your- 
self in much the same way as the hypnotist does to a sub- 
ject. Lie perfectly relaxed, and mentally repeat over 
and over the words, ‘‘Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy,” or 
“Drowsy, drowsy, drowsy.” Inhale and exhale slowly, 
without much effort, keep mentally repeating over and 
over one or both of these words, and you will find that 
the conscious mind can be very easily lulled into a deep 
sleep. If this method is persisted in, it never fails to 
bring about the desired result. 
No matter how much mental work has been done dur- 
ing the day, and how tired you seem to be at night, it is 
nevertheless a singular thing that physical culture exer- 
cises will re-energize the body, and much less sleep will 
he required by the brain worker if he will but try this. 
Case 55. Woman, 35 years of age. She said that for 
several years she had been waking up about 1 or 2 
o’clock in the morning, and sometimes was unable to go 
to sleep again after that time. Had been taking bromides 
off and on for several years when the insomnia continued 
for too long a time, and in this way drugged herself to 
sleep for a few nights at a time. 
Upon examination I found a tendency to gastritis, and 
during the examination with the test meal large quanti- 
ties of gas formed in the upper part of the stomach, 
which pressed against the diaphragm. She had not been 
conscious at any time of having any stomach or intestinal 
derangement, as the gas pressure which existed in her 144 
The Fast Way to Health 
alimentary canal had not been cansing enough discomfort 
to attract her attention. 
After the examination she was advised to take a large 
dose of castor oil, using four ounces of castor oil with 
four ounces of orange juice. This was taken about four 
o’clock in the afternoon, and at both six and nine o’clock 
in the evening an enema was taken. This, together with 
the frequent movements induced by the castor oil, com- 
pletely emptied the alimentary canal of all food material, 
and the patient was able to sleep that night without wak- 
ing at 1 a. m. as she had been accustomed to do. 
I find that those patients who are in the habit of wak- 
ing at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning are, in every case, 
troubled by gas pressure in the stomach caused by the 
remains of the evening meal which has not left that or- 
gan, hut is fermenting and producing the extra gas. 
The morning after the castor oil treatment the patient 
started on a fast of orange juice and water, taking a glass 
of orange juice with a glass of water three times daily. 
This was continued for one week. Two enemas daily 
were taken. At the end of the week of fasting the patient 
was placed upon a regulated diet similar to the one given 
in the treatment of Gastritis. She was also advised to 
take calisthenic exercises twice daily, and to walk a 
mile in the middle of the morning, during the afternoon, 
and again after dinner. Exercises were increased by 
degrees, and a general diet gradually resumed. She 
has never had a return of sleeplessness since her ten- 
dency to flatulence was removed. 
Case 56. Woman, 53 years of age. Was unable to go 
to sleep at night, and after lying awake for several hours 
would get up, dress, and take a long walk, in an attempt 
to tire herself out, so that she could relax enough to be 
able to sleep. This course, however, did not seem to have Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
145 
been productive of very good results, and after she came 
to me as a patient she was put upon a short fast, followed 
by a simple diet, in order to get her alimentary canal into 
the best possible condition. Exercises were prescribed 
which she followed faithfully, but although she was able 
to get more sleep than before, it was still insufficient to 
give her the amount of rest that she seemed to need. 
Because of her opposition to everything which sav- 
ored of mental healing I had difficulty in inducing her to 
try the self-hypnosis treatment outlined in the earlier 
part of this article, but as I was convinced that she was 
allowing her mind to remain too active, I kept insisting 
upon her starting this treatment by suggestion, and after 
repeated attempts she finally succeeded in getting the 
suggestions to work well enough to be satisfied as to their 
efficacy. Night after night her sleep became deeper, 
until she was finally permanently cured, and she has re- 
mained so now for over three years. 
KIDNEY STONE 
The first symptoms which will be felt when a stone 
has formed in the kidney will be sharp, shooting pains 
from one side or the other around from the back to the 
bladder. The pains resemble closely those associated 
with gall-stones, and are also similar to those produced 
by intestinal gas. They are caused by the injury to the 
kidney or ureter inflicted by the stone in attempting to 
pass into the bladder. 
The stones themselves are formed of various alkaline 
materials, which solidify in the urine and become masses 
of crystals and which, on removal, are often found to be 
hard enough to cut glass. An operation is usually ad- 
vised, but I have handled many cases of this trouble and 
have never been forced to recommend surgical interfer- 146 
The Fast Way to Health 
ence. I have found that in every case, under a strict 
fasting regime, the kidney stone may be dissolved suffi- 
ciently, so that the pieces will pass down the ureters into 
the bladder, and finally out through the urethra. 
When this dissolution takes place great pain will 
often be experienced as the particles are attempting to 
pass through the small openings, and the sufferer must 
be patient to stand the terrific cramps and spasms from 
which there is seldom any escape until the pieces pass out. 
A fruit juice fast is always to be recommended as the 
acid fruit juice seems to have a specific effect in dissolv- 
ing the alkaline concretions. Patients are advised, after 
recovery, to drink large quantities of water, to use a 
small amount of starchy food, and to indulge in more 
vigorous physical exercise. 
Case 57. Man, 50 years of age. I was called hur- 
riedly to his house, and found the patient suffering great 
pain from kidney stone. For several days he had been 
kept under opiates. A number of physicians had de- 
clared his case incurable without an operation, believing 
that the stone was so large that it could not be dissolved. 
The patient had been fed different kinds of “light” food, 
but under my advice this was discontinued, and he was 
put on a fast of plain water, with the juice of half a 
lemon added to each glass. This was taken every half 
hour from the time I called in the evening at 9 o’clock, 
until the pain had partially subsided, which was about 9 
a. m. the next morning, when the patient fell into a re- 
freshing sleep which lasted for several hours. 
By the afternoon the pain had lessened sufficiently to 
permit of his being brought to my office, where an X-ray 
picture was made of the kidney, which confirmed my 
diagnosis of kidney stone. The patient was advised to 
continue on the lemon juice fast, and did so for several Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
147 
days. At the end of the fifth day of the fast all kidney 
pains disappeared, bnt the fast was continued for five 
more days, and the patient then put on a general diet. 
Of course hot enemas were used several times daily dur- 
ing this fast, and the patient was encouraged to drink 
an extra amount of hot water over and above the regular 
doses of lemon juice and hot water each half hour. 
At the end of twenty days from the time the X-ray 
picture showing the presence of the kidney stone was 
taken, several other pictures were taken in none of which 
was it possible to find any evidence of the stone. There 
have been no symptoms since that time, now almost a 
year ago, and the patient has remained well in every way. 
I find it frequently the case that the kidney stone will 
be dissolved into such minute particles that there will 
not be any pain as these particles pass through the body, 
if a large amount of water is used by the patient, with 
the addition of the lemon juice. This seems to dissolve 
the stone so finely that no irritation is produced. 
MASTOIDITIS 
This disease is characterized by an inflammation of 
the mastoid process which lies behind the ear. This proc- 
ess is a hollow part of one of the bones of the skull, and 
in certain cases it sometimes happens that this hollow 
space becomes filled with pus. This gathering of pus in 
the ear of a patient only takes place when the body of the 
patient contains an accumulation of waste products and 
poisonous material. 
The disease is quite common among children who 
have been fed an overabundance of sugars and starches. 
A slight earache, improperly treated, will often be the 
irritant that will cause the blood to deposit its poisons 
in the mastoid process in the form of pus. A surgical 148 
The Fast Way to Health 
operation is usually advised to drain this pus from the 
cavity, but after successfully handling many serious 
cases of mastoiditis I am convinced that it can almost 
always be cured by making use of the absorbing power 
of the fast. 
No matter how young or how old the patient may be 
who comes to me with an earache, he is immediately put 
upon a strict fast, to ensure the immediate start of an 
absorption of pus, if any exist in the mastoid process. 
This is always a safe procedure to adopt in the case of 
any form of earache, and parents will do well to note this 
point, as earache is one of the commonest symptoms of 
children’s diseases. 
Applications of hot towels or radiant light therapy 
should be used on the neck and upper back, in order to 
assist the circulation of blood going to and from the head. 
The patient should be confined to bed, and be made to lie 
as quietly as possible, with a hot water bottle at the feet. 
If warm olive oil is poured into the ear of the affected 
side, it will often assist in relieving the earache symp- 
toms. 
After the acute symptoms of the disorder have sub- 
sided, it will be necessary to follow a strict body-building 
regime, with an increased amount of exercise and a prop- 
erly regulated diet, so that the blood will be clean and 
free from any toxins which might cause trouble in the 
future. 
Case 58. Little girl, 2 years of age. Had suffered 
from an earache for two days, and the eardrum was 
finally lanced by a physician who was called in during the 
night. The earache continued, and gradually located be- 
hind the ear in the mastoid process. The physician in 
charge of the case, who was an ear specialist, advised an 
operation, after having had charge of the case for about Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
149 
five days, and seeing no change for the better. The 
mother had been a patient of mine at one time, and ap- 
pealed to me in the hope that something could he done to 
avoid so serious a step. 
The baby was at once put upon a fast of water fla- 
vored with small amounts of orange juice. Three enemas 
daily were used, and hot applications administered to 
the upper part of the child’s back. No treatment was 
given to the ear itself, because the eardrum had been 
ruptured, and I did not think it advisable to use either 
warm water or oil in the ear, although I did employ the 
radiations from an ultra-violet light lamp. 
On the second day of the fast the discharge from the 
ear stopped entirely, and on the next day all symptoms 
of pain in the mastoid process completely disappeared. 
The baby was kept on the fast for a whole week, in order 
to make certain of a complete cure, and since that time 
has been using a diet such as I recommend as suitable for 
children. (See chapter on Children’s Diet.) This cure 
was effected about a year and a half ago, and although 
the child had previously been subject to frequent ear- 
ache, there has been no sign of any such symptom since 
that time. 
Case 59. Boy, 10 years of age. Developed a double 
mastoiditis, that is inflammation of both mastoid pro- 
cesses. When I first examined him his temperature was 
102 degrees, and both ears were discharging large 
amounts of pus. An immediate operation had been ad- 
vised, but I did not think this necessary, and started 
the boy on a strict fast of water flavored with lemon juice. 
Both ears were treated with strong radiations from the 
ultra-violet light, and the fast was continued for twelve 
days. 
After the third day of the treatment all discharge in 
the ears ceased entirely, and the aching in the mastoid 150 
The Fast Way to Health 
processes entirely disappeared the next day. At the end 
of the fast the patient was put upon a well-regulated diet, 
being careful to avoid an excess of starchy foods. Since 
that time, now about three years ago, he has had no re- 
turn of the trouble. 
OBESITY 
This chapter will interest many who are conscious of 
carrying around too much weight—who are stuffy, short 
of breath, sleepy, and uncomfortable, and who have been 
told by a physician that they should reduce their avoir- 
dupois. I hope that many others will benefit from the 
advice given, who believe they are healthy because they 
are rotund, whose friends say they look so well, and who 
think that health can be measured on the scales. 
It is a significant fact that fat does not mean health, 
and really has no connection with physical soundness. 
Often the obese individual will have good assimilative 
power when really suffering from a hidden disease, par- 
tially caused by that very fact. The proper weight for 
the best mental and physical vigor is often far below 
that of the patient’s ideal, and can only be determined 
after careful examination, using every hygienic and die- 
tetic method in an attempt to discover the normal. Excess 
weight is always a decided disadvantage to the patient 
who is also experiencing some other ailment at the same 
time. It is folly to attempt to arrange a table of normal 
weights for certain heights, etc., as there are as many 
types of individuals as there are shapes of heads and 
faces. 
With a great deal of experience in handling cases of 
obesity, I find it is often possible to guess approximately 
the best weight for a patient, but so many factors must 
be taken into consideration that such an estimate must Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
151 
always be subject to change. Often fat will form only 
at certain parts of the body where the circulation is poor, 
or when sufficient exercise is not used for that part, so 
that especial attention must be given to that section in 
the process of weight reduction, without attempting to 
reduce the parts which are normal. 
There are, no doubt, two general types of obese 
patients:— 
1. The one who comes from a family of fat people, 
who seems to gain weight from almost every food eaten. 
These pepple usually have the habit of inactivity also, 
which is as hard to cure as the tendency to retain weight 
from their food. In these cases the weight may be easily 
reduced if the patient will develop the mental ideal of a 
symmetrical body, and do everything to attain that ideal. 
They must be impressed with the fact that the proper 
kind and amount of food must be eaten and sufficient 
exercise taken. Often the actual bodily requirements are 
very slight, and the patient can have perfect health and 
normal weight on a very small portion of the proper 
tissue-building food. 
2. The second class of fat subject with no natural 
tendency to obesity, has gained weight through overeat- 
ing of starch and sugar and fats; that is, eating large 
amounts of candy, rich gravy, pastry, etc. In such cases 
weight is only caused by gross indiscretion in diet, and 
gorging with those foods which are weight producing. 
While those with a predisposition to obesity must train 
hard to reduce, this second class have only to stop their 
dietetic errors to return easily to the normal. 
Treatment. In either case the permanent cure de- 
pends upon the regulation of the diet so as to use only the 
amount of food necessary for the repair and building up 
of the normal tissues of the body, and no excess should be 152 
The Fast Way to Health 
taken above this requirement. The quickest and most in- 
fallible method of reducing the weight to the normal is 
the use of the fasting cure in some form. Fasting with 
small amounts of water and the juice of citrus fruit is 
perhaps the best procedure for the average case. As 
will be seen in the cases given below, the weight will be 
reduced from one-half pound to two pounds daily, and 
with marked improvement in all the physical functions. 
An apparent increase in energy will be noted, which 
is caused by the body being free from the burden of en- 
cumbrance. The mind power will be strengthened, and 
ordinary occupation may be pursued with increased 
vigor. Deep breathing exercises should be taken at this 
time, which will produce more complete oxygenation of 
the fatty deposits and increase the amount of reduction 
to a large extent. Physical culture exercises should not 
be used during the fasting period, as too much muscular 
tissue will be used up which will not be replaced until 
proteid food is again taken. Drink enough water to keep 
the urine from becoming too heavy, as this puts an un- 
necessary burden upon the kidneys. 
More loss of weight will take place if the amount of 
water is kept to the minimum of tolerance. Friction 
rubs and sponge or shower baths will keep the skin stimu- 
lated to eliminate freely. Massage is helpful and certain 
electrical treatments will aid the blood’s circulation, and 
materially help in the reduction. Heavy vibration over 
the fattest parts will break down the fat cells and assist 
in producing a more symmetrical reduction. The bowels 
are to be kept open by enemas twice daily, of plain warm 
water. No laxatives are necessary or advisable. The 
fast may be continued from one to several weeks, accord- 
ing to the needs of the patient, but those attempting the 
reduction treatment at home without competent super- 
vision may rest assured that two or three weeks of fast- Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
153 
ing will not be too long for perfect safety, and this length 
of fast may be broken without danger if the instructions 
given in the cases below are followed to the letter. 
The diet following the fasting period must be selected 
carefully, and the foods which are especially weight-pro- 
ducing must be entirely eliminated until a condition near 
the normal is reached. If the proper amount of proteid 
and green leafy vegetables are used, the body will be sup- 
plied with all the elements essential for the perfect growth 
of the necessary cells and tissues. 
The body may be well sustained for years without 
any sugars, starches, or fats, if enough proteid is used, 
together with those non-starchy vegetables containing 
the essential organic salts and vitamines. The energy 
which would be derived from the carbohydrates and fats 
can be taken from proteids as easily. Some of the long- 
est-lived, most active and energetic carnivorous animals 
and birds never touch an ounce of carbohydrate food, 
and man can adapt himself to a properly balanced carniv- 
orous (meat) diet if it is necessary, without any harm, 
and often with great benefit. After a sufficient period of 
time, the carbohydrates and fats may be slowly intro- 
duced into the daily rations, when it will be found that 
there has often been a permanent cure of the tendency to 
assimilate too much of these weight producers. 
After the fast, physical culture exercises and in- 
creased walking should be introduced, and the deep 
breathing exercises continued. A protruding abdomen 
can only be reduced and strengthened by vigorous exer- 
cise of the abdominal muscles, so do not expect to have a 
flat abdomen or perfect symmetry of any part of the 
body if you do not take sufficient exercise to have a defi- 
nite effect upon those parts which need more strength 
and a better circulation. Massage and vibration should 
be continued as long as possible. 154 
The Fast Way to Health 
Have the ideal of a beautiful body constantly in mind 
and take pride in making that ideal come true. Visualize 
beauty of form and look at pictures of well formed men 
and women, such as are shown in the Physical Culture 
Magazine, and other publications which encourage physi- 
cal beauty. 
You will find this suggestion really of very valuable 
help to you in holding yourself to the task in hand. Try 
to go to a gymnasium at regular intervals and be helped 
by the inspiration such as the contact with athletic men 
and women will give you. Your age can never be a handi- 
cap to you, for you may develop a beautiful body at any 
age, and those who have never taken up physical culture 
seriously will have a surprise in store for them when 
they find that their bodies may be made a truly fitting 
Temple of the Soul. 
Case 60. Woman, 67 years of age. Weight 208 
pounds. Had started to develop arthritis deformans, 
which is a form of rheumatism, enlarging the joints and 
twisting them out of their natural shape. Her ankles 
hurt when she walked, and her legs were swollen with 
dropsical enlargement. 
A fast was advised, and she was recommended to take 
the juice of one orange every two hours, with a glass of 
water each time. This was continued for thirty days, 
during which time her weight was actually reduced to 
168 pounds. On a diet comparatively free from weight- 
producing foods she has gradually reduced during the 
last eight years, until on the day this article is written 
her weight is 136 pounds. The deformity of the joints 
was checked from further development, and she now has 
the appearance of a woman twenty or thirty years 
younger than she really is—being at the present time 
seventy-five years of age. Her skin is as firm and pink 
as that of a young girl, and she is in excellent health. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
155 
Case 61. Male, 35 years of age. Professional con- 
cert singer, and one of America’s leading tenor soloists. 
Weight 229 pounds. Careful examination of this patient 
disclosed no organic disease. He had been greatly trou- 
bled with abscesses forming in his ears which had to be 
lanced from time to time, and his throat bothered him 
continually on account of enlarged tonsils, which con- 
stantly interfered with his singing voice. 
He was advised to take a glass of orange juice three 
times daily, with the addition of a glass of plain water, 
and to drink no other liquids or take any other food of 
any kind. One enema daily was taken during the length 
of the fast, and two cold water baths daily. This fast 
was continued for fifteen days, by which time the weight 
had been reduced to 198 pounds. This weight has been 
retained for some time upon the following diet:— 
Breakfast—1 Coddled egg. 
2 Pieces hard, thin, brown toast. 
Dish of prunes. 
Lunch-— Choice of one of the following raw fruits: 
Peaches, pears, grapes, or 1 glass of orange 
juice. 
1 Glass water. 
Dinner— Choice of one of the following: Lean beef, 
mutton, chicken, turkey, Belgian hare, fish. 
Choice of one of the following cooked non- 
starchy vegetables: 
Summer squash 
Small green string beans 
Spinach 
Egg plant 
Beet tops 
Kale 
Cucumbers 
French artichokes 
Zucchini or Italian squash 
Celery 
Swiss Chard 
Asparagus 
Oyster plant 
Turnip tops 
Mustard greens 
Chayotes 
Parsley 
Lettuce 156 
The Fast Way to Health 
Choice of one of the following raw or salad 
vegetables: 
Watercress 
Asparagus 
Cucumbers 
Spinach 
Tomatoes 
Celery 
Parsley 
Lettuce 
Endive 
He is now following this diet regime, and is slowly 
reducing his weight until it becomes normal, which I 
think in his case will be about 175 pounds. The tonsils 
have been reduced to normal size, his voice is clearer than 
it has ever been, and there has been no sign of any 
trouble in his ears since the date of the fast—nor will 
there be if he continues to live in accordance with the in- 
structions given him. 
PROLAPSUS, OR SAGGING OF ORGANS 
Most of the vital organs of the body are attached by 
the ligaments to the spine, and if man walked on all fours 
the organs would hang from the spine in the same way 
as they do in any of the monkey family. Primitive man no 
doubt assumed a posture similar to that of the apes most 
of the time, and it is quite evident that modern man has 
only developed an upright position gradually, because 
of which those organs attached to the spine have by de- 
grees sagged lower down in the abdomen. Abdominal 
adjustments or modifications have taken place to take 
care, to a certain extent, of this shifting of the organs, 
but where great weakness exists in a patient, or the mus- 
cles of the body are allowed to degenerate by disuse, this 
prolapsus has become more and more pronounced, so 
that one organ is lying on top of the other, and all are 
being pressed further and further down into the basin 
of the pelvis. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
157 
Those who are forced to work where they are con- 
stantly standing on their feet, will be found almost al- 
ways to have an abnormal prolapsus of stomach and in- 
testines. In woman the uterus is usually out of the nor- 
mal position. From time to time I have had patients who 
were classical dancers, and in every case I have examined 
so far the stomach and intestines have been prolapsed 
several inches. This is also true of those who do much 
horseback riding. 
Where the body is weakened and enervated with any 
other disease, that condition of weakness of the nerves 
must be removed and the disease cured, before you can 
hope to bring about a change in the position of these in- 
ternal organs. When the patient is in a condition to 
develop strength, certain calisthenic exercises should be 
used, mostly while lying on the back on the floor. I refer 
you especially to those on pages 320-321. These exercises, 
if persisted in twice daily, will so develop the abdominal 
muscles and those on the entire front of the body, that no 
matter how much out of position the organs may have 
sagged they will gradually be brought back into their 
normal places. 
The body must be developed more strongly, and the 
muscles must be made larger than would be necessary if 
we were walking on all fours; in fact in order to hold the 
organs in position and walk in the upright posture it is 
necessary to develop the abdominal muscles almost to an 
abnormal extent. In this way the stomach, intestines, 
and uterus are held up in such a position that they can 
function properly, and one will not interfere with the free 
action of another. 
Case 62. Woman, 68 years of age. At the time of the 
examination, and for several years previous, the uterus 
had been so prolapsed as to protrude several inches out- 
side of the vagina, with the result that an oil bandage 158 
The Fast Way to Health 
had to be worn to hold it up sufficiently to enable the 
patient to walk. An operation had been advised by many 
physicians, but the patient would not consent. The phy- 
sician who advised the operation said that apparently 
there had been a tearing loose of some of the ligaments 
attached to the womb when the last child was born, which 
happened when the woman was 42 years of age, and that 
because of this tearing she could never expect to have 
the womb return to its normal place by any other means 
than a surgical operation, when the organ would be sewed 
to the abdominal wall. 
I found the stomach and intestines prolapsed as low 
as possible in the pelvis, and told the patient that al- 
though an operation might be necessary eventually, it 
would be advisable to strengthen her abdominal muscles 
sufficiently to raise the stomach and intestines to enable 
me to determine whether the womb could be restored to 
the normal position or not. 
The patient was put on a fast of orange juice and 
water, taking the juice of an orange every two hours with 
a glass of water, and taking two enemas daily. This was 
continued for 32 days, during which time the patient lost 
nearly 30 pounds of weight. After the fast the following 
diet was prescribed:— 
Breakfast—Glass of orange juice and a glass of water. 
Lunch— 2 Coddled eggs. 
Choice of 1 non-starchy cooked vegetable. 
Choice of 1 salad vegetable. 
1 Stewed fruit. 
Dinner— 1 Proteid food, selected from the following: 
Lean beef or mutton, fish, turkey, chicken, 
Belgian hare. 
2 Non-starchy vegetables. 
1 or more salad vegetables. 
After a few days of this diet the patient was in- 
structed to take calisthenic exercises, especially those to Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
159 
be practised while lying on the back, as described on 
pages 320-321. Her diet was gradually increased 
as seemed advisable, and she was instructed to take short 
walks several times during the day. 
After continuing on a general body-building regime 
for six months, I again examined the patient with the 
X-ray, and found that the stomach and intestines had 
nearly resumed their normal position, but the uterus still 
protruded slightly from the vagina. The patient was 
sufficiently discouraged to believe that she could never 
avoid the necessity for the operation which she dreaded. 
I advised her that no matter how slow the cure seemed 
to be, she should continue to do exactly as she had been 
doing, and that eventually the organ would be raised 
enough to make her comfortable. 
She was finally persuaded to continue the exercise and 
diet treatment at home, and accordingly went back to 
her own residence which happened to be in another town. 
At the end of a month, when she returned to me for ex- 
amination, I found that the uterus had returned to a 
perfectly normal position, and that her stomach and in- 
testines had also been raised to their proper places. The 
preparatory treatments during the first six months, it 
should be explained, were strengthening and preparing 
the muscles of the abdomen for what might be called 
their new duties, so that quite suddenly during the sev- 
enth month the uterus returned to its normal position. 
She has remained perfectly well for over six years, and 
is now 74 years of age. 
From my experience I am satisfied that a woman of 
advanced years can develop her abdominal muscles just 
as easily as a young girl. This is probably due to the 
fact that the particular abdominal muscles which are 
developed and brought up by the special exercises I 
recommend, have never before been used during the The Fast Way to Health 
160 
patient’s life, but have been lying dormant awaiting de- 
velopment, and consequently might be said not to be worn 
out to the same extent as some of the other muscles of 
the body. 
Case 63. Woman, 32 years of age. One of the best 
known classical dancers on the American stage. She had 
suffered from prolapsus of the uterus, and during her 
dancing career had been forced at times to wear a certain 
kind of metal pessary, which is a device used for holding 
up the uterus in the worst stages of prolapsus. Some- 
times the trouble became so pronounced that she was 
unable to continue her theatrical engagements. As danc- 
ing is so frequently recommended as a good exercise it 
had always puzzled her as to how this prolapsus could 
exist with the vigorous training she had undergone, and 
the constant practice of dancing exercises. 
I assured her that those muscles of the abdomen which 
were used by the body to hold the vital organs in posi- 
tion were not sufficiently exercised by a classical dancer 
to be able to overcome the violent jars the body was con- 
stantly subjected to during certain parts of the dances, 
where leaps, etc., were indulged in. I showed her how 
her back muscles and the muscles of the thigh and the 
calf were very well developed, but that the abdominal 
muscles were so weak that while she was standing in an 
attitude of repose there was such a prolapsus of the ab- 
dominal viscera that her abdomen protruded several 
inches beyond the normal. 
After going through a treatment with a short fast 
and diet regime she was instructed to take those abdom- 
inal exercises already referred to in the last case under 
discussion, and she continued taking them three times 
daily for about three months, which happened to be her 
vacation period. By the end of that time the uterus was Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
161 
in its normal position, and the abdominal muscles were 
so strong that there was no protrusion or sagging of the 
abdomen, while another X-ray examination at that time 
disclosed the fact that her stomach and intestines had re- 
turned to their normal position. She felt fine in every 
way, and was relieved of many symptoms such as head- 
aches and nausea and pains in the legs from which she 
had previously suffered because of her disorder. 
She assured me that she would add those exercises 
which I had given her to the ones she was already taking 
in her regular dancing work, and apparently she has done 
so faithfully, for she has remained perfectly well and 
without any sign of prolapsus for more than five years. 
RECTAL TROUBLES 
The rectum is the lower portion of the large colon 
where the feces accumulate just before the bowels are 
ready to move. Those who are forced to strain at the 
stool to produce evacuation of the bowels will sooner or 
later develop an irritation around the exit from the colon, 
which will be evidenced at first by a burning and often a 
stinging sensation, and finally by bleeding. Often this 
straining and the congestion caused by constipation will 
produce enlarged veins at the opening, which will pro- 
trude. The rectum is also irritated by the poisons of 
the body which are thrown out with the feces, and if these 
poisons are of an especially virulent nature sufficient 
burning might be set up to make the membrane quite raw 
and inflamed. 
The frequent use of laxatives is also an important 
factor in the cause of rectal irritation, both by the irri- 
tating effect of the medicine itself, and also because of 
the burning of the membrane produced by an excess flow 
of bile, which is often induced by the cathartic or laxa- 162 
The Fast Way to Health 
tive. The membrane will sometimes develop a break 
which is called a “fissure” and which is very painful and 
annoying. Sometimes this condition will force a false 
opening from the rectum and produce a pocket in which 
infection takes place. 
Any of these irritations will produce nervous symp- 
toms and reflex disorders in other parts of the body, 
which often seem to have no connection with the rectal 
trouble. If a patient is being bothered with any form of 
nervousness it is imperative that all irritation at the 
rectum should be removed before a complete recovery 
can be expected. 
The treatment for all disorders of this nature must 
first of all be constitutional and not local, that is, the first 
requirement is to see that constipation is overcome and 
that the body is as quickly as possible freed from all of 
the poisons which have been lodged in the intestines, 
in many cases for a long time. 
No matter what kind of rectal disorder is present, 
some form of fast should be started at once, and two or 
three enemas taken each day to ensure a thorough cleans- 
ing of the large colon. When so many enemas are used it 
is advisable to lubricate the rectal opening with some 
kind of oil, in order to avoid irritation by the frequent 
passage of water and feces. 
After a full diet is resumed, of the kind I usually 
recommend after constipation, it is then advisable to 
start using local treatments to the rectum itself. Prob- 
ably the best local treatment which is applicable to every 
class of rectal disorder is the following: Break off a 
small piece of ice in the shape of a cone, and insert this 
carefully into the rectum, holding it securely with a 
towel. See that the piece is large enough to take three 
or four minutes to melt. Apply this two or three times Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
163 
daily, and if convenient several more of such treatments 
may be taken each day with increased benefit. This ice 
treatment will contract any enlarged veins, and will also 
aid the rectal muscles in recovering their normal tone. 
After the enema is taken at night the ice treatment 
should be used, and then a glycerine suppository or a 
piece of coco butter should be inserted in the rectum and 
allowed to remain overnight. Before rising in the morn- 
ing insert another piece of coco butter, and allow it to 
melt. Follow this with an enema, then the ice treatment, 
and then another glycerine suppository or piece of coco 
butter. This should be continued until the constipation 
is overcome, and when the bowels are moving freely twice 
daily continue to insert a glycerine suppository just be- 
fore the bowels move, in order to lubricate the rectum 
and make an easier passage. After the stool, use the ice 
treatment as directed. 
As soon as all symptoms disappear of course it is 
not necessary to continue this treatment with supposi- 
tories or ice, for if the patient will live on a non-consti- 
pating diet and otherwise take good care of himself, 
there will not be a return of any local trouble. 
Case 64. Man, 35 years of age. Had experienced 
several attacks of hemorrhoids during his life, and in 
the attack before the last one he had resorted to surgical 
measures for relief. When I was called in during an 
acute attack, he believed his condition to be worse than 
it had ever been. He was unable to walk because of the 
great pain which had persisted day and night for several 
days before I saw him. He had been using hot applica- 
tions, but these did not seem to afford him much relief. 
I immediately advised ice treatment to be used at 
once in order to shrink up the enlarged veins and hem- 
orrhoids which were protruding, and at the same time 164 
The Fast Way to Health 
almost entirely closing the rectum. This brought about 
immediate relief, and enemas were taken every two hours, 
a quart of warm paraffine oil being used in place of water, 
in order to make the passage of feces as easy as possible. 
After several hours of this treatment the patient was 
able to walk without any pain, and the next day he came 
to my office for a more complete diagnosis. 
I found his intestines in a prolapsed, kinked-up condi- 
tion, and also found several other functional distur- 
bances in the body, for which immediate treatment was 
started. A fast was recommended, using only plain 
water, and from that time on two warm water enemas 
daily were advised. The patient continued on this fast 
for ten days, after which the diet was similar to the one 
recommended in the article on Constipation. 
The ice treatment was continued several times daily, 
hut by the end of the fast all signs of the hemorrhoids 
had disappeared, and the rectum seemed to be in quite 
a normal condition. However, because of the severity of 
the attacks he had experienced, and in order to make sure 
of a permanent cure, the ice treatment and the glycerine 
suppositories were used twice daily for about a month 
after the fast was completed. His constipation was en- 
tirely overcome, and he has not had a return of any rectal 
disorder for more than two years. 
RHEUMATISM 
The tendency to rheumatic diseases is more common 
among those who overeat, who are overweight, and are 
“full-blooded.” Mild attacks of muscular rheumatism 
may occur with these people if they are subjected to ex- 
posure or cold, when the circulation of fluids in the body 
becomes congested and the elimination of toxins re- 
tarded. The congestion may occur in the muscles, and Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
165 
in such cases the trouble is called “muscular rheuma- 
tism.” This condition may exist for years, with varying 
attacks of shooting pains and soreness of the muscles, 
until finally the congestion of toxins locates in some joint 
of the body. The fingers and toes are usually affected 
first, but it often spreads to the elbows and shoulders, 
and in this stage is called “articular rheumatism.” 
If the disease is not arrested at this stage the sore- 
ness spreads to the hips, and finally to the spine. In this 
latter stage it is most serious. Every effort must be 
exerted by the patient to attempt to keep the inflamma- 
tion from developing to this dangerous point. If the 
rheumatism in the joints continues, the bones will throw 
out a liquid bone formation which will solidify around 
the joint, apparently in an attempt by the body to pro- 
tect the joints against the irritation of acid toxins in the 
blood. This produces enlargement of the joints, twist- 
ing them out of shape, and producing a disease called 
“arthritis deformans.” 
The muscular form of rheumatism is usually to be 
found in the lower back, over the lumbar section of the 
spine, where it is called “lumbago,” or in the muscles 
attached to the ribs, in which case it is called “intercostal 
neuralgia.” If the inflammation extends to the nervous 
system, and deposits of irritating material accumulate 
around the nerve trunks, it will develop the disease com- 
monly called “sciatica” or “neuritis.” Real neuritis is 
an inflammation of the nerve cells, and is a very rare 
disease, but rheumatism of the nerves of the arm is so 
often called neuritis, that I am simply referring to 
this form of the trouble by the name under which it com- 
monly passes. 
One of the principal causes of rheumatism is toxemia 
produced from the fermentation of an excess of carbo- 
hydrate foods, or from poison generated by fermentation 166 
The Fast Way to Health 
when these foods are used in wrong combinations. In 
the treatment of any form of rheumatism the use of the 
fasting cure will be found to be the means of getting the 
quickest results possible, owing to the fact that the blood 
stream during the fasting period cleanses itself from 
all of these toxins which set up irritation in the muscles 
or joints, or in the nerve trunks, and are thus responsi- 
ble for every form of rheumatic disorder. 
In the treatment of muscular rheumatism the use of 
hot applications over the parts is of great value in free- 
ing the congested circulation. Often one or two im- 
mersions daily in a tub of hot water to which has been 
added a handful of epsom salts, will aid in bringing about 
a rapid recovery; but usually the muscular soreness will 
leave in two or three days after beginning the fast. 
In articular rheumatism great benefit will be experi- 
enced at the start of the fast, but a complete cure cannot 
be expected for a considerable period of time because of 
the bone changes taking place, and the necessity for the 
solidification of all of the liquid bone which has been 
thrown around the joint before the fast was started. You 
may expect the permanent cure to take at least as long 
as it would take a broken bone to heal. With this form 
of rheumatism it is always well for the patient to keep 
reasonably quiet, so as not to irritate the joints too much 
while they are attempting to heal. While lying in bed or 
sitting in an easy chair the feet should be kept constantly 
warm by means of a hot water bottle or electric pad. 
This will keep the circulation almost as good as if the 
patient were exercising, and still there will be no irrita- 
tion of the joints. 
In addition to the toxic condition of the blood being 
a cause of sciatica, it will often be found that a certain 
amount of pressure is being exerted upon the nerves 
going to the legs by an impacted feces in the rectum, or Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
167 
by the pressure of gas on one or the other or on both 
sides of the colon. If a tumor exists in the womb this 
may be an irritating cause of pains in the legs because 
of the pressure exerted upon the pelvic nerves. If the 
gas pockets in the colon exist only on one side, it will be 
noted that there is a poor circulation in the leg on that 
particular side, often enough to produce sciatic pains, 
so that in the treatment of sciatica it will always be found 
of advantage to use frequent enemas, taken while sitting 
on the toilet, to free any congestion in the pelvis which 
may be caused by an accumulation of feces or gas. 
Case 65. Male, 54 years of age. Came to me suffer- 
ing from rheumatism in the left shoulder. Several doc- 
tors had told him he would never be able to raise his arm 
again sufficiently to be able to work at his occupation as 
a rancher. Because of the fact that all efforts to cure 
the rheumatism in the shoulder had failed, the last doc- 
tors he consulted advised him to stop using his arm 
entirely, and allow the bones of the shoulder to grow to- 
gether. This advice was given because they considered 
the disease articular rheumatism, for which ailment they 
had no hope of a cure. 
The patient was immediately started on a fast of wa- 
ter and lemon juice, drinking at least one glass of water 
every 30 minutes all during the day. He was advised to 
add to each glass the juice of half a lemon. This fast was 
continued for 20 days. By the tenth day of the fast, with- 
out any treatment being applied to the shoulder, he had 
sufficiently recovered to be able to work eight hours a day 
picking lemons. In picking lemons the worker reaches 
up and holds the lemon with the left hand, while cutting 
it off with clippers held in the right hand. In this way 
the left arm is raised higher than the right, and generally 
it is necessary, in reaching for the lemon, to hold the 168 
The Fast Way to Health 
hand at least a foot above the shoulder. This he was able 
to do without any apparent discomfort beyond the fact 
that his arm was weak from long continued disuse, and 
on this account he was obliged to rest this arm every now 
and then, although after the tenth day of the fast no pain 
whatever was present. 
The fast was, however, continued for ten days more, 
after which the patient was put upon a well regulated 
diet, and has continued to be well for over seven years, 
with no sign of a return of any form of rheumatism. 
You will note that in this, as in other cases treated for 
rheumatism, I advised a large amount of acid fruit juice 
to be used in the fast, as this seems to hasten the cure. 
While there is no doubt that one of the dietetic causes of 
rheumatism is often the indiscriminate use of fruits with 
other foods, nevertheless in spite of this fact, when the 
fruit juices are used in the fast by themselves, without 
any other food, recovery always seems to be more rapid. 
Case 66. Woman, 45 years of age. Had suffered 
from some form of rheumatism all her life, and by the 
time I was called in on her case she had been confined to 
the house for over ten years, for weeks at a time being 
unable to leave her bed. The disease had reached the 
stage of arthritis deformans, and the fingers were 
twisted out of shape, with very little movement to the 
elbows and shoulders. The ankles were swollen to about 
twice their natural size, and a great deal of bone change 
had taken place, greatly enlarging the joints. 
She immediately started upon a fast, using the juice 
of one orange every two hours, together with a glass of 
water. She was also advised to take a glass of water 
every 15 minutes during her waking hours, and as she 
was unable to come to the office for treatment, no local 
treatments of any kind were given except bathing the Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
169 
feet in hot epsom-salt water and having a hot-water 
bottle constantly at her feet. Two enemas daily were 
taken. 
At the end of one week of this fast the swelling had 
reduced so materially in the ankles, with a corresponding 
decrease of soreness, that she was able to walk three 
blocks to a street car and ride several miles to my office, 
where she started taking a course of treatments with 
electro-therapy and radiations from a powerful thera- 
peutic light. This was the first time she had been able 
to come downtown for over ten years. From that time on 
she improved rapidly, and was able to come to my office 
daily for treatment. The fast was continued for 21 days, 
and then the following diet was advised:— 
Four times daily one-quarter of a pound of 
Salisbury steak, with either raw tomatoes or 
celery. 
Half an hour before this meal was to be eaten, she was 
advised to take a pint of hot water, and again to take a 
pint of hot water with the meal, besides drinking as much 
water as possible at other times. Two enemas daily were 
continued, in order to ensure a free cleansing of the bow- 
els. This is called the “Salisbury regime,” and is espe- 
cially effective in the treatment of all forms of 
rheumatism. 
The patient continued this regime for two months, 
and was then put upon a general diet which she has con- 
tinued to the present time. It is over two years since 
the fast was completed, and the patient has never had a 
sign of the return of any rheumatic pain. Of course 
most of the joints which were affected are quite stiff, and 
will never entirely resume their former flexibility, but the 
patient feels quite well in every way and is able to do her 
own housework. 170 
The Fast Way to Health 
The belief held by most physicians that meat eating 
is the principal cause of rheumatism is an assumption 
that is not founded upon fact. The lowered alkalinity of 
the blood, as found in rheumatic arthritis, is caused 
mainly by the fermentation of carbohydrate foods used 
in excess or in improper combinations. Meat cannot fer- 
ment, no matter in what quantities it is used, and if used 
in proper combination with other foods, will never be any 
factor in the production of the toxemia responsible for 
rheumatism. 
Case 67. Man, 38 years of age. Had been troubled 
with lumbago for several years, and for two years be- 
fore presenting himself to me for diagnosis had suffered 
from pains in his left leg, which had been pronounced 
rheumatism. In the examination with the X-ray, I dis- 
covered that the large intestine at the rectum was 
greatly distended by an accumulation of feces, and after 
careful analysis of his case, I told him I believed this 
particular local pressure of feces in the rectum was the 
cause of both his lumbago and sciatica. He was accord- 
ingly advised to take an enema as soon as he returned 
home, and again before going to bed that night, and an 
orange juice fast was prescribed for him. 
When he returned to my office the next day, he said 
that he awakened that morning for the first time in years 
without a sign of the lumbago or pain in his leg, and that 
he had walked for several blocks without having found 
it necessary to limp, a thing he had been doing for two 
years in an attempt to avoid the pain felt when stepping 
in the ordinary way. This proved conclusively that my 
diagnosis was correct. However, the patient continued 
to fast for several days, meanwhile using three enemas 
daily, and was then placed upon a diet similar to that 
given in the treatment of constipation. (See article on 
Constipation.) Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
171 
Local treatments were given to the rectum by electro- 
therapy in order to produce a healthier tone of the rectal 
muscles, and he continued to take one enema daily for 
several weeks. As the constipation was gradually over- 
come, the electrical treatments and enemas were discon- 
tinued, and he has not had a return of either lumbago or 
sciatica for over three years. 
CHRONIC TONSILLITIS 
This disease is present at any age, but is most no- 
ticeable in children, as the tonsils are normally larger 
in childhood, and slowly reduce in size through the years, 
so that at maturity the healthy tonsils can hardly be seen 
in the throat. If enlargement exists, in childhood, in addi- 
tion to the usually large tonsils, the throat will be par- 
tially closed, and often the tongue will protrude in an 
effort to get enough air into the lungs through the 
esophagus. 
Adenoids are usually present with inflammation of 
the tonsils, and sometimes the eustachian tube and middle 
ear are closed, producing partial or complete deafness. 
The cause of these conditions is entirely dietetic, and may 
be removed through a strict dietary regimen. The gen- 
eral health is greatly impaired and often even mental de- 
rangement exists, but these conditions are quickly re- 
moved as soon as the causes of the diseased tonsils are 
removed. 
The tonsils may be the seat of very serious infection, 
producing diseases similar to those caused by abscessed 
teeth. When the nerve of a tooth is removed, unless the 
canal is cleaned thoroughly and filled to the end of the 
root, an abscess will form when enervation exists, pro- 
ducing a toxic poisoning which will cause other diseases. 
Because of the necrosis of bone, the tooth must usually 172 
The Fast Way to Health 
be removed. This is not true with a diseased tonsil, as it 
may be locally and permanently cured by the addition of 
constitutional treatment which will remove the toxemia 
which is really responsible for the enlarged or pussy 
glands. If the tonsils are filled with pus, there will be an 
immediate benefit to the system when the receptacles of 
poison are removed. But the cure is quite simple and 
satisfactory in every way if the cause of the disease in 
the tonsil is removed by systemic treatment, as these 
glands will then return to their normal size and be 
clean and healthy. An excess of starchy and sugar food 
is directly responsible for this disease, and the products 
in the blood from the fermentation of these foods must 
be removed as quickly as possible. 
This is accomplished rapidly by complete abstinence 
from all food except fruit juice and water until the glands 
have reduced materially in size. The colon should be 
cleansed by enemas, and at least two sponge or shower 
baths taken daily. After several days of this regimen, 
the patient will be able to breathe freely with mouth 
closed, and the tongue will return to its normal position. 
This may seem too good to be true, but I assure you the 
following cases, far from being exceptions, are only typ- 
ical of thousands of others that have been under my 
advice and observation. 
It is often advisable to treat the tonsils locally with 
the ultra-violet ray, especially in cases of patients past 
maturity, where the crypts are greatly enlarged and the 
glands are ragged from long continued disease. You 
may expect remarkable results through a five-day fast, 
but a more complete change if it is continued for about 
ten days. The diet following the fast must be free from 
carbohydrates for some time, and an increased amount 
of leafy green vegetables must be used. Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
173 
The adenoids will be reduced almost as rapidly as the 
tonsils with the same treatment, as the cause and cure are 
the same. If you or your child should happen to be suf- 
fering from any form of tonsil disease, try the treatment 
as outlined in the following cases, and watch the miracle 
work. 
Case 68. Child, 2 years of age. A few weeks after 
birth the parents observed that the baby’s mouth ap- 
peared to be held open, with the tongue protruding most 
of the time. Breathing was difficult, and the baby did 
not sleep well. This trouble gradually increased, so that 
presently the child did not sleep for an hour at any time 
either during the day or night, because of the difficulty 
in breathing. 
Upon examination by a throat specialist, it was found 
that the child’s tonsils were enlarged to such an extent 
as almost entirely to shut off the air from entering the 
lungs. The nose was also filled with adenoid growths. 
The throat specialist advised an immediate operation, but 
before consenting to this the parents brought the baby 
to me for examination. 
Before the child was brought into my examining 
room I could hear it gasping for breath while waiting 
in my reception room, and from the sound made I sup- 
posed that an asthmatic patient was being brought to me. 
Apart from the contortions of his face, made in his 
struggles to breathe, the baby seemed healthy enough. 
The tongue was protruding at least an inch. No air was 
being taken through the nose, as this was almost entirely 
stopped. I made only a brief examination and pre- 
scribed the following fast:— 
Juice of 1 orange taken every three hours with 
half a glass of water. 
Three enemas daily, each of a pint of warm 
water. 
Two warm sponge baths daily. 174 
The Fast Way to Health 
The examination was made about 1 o’clock in the 
afternoon, and the fast was started immediately. The 
change in the child’s condition was so great during the 
remainder of the first day that he was able to sleep for 
ten hours straight through that night. The tongue grad- 
ually drew back in the mouth during the next few days, 
and the tonsils were reduced in size, until at the end of 7 
days they seemed to be perfectly normal. From the very 
first night until the present time, the child has slept clear 
through the night. After the fast the following diet 
was prescribed:— 
Breakfast and lunch—The whites of 2 eggs cooked by 
heating them up with 2 tablespoonfuls of 
water in a dry pan over a slow fire. 
2 Pieces of thin, brown toast, moistened with 
hot water and seasoned with butter. 
Small dish of stewed raisins. 
Dinner— Small piece of broiled steak. 
Either cooked spinach or asparagus, and raw 
celery. 
4 Stewed prunes. 
This diet was continued for several weeks. The baby 
lost a little weight at first, because he was already over- 
weight from the excess of starchy foods he had been us- 
ing. Since then he has had other articles of food added 
to the diet, and is now living upon diets suitable for chil- 
dren, as explained in Chapter XV, Part II. At the present 
time the nose is entirely clear of any adenoid growths, 
the tonsils are normal in size, there is no protrusion of 
the tongue, and breathing is entirely through the nose at 
night. 
TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LUNGS 
The immediate cause of tuberculosis of the lungs is 
the accumulation of foreign matter in the lungs of the 
sufferer. This condition is only possible after the pa- 
tient has become enervated through wrong habits of life. Commox Disorders and Their Treatment 
175 
The typical case develops in the person with a chest 
expansion below normal and who has not taken sufficient 
exercise and deep breathing to overcome this defect. Add 
to this condition improper dietary habits, then enerva- 
tion from over-work or a waste of nerve force from de- 
structive habits of thought, and you have a proper clin- 
ical picture of a person who is ready for tuberculosis. A 
slight cold is often enough to start the disease unless the 
conditions are such that the body has sufficient energy 
to eliminate the resultant toxins. The patient will then 
have a succession of symptoms such as hoarseness, expec- 
toration of mucus, afternoon temperature, and night 
sweats. There is no disease where greater care is neces- 
sary to bring about a cure and where medicinal prepara- 
tions are absolutely of no avail. 
The first essential step is to eliminate all the toxic 
material from the body and especially from the lungs. 
This is accomplished with the greatest rapidity through 
the fruit fast, followed by a diet rich in proteids and non- 
starchy vegetables. Those foods such as carbohydrates 
and fats whose composition provide the materials for the 
formation of mucus, should not be used until the system 
has had an opportunity of expelling the accumulated 
phlegm which has already formed in the lungs. As the 
lungs become gradually freed from the encumbrance of 
foreign material, the patient is advised to take an in- 
creased amount of light exercise and deep breathing. 
Wrong habits of thought must be corrected and changed 
into thoughts of happiness, health, and courage. Every 
effort used to turn destructive thoughts into constructive 
ones will be rewarded by an increase of energy, and will 
be the means of bringing the patient step by step closer 
to perfect health. 
Every avenue for the waste of nerve energy must 
be closed and the patient must practice unceasingly va- 176 
The Fast Way to Health 
rious means for developing increased strength. A cer- 
tain amount of rest, especially during the afternoon, is 
essential at the beginning of the cure, but I do not advo- 
cate the practice of confining a patient to bed constantly 
except in the most severe crisis when the temperature is 
high. Sleeping quarters should be where the air is 
fresh, but not so cold as to be irritating to the delicate 
lung tissue, as the virtue of fresh air lies in the fact of 
its abundance of oxygen and not in its temperature. The 
patient must not be discouraged in the loss of weight 
necessary at the beginning of the treatment, as vigorous 
elimination of toxins is essential at the start, and no 
weight will be lost which will be of any benefit to the 
patient to retain. Increase of weight will only come 
when the disease is overcome and the building up process 
begins. 
Case 69. Young man, 36 years of age. Developed 
tuberculosis about two years before coming to me for 
treatment. His home was in Chicago, and he came to 
Los Angeles against the advice of physicians who 
thought he could not live through such a long trip. An 
X-ray examination of the lungs showed one lung to be 
entirely filled with pus, and the other about half full. I 
do not recall having seen a worse case of tuberculosis 
where the patient was able to come to my office for exami- 
nation. He was coughing up quantities of pus, and the 
odor from the breath was so offensive that he had to be 
taken through a back door into a special treating room, 
because the other patients could not stand the smell. 
An orange juice fast was taken, using half a glass of 
orange juice every two hours during the day, together 
with a glass of water. During the first week of the fast, 
he coughed up about three times as much mucus and pus 
as he had been doing. The fast was continued for twelve 
days in all. When the quantity of pus eliminated began Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
177 
to diminish, re-examination with the X-ray showed the 
lung which had been completely filled with pus cleared of 
about half of the accumulation. The temperature had 
been as high as 104 degrees at 2 o’clock in the afternoon 
on the day of examination, but this was reduced at the 
end of the fast to less than 100 degrees. The patient was 
then put on the following diet:— 
Half a pound of Salisbury steak four times 
daily, together with as much of either celery or 
tomatoes as might be desired. A pint of hot 
water was taken half an hour before each of 
these meals, and another half pint of hot water 
was taken at the time the meal was eaten. This 
is the so-called Salisbury regime. 
The patient was advised to take one enema daily, and 
three times daily a treatment was administered over the 
chest and back with a 6,500 candle-power therapeutic 
lamp. This lamp was devised by me, and is made with 
a highly polished aluminum shade, inside of which is an 
argon-gas-filled lamp containing a tungsten filament. 
This radiates 6,500 candle-power of light as it strikes the 
skin, and the light and heat from this lamp are driven 
into the body, improving the capillary circulation and 
increasing metabolism. One of these treatment lights 
was installed in his home, and after each treatment a 
sponge bath was given him, cold water being used, to each 
quart of which a tablespoonful of epsom salts was added. 
This diet and treatment regime were continued for 
three months, during which time the patient gradually im- 
proved in every way. The lungs became clearer and 
strength increased with each day. At the end of three 
months the following diet was recommended:— 
Breakfast—2 Coddled eggs. 
3 or 4 slices of brown toast. 
Dish of stewed fruit selected from the follow- 
ing: Prunes, raisins, apricots, figs, baked 
apple or apple sauce. 178 
The Fast Way to Health 
Lunch— A choice of the following raw salad veg- 
etables: Lettuce, spinach, celery, parsley, 
small green string beans, carrots, turnips, 
parsnips and beets. 
Dinner— Either Salisbury steak, roast beef, or broiled 
steak. 
2 Non-starchy vegetables. 
Choice of any of the salad vegetables. 
Stewed fruit every other day, and jello on the 
alternate days. 
At the end of two months of this diet, the patient was 
so much improved in health that he decided to take a trip 
to Chicago to look after business interests. He has never 
returned to California, but has continued on his diet, and 
I received a letter from him recently in which he said he 
had been re-examined by a Chicago physician and pro- 
nounced perfectly well. He has since that time sent a 
number of patients to me from Chicago, suffering from 
tuberculosis, and in several cases has paid their expenses 
for treatment. 
Case 70. Young man, 30 years of age. Started 
coughing 4 years previous to the time he came to me as 
a patient. About six months after starting coughing he 
had a hemorrhage of the lungs. These hemorrhages 
were repeated quite frequently, and he became greatly 
enervated. Had been unable to do any kind of work for 
over three years. Blood pressure was low, being only 112 
millimeters systolic, and the pulse was unusually high 
due to the lung congestion and coughing. X-ray exami- 
nation of the lungs showed a general mottling of both 
lungs, but neither lung had any large cavity of pus. 
A fast was advised, using the juice of one grapefruit 
with one glass of water every two hours. This was con- 
tinued for 17 days, when the following diet was 
advised:— Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
179 
Breakfast—1 Coddled egg. 
2 Pieces of thin, brown toast. 
Choice of one stewed fruit. 
Lunch— Choice of one of the following raw fruits: 
Apples, pears, figs, grapes, or tomatoes, 
together with one glass of water. 
Dinner— Choice of one of the following: Lean beef, 
mutton, chicken, turkey, Belgian hare, fish 
(except salmon). 
Choice of one of the following cooked non- 
starchy vegetables: 
Summer squash 
Swiss chard 
Spinach 
Asparagus 
Beet tops 
Turnip tops 
Lettuce 
Chayotes 
Parsley 
Celery 
Small green string beans 
Egg plant 
Kale 
Mustard greens 
Cucumbers 
Artichokes 
Choice of one of the following salad veg- 
etables : 
Watercress 
Asparagus 
Parsley 
Cucumbers 
Celery 
Lettuce 
Endive 
Tomatoes 
One enema was advised daily, and cold or warm 
sponge bath. Was advised to put a hot water bottle at 
the foot of the bed before retiring. This was continued 
for 12 days, and then the following diet was advised:— 
Breakfast—2 Coddled eggs. 
3 or 4 pieces of hard, thin, brown toast. 
Butter as desired on the toast and to season 
the eggs. 
Choice of one of the following cooked dry 
fruits: Prunes, pears, apricots, figs, raisins, 
apple sauce, baked apple, ripe figs with 
cream. All fruits prepared and served 
without sugar. 180 
The Fast Way to Health 
Lunch— Celery or asparagus soup. 
Choice of one of the following medium 
starchy vegetables: Carrots, parsnips, 
turnips, beets. 
Choice of one of the following cooked non- 
starchy vegetables: 
Summer squash 
Spinach 
Egg plant 
Beet tops 
Turnip tops 
Celery 
Cucumber 
Artichoke 
Swiss chard 
Small green string beans 
Asparagus 
Oyster plant 
Kale 
Mustard greens 
Lettuce 
Chayotes 
Parsley 
Choice of one of the following raw salad veg- 
etables: Watercress, asparagus, cucumber, 
endive, celery, parsley, lettuce. 
Dinner— Choice of one of the following: Lean beef, 
mutton, chicken, turkey, Belgian hare, fish 
(except salmon). 
Choice of two of the non-starchy vegetables 
served at lunch. 
Choice of one or all of the raw salad vegetables 
served at lunch, with the addition of 
tomatoes. 
Choice of one of the stewed fruits served at 
breakfast. 
One enema daily was taken in the knee-chest position, 
also 2 sponge or shower baths daily, either warm or cold. 
A hot water bottle was placed at the foot of the bed before 
retiring each night. 
At the start of the treatment the patient’s weight was 
144 lbs., and this was gradually reduced to 125 lbs. The 
patient had no hemorrhages at any time after starting 
my treatment, and the coughing gradually diminished un- 
til at the end of about five months it had entirely disap- 
peared. Blood pressure became normal, and he assured Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
181 
me that he never had felt as strong before in his life. He 
returned to his work in the shop, and is still in perfect 
health after several months. His weight is still 125 lbs., 
and this seems to me to be about the normal for him. It 
is to be noted that at the start of treatment his weight 
was 144 lbs. This was because he had been stuffed into 
increasing weight by other physicians who had advised 
that dietetic procedure. The stuffing process is one that 
I always disapprove of in the treatment of tuberculosis, 
as I find that the patient must as a rule lose weight be- 
fore a cure can be expected. 
VARICOSE VEINS 
These enlarged veins may occur in any part of the 
body, but are usually found in the legs, where the circu- 
lation is more sluggish than in the upper part of the body. 
The walls of the veins become relaxed, and the veins 
themselves will often protrude, or will press inwardly 
upon the nerves of the leg sufficiently to cause quite pain- 
ful symptoms. If the disease is long continued, ulcers 
will often form over these enlargements of the veins, and 
these ulcers will exude a large amount of serum and 
finally of blood. 
Varicose veins are generally treated by surgery, when 
a certain section of the vein is bodily removed, or the pa- 
tient is advised to wear a rubber stocking. This latter, 
however, only adds to the weakness of the veins, and ad- 
ditional trouble may be expected if the stocking is 
removed. 
The permanent cure of either varicose veins or the 
varicose ulcers depends upon a general vitality-building 
regime suited to the needs of the patient, and a suitable 
fast is usually recommended at the start of the treat- 
ment in order to get the blood in a healthier condition so 182 
The Fast Way to Health 
as to be able to build stronger walls in the veins. Local 
treatments are absolutely indispensable if you wish to 
shrink the enlarged veins to normal size. These local 
treatments may be administered with certain kinds of 
electrical apparatus, but these can only be given in a phy- 
sician’s office. 
Local treatment of a beneficial kind, however, may be 
used by the application several times a day of a piece of 
ice to the enlarged vein. The ice should be held against 
the vein with a towel in the hand, so that the hand will 
not become too cold, and a smooth part of the ice pressed 
directly against the swollen part. This treatment should 
be continued from three to four minutes, during which 
time the muscles in the walls of the vein will become 
strengthened by the contraction produced by the ice. Ap- 
ply the ice successively to the different parts to be 
treated, and treat at least twice daily, and as often as 
possible in addition. 
A partial substitute for the ice treatment can be had 
during cold weather by sitting on the side of a bath tub 
and allowing cold water to run over the part of the leg 
where the varicose veins are located. The ice treatment 
is, however, the best local treatment that can possibly be 
devised. Bear in mind the benefit to the whole circula- 
tory system to be derived from living on a carefully se- 
lected diet. 
If varicose ulcers exist they will disappear very rap- 
idly during the fast especially if local treatments are also 
administered to the ulcers by radiations from the ultra- 
violet light. 
Case 71. Woman, 73 years of age. Upon examina- 
tion I found she had large varicose veins in the lower 
part of both legs, and several varicose ulcers. The pa- 
tient was brought to my office for diagnosis, but the pain Common Disorders and Their Treatment 
183 
was so great in both legs and in the lower back that she 
had difficulty in reaching my rooms. 
I immediately applied a strong treatment with the ul- 
tra-violet ray, treating each ulcer for twenty seconds. 
This ultra-violet light, it should be explained, is not the 
violet ray produced by high frequency apparatus, but is 
an actinic or chemical ray developed in a certain kind of 
lamp from the radiations given off from a mercury 
quartz generator. Do not confuse one with the other, as 
the violet light from a high frequency apparatus has an 
entirely different therapeutic value. The patient was 
advised to take a plain water fast for four days, using 
two enemas daily. After this she was put on a general 
diet, and advised to return to the office for further treat- 
ment at the end of ten days, that interval being necessary 
before the ulcers, which were sloughing off from the ef- 
fect of the rays, could be further treated. 
When she returned to my office for further examina- 
tion, I found that the ulcers were entirely healed, having 
been completely cured by the diet regime and the one 
treatment with the ultra-violet light. All pain in the legs 
and the lower back had entirely disappeared, but there 
was still some enlargement of the veins in the legs. Ac- 
cordingly she was sent home with instructions to apply 
the treatment with ice as outlined in the foregoing de- 
scription of the general treatment. 
After another month she returned once again, and an 
examination disclosed no signs of varicose veins further 
than the slight enlargements to be found on the legs of 
most people who have worn tight garters. I advised her 
to apply the ice occasionally as a preventative treatment, 
and to remain on her well-balanced diet. That was three 
years ago, and the patient has had no return of either 
the varicose veins or the ulcers. PART II 
Chapter I 
EVOLUTION OF DIET 
Without a doubt the smallest form of life, either in 
the animal or plant kingdoms, has as its strongest in- 
stinct the desire for self-preservation. There is inherent 
intelligence in all life, which is constantly urging that 
life to fight in order to exist as long as possible, and to 
preserve itself against all danger. We have every evi- 
dence that primitive man, in his struggle with nature for 
existence, had a difficult time in supplying himself with 
food enough to meet the demands of the physical organ- 
ism. At the present day this problem of food supply has 
been solved for civilized man, so much so that the ten- 
dency now is to go to the other extreme and prepare an 
infinite variety of food with which to please his taste or 
appeal to his appetite, with a consequent danger of over- 
eating and loss of real hunger altogether. 
After much study of the history of the evolution of 
man’s diet, and from the experience and observation 
gained through years of prescribing dietetic treatment, 
I am convinced that there is no single class of food which 
can be said to be the “natural” food for man. Every 
kind of food which has been used by the different crea- 
tures that have lived upon this earth, has been at some 
time or other used as a food by man. At the present day 
some primitive tribes are to be found living exclusively 
on fruits, and others, in practically the same stage of 
development in another country, living almost entirely 
upon flesh foods. We know, for example, that the Es- 
kimo subsists upon meat alone, using both the muscular Evolution of Diet 
185 
and fatty parts, and being thus limited in his selection, 
probably lives on a more carnivorous diet than any other 
race in existence at the present time. The Chinese, on 
the other hand, use an overabundance of rice in their 
diet, while the Hindus combine their rice and other 
grains indiscriminately with fruit. 
It is claimed that practically two-thirds of the 
world’s population live on a vegetarian diet, but it will 
be noted that the largest proportion of this two-thirds 
is made up of Chinese and native Hindus. The dominant 
nations of today are made up of people who live on a 
mixed diet, and in many respects might even be called 
heavy meat eaters. It is worthy of note, in this connec- 
tion, that a comparatively small number of meat-eating 
Englishmen are able to control millions of native Hindus, 
also that, with few exceptions, the men who have accom- 
plished the greatest results either in commerce or inven- 
tion have been those who lived on a mixed diet, where a 
considerable quantity of flesh food was used. 
There is no doubt that a strict vegetarian diet, if 
followed scientifically and carefully, will produce a cer- 
tain calmness and poise which is not so noticeable in the 
meat eater, who however is more aggressive and often 
more nervous than the vegetarian. Impartial observers 
find it hard indeed to make a comparative study of true 
types of vegetarians and meat eaters, as there is so much 
hypocrisy among food faddists generally that they will 
nearly always be found to make exaggerated claims in 
an endeavor to bolster up their particular contention 
that one class of food is more important than another. 
My personal experience, however, obtained in different 
parts of the United States among a host of friends, in- 
cluding Theosophists, Seventh-day Adventists, Buddhists, 
Raw-fooders, Physical Culturists, Fruitarians, and many 186 
The Fast Way to Health 
others, who claimed to live without animal products, has 
been that not one of these people actually lived for 
any length of time strictly according to this rule. At the 
same time I firmly believe that it is quite possible to be 
well nourished on a strictly vegetarian diet, if the selec- 
tion of foods is made carefully and with an adequate 
knowledge of the proper proportion and combination of 
the different elements necessary. If one has an ethical or 
religious objection to the use of flesh foods, it is really the 
height of folly to suppose that good results can be 
obtained by living on a haphazard diet with no more 
specific object in mind than the exclusion of meat. 
The different foods employed by civilized man at 
the present day have been adopted for nourishment after 
centuries of experience and habit, and anyone who has 
been raised in a civilized country on a mixture of foods, 
and who may desire for ethical reasons to live upon a 
flesh-free diet, must take the utmost care in making the 
change so that the body will not suddenly be deprived of 
elements to which it has long been accustomed, without 
suitable substitution being made at the same time of some 
other food which will supply these elements in another 
form. 
It is not enough that the proper elements alone 
should be known and used in the diet, but it is equally 
important that the different food substances should be 
combined with each other in such a way as to make har- 
monious mixtures. One of the greatest mistakes that 
can be made by anyone who is attempting to diet is 
to try to supply all of the different elements at the same 
meal. This is neither necessary nor advisable, as some 
foods will not digest well with other foods, even though 
both may be necessary for the body, but will set up fer- 
mentation and digestive disorders, whereas if each were Evolution of Diet 
187 
used at a different time with some other article of food, 
such a “food battle” would be avoided. 
It is advisable to use at some time or other during 
the day all of the elements which the body requires, but 
it is most assuredly not possible to do this at each meal 
without producing inharmonious combinations which will 
cause fermentation and lead to autotoxemia, even though 
the best foods are used. There will frequently be such 
an improper combination of food elements in one article 
of food alone, that excess fermentation will be produced 
without using any other food at all. You are all no doubt 
familiar with the fermentative activity produced by that 
dynamic spheroid the navy bean, which is so disturbingly 
combustible in the human digestive apparatus. Most of 
you also are familiar with the composition of water. 
You know that it is made up of 2 parts of hydrogen and 
1 part of oxygen gas. Oxygen gas by itself is highly 
explosive, and was used during the war in certain kinds 
of explosive shells. Oxygen is necessary to support 
combustion, so that nothing can burn unless oxygen gas 
is present. However when twice as much hydrogen gas 
is added to oxygen gas it produces a liquid which we call 
water, and which will extinguish fire altogether. 
You are furthermore certain to be familiar with the 
fact that prescriptions of medicine must be compounded 
with exactness, and that the slightest deviation in the 
nature of adding some incompatible substance might 
result in the most serious consequences. This is none 
the less true when the study of food substances is con- 
sidered from the standpoint of physiological chemistry. 
It is therefore of the utmost importance that we should 
learn how to proportion and combine our foods properly, 
and how to practise the use of good combinations so faith- 
fully that we make proper eating a fixed habit. If you 188 
The Fast Way to Health 
do this you will find that these good habits are not easily 
broken, and that they will make you healthy and keep 
you so. Of course long and well established customs are 
not easily broken, but if you are sincerely anxious to 
develop your life to the fullest point of efficiency, you 
will learn to be master of good eating habits, and not 
be yourself mastered by bad ones. 
The habit of eating larger quantities of food than 
the body requires is a bad habit, which cannot be too 
strongly condemned. If food is used in excess above the 
body’s requirements it is bound to produce a clogging up 
of the vital processes, for if it is not needed it is invari- 
ably harmful, and always productive of causes which lead 
to disease. As the fire in a furnace is easily smothered 
and extinguished by an excess of fuel, in the same way 
the natural health of the body is destroyed by excess and 
intemperance in diet. There is not the slightest reason 
why the natural appetite for food should not be enjoyed 
to a certain reasonable extent, but when one has got so 
far as to look upon the kitchen as a shrine, the chef as a 
savior, the table as an altar, and the stomach something 
to be worshiped as a god, it will be found that there is 
little time left to do anything really worth while in the 
world, and suffering from the diseases such gluttony 
invariably produces will be sure to follow. 
The fashionable table, set out in all its magnificence, 
is no doubt a beautiful and tempting shrine at which to 
worship, but behind the dishes I often fancy I see the 
demons of rheumatism, gout, fever, pain, headache, and 
innumerable other disorders lying in ambush. It will 
nearly always be found that the partakers of these 
bountiful feasts are sufferers from various diseases, and 
that the root cause of each and every one of these diseases 
is very much the same, namely inharmonious conglomer- Evolution of Diet 
189 
ations and mixtures of food, and the eating of excessive 
amounts, rather than any specific article of food in itself. 
The body overburdened with unnecessary tissue is 
the most subject to so-called “infections diseases” as 
hungry bacteria are constantly looking for a good feed- 
ing ground. Those houses in which the most provisions 
are stored are likely to be full of mice, and in precisely the 
same way the bodies of those who eat too much or indis- 
criminately are full of disease germs, and are really pro- 
viding the most perfect kind of hunting ground for 
millions of bacteria in search of a suitable place to 
feast. 
In the following chapters I propose to discuss the 
different classifications of foods and their use in the body, 
in the particular way which I think will be of most bene- 
fit to the reader. I have studied every form of diet cure 
and philosophy, from the apple diet as first advocated 
in the Garden of Eden, to the present-day vitamine idea, 
and have devoted a large part of my life to this work. As 
I present to you the various phases of dietetics you will 
no doubt be impressed with the apparent simplicity of 
the instructions. However, if the simplicity of the 
instructions should alarm you in any way, rest assured 
that, although put before you in plain, matter-of-fact 
terms, they really represent the gleanings from much 
valuable knowledge, with all of the chaff removed. 
It will be observed that I do not make specific refer- 
ence to other authors in this work, and that certain 
methods of classifying food commonly used by other writ- 
ers I do not even mention. The explanation is that in 
all of my writings and lectures on the subject of food 
I have always attempted to put forward the simple truths 
and facts as I have proven them in my own experience, 
and have never thought it wise to burden the student with 190 
The Fast Way to Health 
masses of what is often worthless rubbish taken from 
other hooks. If any of my readers are actually looking 
for incomprehensible books on dietetics I can refer them 
to thousands that have been written, but they may rest 
assured that my findings and rulings, however plainly 
set forth, represent the result not only of wide personal 
experience but also of extensive study and research 
among the works of the best authorities. 
It is well enough known that no truth, simple though 
it may be, can really be considered as a truth by any 
given individual until such individual has actually lived 
and experienced it, and although you may consider that 
you are thoroughly familiar with many of the ideas in the 
following chapters, do not make the mistake of believing 
you really understand them until you have practised 
them faithfully. Chapter II 
PROTEID FOOD 
This element of food material is the most important 
substance used in the building of the body. It would be 
absolutely impossible for human life to exist if denied 
this indispensable material. Most of the tissue and bone 
structures are made from proteid, and could not be 
built up or repaired by any other element. Just as steel 
is the material out of which a gasoline engine is made, 
so proteid food bears the same relation to the human 
body. Carrying the simile a little further, the carbo- 
hydrate foods, i. e., sugars and starches, which are used 
so much in the every-day diet, furnish gasoline or energy 
to run the human engine. But if all the pure starches 
and sugars in the world were eaten at one time, they 
could not furnish material for the building of a single 
useful cell of the body, any more than gasoline could 
be made into an engine. 
If more proteid is used than is necessary, on the 
other hand, for building and repairing the body, this 
extra proteid can be converted into energy. The best 
evidence of this is seen in the case of the carnivorous 
animals, and those human tribes where meat is absolutely 
the only article of food. I wish to bring out this point 
clearly, as there is much erroneous teaching upon the sub- 
ject, principally by those who are anxious to condemn 
meat as a food. Many vegetable foods and cereals con- 
tain a large percentage of proteid, which is taken up 
by the body in the same way as the proteid in meat, but 
often the combination with the starches in the same food 
is of such a proportion that excess fermentation takes 192 
The Fast Way to Health 
place, and sufficient toxemia is produced to more than 
offset the value of the vegetable proteid. 
Most animal proteids are more readily assimilated 
and converted into tissue than vegetable or cereal pro- 
teids. Those persons of a strong digestive type, with 
wide, powerful jaws, which I often call the “ox” type, 
may be able to handle these non-meat proteids more 
readily, but at the same time such people will usually be 
found to be slower both mentally and physically than 
the other type, in the same way as the ox is slow com- 
pared with the fox. The more intellectual type, with 
a narrower jaw and possibly less digestive power, will 
flourish best on animal proteids, with less expenditure 
of energy in digestion. I always want to call this class 
the “fox” or “wolf” type, because of this ability to get 
so much more good from meat foods than from starchy 
vegetables. 
The latter class make up the largest proportion of 
patients with digestive troubles, and I am convinced 
it is often because they use too many vegetable foods 
of a high carbohydrate percentage, instead of the right 
amount of animal proteids properly combined with 
the succulent, non-starchy vegetables. Those who have 
succeeded either in athletics or in the world of commerce 
or letters who happen to be vegetarians, have always been 
of the heavy-jawed, digestive type. The writer of this 
book, being of the strong digestive type, and also ethi- 
cally opposed to flesh eating, was slow in coming to this 
conclusion, having spent his early life as a vegetarian, 
and at the same time having been more than ordinarily 
successful in various forms of athletics, such as football, 
basketball, boxing, wrestling, etc. It took many experi- 
ments upon athletes and patients before the light of 
knowledge was able to dispel completely his strong Proteid Food 
193 
desire to believe in vegetarianism as an all-sufficient 
philosophy of life. 
I find that the bugaboo of the meat evil is not so much 
a vicious, devouring monster, but in reality one that can 
be harnessed and controlled as a really vital and power- 
ful instrument to further the development of a more 
efficient life. This belief is strengthened day by day as 
I find my patients benefiting by the application of facts 
to their cases, and not fancies. 
If carbohydrates are used to a large extent, it becomes 
necessary to take only such proteid food as will be 
necessary to repair the tissues, since the energy for the 
body may be derived from the carbohydrates themselves. 
It will take a careful study on the part of the student to 
learn to regulate the right proportion of proteid in the 
diet, as no hard and fast rules can be laid down regard- 
ing the exact amount necessary for any one person, but 
such must be formulated only upon the results achieved. 
One occupied in mental work without hard physical 
exercise, will be able to use a larger amount of proteid 
than one whose daily labor is mainly with the muscles, 
and this latter in turn should use more carbohydrates 
to supply the muscular energy necessary for his work. 
If the brain worker will take the proper amount of 
physical culture exercise of a strenuous nature, the diet 
will not require to be so carefully balanced, as the 
increased exercise will take care of the additional carbo- 
hydrates. 
The following tables have been arranged in a manner 
that will possibly be more easily understood than others 
you have been accustomed to, yet I believe their simplic- 
ity will really help you to a fuller understanding of the 
value of the different proteids. 194 
The Fast Way to Health 
GOOD 
Lean Beef 
Mutton 
Chicken 
Rabbit 
Turkey 
Sole 
Halibut 
Seabass 
Pickerel 
Fresh Cod 
Tom Cod 
Perch 
Black Bass 
Tuna 
Eggs 
Cottage Cheese 
Cream Cheese 
Gelatin 
Frogs’ Legs 
Turtle 
GOOD 
NOT SO GOOD 
Dried Beef 
Pork 
Fresh Tongue 
Veal 
Lamb 
Wild Fowl 
Wild Game 
Salt Cod Fish 
Salmon 
Lobster 
Clams 
Shrimps 
Oysters 
Crayfish 
Nuts 
Roquefort Cheese 
Cat Fish 
Mackerel 
Crab 
Domestic Duck 
Domestic Goose 
NOT GOOD 
Heart 
Kidney 
Liver 
Lungs 
Smoked Tongue 
Spiced Meats 
Sausage 
Hot Dog 
Bologna 
Brains 
Corned Beef 
Pickled Tongue 
Sweetbreads 
Pickled Feet 
Limburger Cheese 
Canned Fish 
Smoked Fish 
Salt Mackerel 
Hamburger Steak 
Beef. Lean beef meat is probably the best proteid 
food for all purposes, and if not used in excess is the 
most valuable food we have in our dietary. The average 
adult person can safely use an average of about half 
a pound of lean beef daily, and in such cases as there is 
a large amount of brain work done, with a consequent 
excessive expenditure of nerve force, even more than this 
quantity can be taken without harm. 
The simplest and best way to prepare beef in the 
home is to broil beefsteak. Any kind of cut of beefsteak 
may be used, but because of the added pleasure from eat- 
ing tender meat it is preferable to use sirloin steak for 
broiling. If the fat is entirely removed the meat will be 
rendered more easily digestible, because the fat, splut- 
tering upon the lean part of the meat during broiling, 
will toughen it against the digestive juices, in much the Proteid Food 
195 
same way as if it were in the pan. This steak may be done 
qnite rare, or may be well done, depending upon the 
desire of the patient, as the digestive juices will flow 
most strongly when meat is prepared in such a way as to 
please the appetite. 
Another good way of preparing beef meat is to cook 
what is called ‘ ‘ Salisbury Steak. ’ ’ This steak is made by 
grinding through a meat grinder only the red, lean part 
of round steak, from which all gristle and fat have been 
removed. This may seem similar to Hamburger steak, 
but is really more palatable and more easily digested, and 
has in addition an entirely different flavor than when the 
fat is left in. There is usually about a quarter of a 
pound of waste to each half-pound of lean meat, so that 
it is advisable to purchase three-quarters of a pound of 
steak for each person to be served. 
After the meat has been put through the grinder, 
this finely ground meat is pressed flat into some kind of 
a pan like a cake tin. No grease should be added or 
rubbed on the pan, but the pan should be entirely dry. 
The ground meat in the pan may be up to one inch in 
thickness, and it should be placed in a hot oven and the 
fire then turned down. The meat will cook through quite 
well in about five minutes, and will be cooked sufficiently 
in two or three minutes if rare meat is desired. 
After cooking it may be cut into small pieces for 
serving, or cooked tn different patty shapes similar to 
the manner in which Hamburger steak is often prepared. 
A tasty addition may be made by grinding spinach or 
parsley up with the meat, and when this is included it will 
impart a slightly different flavor. This method of prep- 
aration is an excellent one to employ in connection with 
the use of round steak, which is probably the most whole- 
some cut of beef meat it is possible to obtain, and which 196 
The Fast Way to Health 
lias also the added advantage of being the cheapest in 
price. 
Round steak may also be broiled under the broiler or 
pan broiled, if it is properly hammered before cooking, 
so that the connective tissue is well broken down. When 
pan broiling, it is advisable to remove all fat from the 
meat, and then heat an iron frying pan until it is quite 
hot. Drop the sirloin steak or pounded round steak in 
the pan without any grease, and the instant it strikes the 
pan, turn it over with the fork which has been held in the 
hand ready for that purpose. Continue to turn the meat 
back and forth, leaving it only a few seconds on each 
side, so that both sides will be seared equally, and the 
juices will be retained in the meat. Of course some of the 
steak will always stick to the pan, but this burning of 
such meat as may adhere really imparts a distinctly 
agreeable flavor to the meat which is cooking. 
Those who are fond of roast beef will find more satis- 
faction in beef which is roasted in restaurants, as beef 
cannot be roasted satisfactorily except in large quanti- 
ties. 
Mutton. You will find some difficulty in being able to 
obtain a leg of mutton in the butcher’s shop, as the 
butchers at the present time seem intent upon selling 
only lamb, and will give you this immature lamb meat 
when you ask for mutton. It is always advisable to pick 
out the largest leg of mutton you can find, as this will 
usually indicate that the animal was more mature when 
butchered, and consequently that the meat will be more 
easily digested, immature meat being always more diffi- 
cult of digestion. 
Mutton chops may be broiled under the broiler, or 
pan broiled as in the case of beef steak, but there is no 
doubt /that the most desirable way in which to prepare Proteid Pood 
197 
mutton is to use it in the form of a leg of mutton, as this 
is about the right size to fit in an ordinary oven. Eoast 
with a slow fire, so that the meat will be thoroughly 
cooked all the way through, and on no account flavor the 
meat at any time with onions, garlic, salt, or any other 
seasoning. 
Chicken and Turkey. Young chickens are best pre- 
pared by broiling, but the meat of a mature chicken has 
undoubtedly more real food value, and is best prepared 
by roasting. If the chicken is too old or tough, boiling 
is often the only way it can be satisfactorily prepared, 
but often parboiling the chicken for a time will break 
down the toughness enough to permit the cooking to be 
finished by baking in the oven. In roasting or baking 
in the oven, the juices of the meat are retained more than 
in any form of preparation by boiling, and this seems to 
impart a more desirable flavor. 
The most injurious food at a chicken dinner is usually 
the stuffing which is cooked inside of the chicken, made 
out of sticky white bread, and overseasoned with sage 
and onions. A fine stuffing, however, may be made out 
of the following mixture: Grind through a food grinder 
a suitable number of dried, whole-wheat muffins, which 
have been made from whole-wheat flour. This may 
then be moistened with a small amount of milk, and any 
desired quantity of the following added: Ground celery, 
raisins, and minced olives. Mix these together in any 
proportion desired, being cautious not to use too many 
raisins. The mixture must not be made too moist or too 
dry, and experience only will teach you the exact pro- 
portion of foods needed to impart the flavor which you 
will most enjoy. Serve a small portion of this with each 
serving of chicken, and any person in good health will 
enjoy it, and not be distressed as is usual after eating the 198 
The Fast Way to Health 
sticky dressing commonly used. Ground Melba toast 
may be substituted for the ground whole-wheat muffins, 
and a dressing made with this will be relished by some 
people even more. 
Turkey. Turkey is roasted in the same way as 
chicken, and the same dressing may be used. 
Belgian Hare. This particular kind of rabbit is 
raised in certain parts of the country in large numbers 
for different purposes, and I am specially mentioning 
Belgian Hare because of the fact that the meat from this 
is the healthiest and the most easily digested. The 
weight of a Belgian Hare, as they can be purchased in 
the market, is between iy2 and 2y2 lbs., and in this size 
may be easily broiled, and can even be satisfactorily pan 
broiled without grease. Two or three may be put in a 
roasting pan in the oven and roasted through in a few 
minutes. 
If it is possible to secure a rabbit weighing 4 to 5 lbs. 
when dressed, yon will find that a most satisfactory roast 
may be made of it, stuffing it with the same dressing as 
explained in the article on chicken and turkey. This 
older rabbit has a distinctly different flavor, and is more 
desired than the younger variety by those who have ever 
eaten it, but as the market calls for smaller rabbits, you 
will possibly have difficulty in finding one of this large 
size. However, you can often secure it by ordering from 
the butcher in advance. In case your local dealer is 
puzzled by the name “Belgian Hare,” it may be ex- 
plained that only such rabbits as are raised for eating 
purposes and whose meat is light after cooking, are rec- 
ommended for use. 
Fish. In the “good” class you will find such fish as 
sole, halibut, sea bass, pickerel, fresh cod, tom cod, perch, 
and black bass listed because they are more easily di- Proteid Food 
199 
gested than other fish. This is mostly due to the fact that 
they do not contain as much fat in proportion to their pro- 
teid as many of the other fish, for it seems that the proteid 
of fish is not easily digested if cooked with its own fat, 
or any other of the fats used in frying. A majority of 
people will enjoy the flavor of fish which has been 
broiled, more than when it is prepared in any other way. 
Great care must be used in combining fish properly 
with other foods, as it is never as easy to digest as beef, 
mutton, chicken, rabbit, or turkey. If you find that you 
digest fish imperfectly, even when used in proper com- 
binations with other food, it will be wise for you to dis- 
continue its use until a later time when digestion has been 
strengthened. Tuna fish can be obtained in cans, and 
may he used for a change where no other proteid is avail- 
able, but must be eaten soon after the can is opened, as 
it seems to decompose very freely after being exposed 
to the air. 
Eggs. Eggs are undoubtedly one of the most val- 
uable forms of food from which proteid or muscle-build- 
ing material can be obtained, and they can be taken in 
such a variety of ways that even those who are attempt- 
ing to use a vegetarian diet usually add eggs, and in this 
way are able to keep up the proteid intake sufficiently to 
remain well. Eggs are more easily digested when cooked 
slightly soft, and are harder to digest when used in their 
raw state or cooked hard enough to become leathery. 
The poorest way to prepare eggs is by frying, as cooking 
in this manner renders them more indigestible. 
Most people will find that they are able to use some- 
where between one and two eggs daily, and the best av- 
erage for the week is probably ten or twelve eggs. A 
very large amount of white of egg may be used if the yolk 
is eliminated, as this yellow part of the egg contains a 200 
The Fast Way to Health 
large amount of sulphur and fat, which will cause diges- 
tive disturbances if used in excess. 
Coddled Eggs. Place the unbroken eggs in a deep 
pan which is not standing on the fire, and pour over them 
boiling hot water. At least one quart of hot water should 
be used to each two eggs. Allow to stand from 5 to 10 
minutes. When broken open the egg should have a jelly- 
like consistency, but should at the same time be so well 
cooked that there is no transparent albumen which has 
not been coagulated. If the dish is covered, less time will 
be required to get the same effect, but it is possibly more 
desirable to have the eggs cook very slowly for perhaps 8 
to 10 minutes, as in this may they are cooked through 
more thoroughly. 
Eggs cooked in this manner have an entirely different 
flavor from soft boiled eggs, and the yellow is cooked 
slightly more than the white. Do not make the mistake 
of boiling the eggs on the fire for even a moment, as the 
water must always be practically below the boiling point. 
As the heat of the water decreases, the inside tempera- 
ture of the egg increases, and in this way perfectly even 
coagulation takes place, and the outside next to the shell 
is not toughened. 
If it is desired to use hard-boiled eggs for a picnic, the 
eggs may be left in this same water for 30 minutes, at 
the end of which time they will be as hard as any ordi- 
nary hard-boiled egg, but will not be tough and leathery, 
and in this condition will really be easier to digest than 
either a raw or a fried egg. 
French Omelet. To 2 ozs. of milk add an egg. Put 
in a dry frying pan over a slow fire, and beat the milk 
and egg together. Stir and beat constantly so that it 
does not stick to the pan, and continue this until the mix- 
ture assumes a jelly-like consistency. Do not fail to keep Proteid Food 
201 
on stirring the mixture even after it has been taken from 
the fire, as the frying pan will retain a good deal of heat 
which will continue to cook the egg. Serve in sauce dishes 
or egg cups. You will find that 1 egg prepared with 2 
ozs. of milk in this way will serve one person, and exactly 
fill the large end of an egg cup. 
A variation may he made in this omelet by leaving 
out the yellow of the eggs and only using the whites, 
when it will be found that a great deal more of the 
omelet can be taken without producing biliousness. The 
entire egg may also be cooked in much the same man- 
ner, with water in place of milk. However, only 1 oz. 
of water should be used to each egg, and you will have 
to be particularly careful in stirring the mixture rapidly 
enough to keep it from sticking to the pan. 
Poached Eggs and Milk. To each 4 ozs. of milk add 
1 egg. Pour in a dry frying pan, and cook over a slow 
fire. Bring the milk up over the yellow of the egg with a 
spoon, so that the yellow will cook as quickly as the white. 
Sometimes you will find it advantageous, after the cook- 
ing has continued for 2 or 3 minutes, to hold the frying 
pan under a broiler, so that the egg and milk will cook 
on top as much as on the bottom. This may be served 
poured over Melba toast, with butter and salt added if 
desired. 
Cheese. This is a valuable proteid food for those 
who are partial vegetarians, but are still willing to use 
dairy products. Because of the large fat content in all 
cheese it is very difficult of digestion, and never makes 
a perfect substitute for animal flesh proteids, but may 
be used occasionally by those of strong digestive power 
in place of meat. 
Cottage Cheese. This type of cheese is best made by 
allowing milk to stand over for several days until it is 202 
The Fast Way to Health 
sufficiently sour, so that the curd and the whey are well 
separated. The curd and whey should then be beaten to- 
gether, and the mixture put in a cheese cloth and hung 
up in the sun, so that the whey drains off while the curd 
is being slightly warmed. You will find this method of 
preparation far superior to any you have used before, 
where the milk has been warmed on a stove, as this 
treatment on the stove renders the food elements in the 
cheese tough and indigestible. 
The cheese will taste better if the whole milk is used, 
but will however be a better typical proteid food and 
more easily digested if the cream is first removed, leav- 
ing only the proteid behind. The kind purchased in stores 
and from milk dealers is never as good as that prepared 
in the way I have described, but may be used without 
harm by those who are unable to prepare milk at home. 
The Neufchatel cheese is a kind that may be purchased in 
most stores, and is simply cottage cheese with all of the 
whey pressed out, and put up in convenient tinfoil 
packages. 
Cream Cheese is the kind sold commonly in stores 
under such names as “Cream Cheese,” “Full Cream 
Cheese,” “York State Cheese,” etc., and is the most 
wholesome variety that can be purchased next to cot- 
tage cheese or Neufchatel. This cheese, like all others, 
should be eaten in place of meat and not in addition to it, 
and because of its concentrated food value should always 
be used with non-starchy and salad vegetables. It is one 
of the most indigestible of all of the proteids when it is 
cooked in any way, and should not be cooked with 
macaroni, spaghetti, or any meat dish, such as crabs, 
lobsters, etc. 
Gelatin is a food substance which is a form of proteid, 
and of great value to the body as a food. It is especially Proteid Food 
203 
valuable for those who have a tendency to have nose- 
bleed, and for women who are habitually subject to pro- 
fuse menstruation, as it supplies a form of proteid which 
makes the blood coagulate more easily. It is a good plan 
for anyone in good health to use some gelatin two or three 
times weekly. It may be prepared from packages of 
dried gelatin and added to a salad, or used as a dessert 
in the form which is most commonly sold under the trade 
name of “Jello.” A small amount of whipped cream 
may be added if desired. 
Frogs’ Legs are a wholesome proteid food if prepared 
by broiling, but should never be fried, as the particles of 
meat are so small as to be rendered indigestible because 
of being coated with the fat from frying. 
Turtle. The meat of the turtle is best prepared by 
cutting in the form of steaks and broiling in plain water 
until it is rendered tender enough. Few people are 
familiar with the preparation of this meat at home, and 
it is usually spoiled in restaurants by preparing it with 
highly seasoned sauces, in which condition it is really not 
a good article of food at all. 
NOT SO GOOD 
Dried Beef. The advantage in using this kind of beef 
is that it may be taken on trips where other meat cannot 
be secured, and if it is properly prepared, is a good way 
to use beef meat. It should be cut in thin slices and par- 
boiled slowly for a few minutes, and then taken from this 
water and boiled again in other clean hot water. This 
beef should be served, after being properly cooked, with- 
out sauce of any kind, such as is commonly used with it. 
It is not objectionable, however, to season it when on the 
plate with a small amount of butter. 204 
The Fast Way to Health 
Pork is a wholesome proteid if properly prepared by 
roasting. However it is very difficult to digest, and those 
who are suffering from digestive disorders will be better 
off if they avoid the use of it altogether, until such time 
as their digestive apparatus has improved sufficiently 
to be able to take care of it. Remember there is nothing 
poisonous about pork meat, as is generally believed, but 
the trouble with it is that no matter how much it is 
cooked there is still a large percentage of fat so inter- 
woven with the proteid part of the meat as to render the 
latter indigestible. Fresh pork is always preferable to 
ham or bacon, but a small piece of well-broiled ham or 
bacon may be used with eggs at breakfast time without 
any harmful result, providing too large a quantity is 
not taken. 
Fresh Tongue. If this meat is fresh, and is prepared 
only by boiling, it can be used with very little harm, but 
is not as easily digested as the proteids in the “good” 
class. In the use of this proteid the great fault lies in the 
universal tendency to overseason it with too many con- 
diments and sauces. 
Veal and Lamb. Veal or lamb steaks and chops 
may be broiled in the same way as beef, or a leg of either 
may be roasted the same as mutton. The objection to 
veal and lamb is mostly that they are immature meats, 
and all immature meats are more difficult to digest than 
mature. 
Wild Fotvl and Game may be used in season, if one 
has a particularly strong appetite for this class of food, 
but there is no doubt that wild duck and wild rabbit are 
less wholesome than those raised for eating purposes, as 
the flesh seems to contain more poisonous substances 
after death. The flesh of game is in an especially toxic 
condition if it has been killed after a long chase, and Peoteid Food 
205 
should always be quickly bled and drawn and put in a 
cool place. It is generally believed that the flesh of ani- 
mals living in a wild state should be more wholesome 
than that of domesticated animals, but this is not actually 
the case, and we have been able to raise better animals 
and game for meat than nature is in the habit of doing. 
Salted Cod Fish is not a good fish as ordinarily pre- 
pared, but may be rendered so if it is parboiled in at least 
two waters, and then boiled for a long time. It is never 
quite as good as fresh cod, but may be used where the 
other is not available. 
Salmon. There seems to me to be no very good rea- 
son why this should not be a good fish food, but actual 
experience shows that it is hard to digest, and that many 
more hours are required for digestion than with the other 
fish that have been named in the ‘ ‘ Good ’ ’ class. 
Lobster is probably the best of the shell fish, if it is 
prepared properly, but patients must be warned against 
its use when cooked in the common ways in which they 
have been accustomed to having it served. It should be 
prepared by being boiled in plain water, or broiled. 
After being served it can be seasoned with a small 
amount of butter and salt if desired, and should be eaten 
with only non-starchy and salad vegetables. No creamed 
sauces or mixtures with cheese can ever be allowed unless 
you wish to have serious digestive disturbances. 
The lobster has developed a bad reputation as a 
food, and it has been because of the universal method of 
preparing it with cheese and milk, which combine to make 
it almost impossible of digestion. It will remain in the 
stomach for 12 or 15 hours when eaten after being pre- 
pared in this manner, and will then leave the stomach 
practically undigested, often causing intestinal cramps, 
dysentery, and ptomaine poisoning. 206 
The Fast Way to Health 
Shrimps may be used, if the diner is satisfied to eat 
them when they have been boiled in plain water only, and 
are served without dressing. They must always be taken 
in place of meat and never in addition to it. 
Clams and Oysters are only good as food if the muscu- 
lar part only is used, and the stomach portion discarded. 
Clams and oysters are both scavenger shell fish, and their 
stomachs contain at all times an accumulation of rotting 
proteid material which the clam or oyster has succeeded 
in sucking up from the bed of the ocean. Sometimes this 
material is of a more poisonous nature than others, and 
will occasionally even cause acute poisoning. There is no 
known way of telling whether or not this is going to take 
place, and the freshness of the oyster has nothing to do 
with it. There are few people who would be anxious to 
eat them if this poisonous condition depended upon the 
manner of preparation, so they should be practically 
tabooed by anyone zealous in searching for good health. 
Crayfish is a kind of lobster which abounds in the Pa- 
cific, and only differs from ordinary lobster in that it 
does not have large claws. However, the meat is exactly 
the same, and it may be used in any way that lobster can 
be used. 
Nuts are a form of proteid recommended mostly by 
vegetarians as a substitute for meat. I have made many 
experiments in an endeavor to use nuts in place of the 
meat proteids, but have never yet been able to find that 
I could get any more satisfactory results with patients 
than if they lived on pork, salmon, lobster, and others in 
the “Not So Good” class. Most nuts have a very high 
percentage of fat, and I am of the opinion that this inter- 
feres with the proteid digestibility. If they are used in 
place of meat it will take several hours longer for the 
stomach to digest the meal and get the material com- Proteid Food 
207 
pletely into the intestines. This involves a waste of en- 
ergy without a gain of anything in particular so far as I 
have been able to discover. 
Nuts may, however, occasionally be substituted for 
meat in order to add variety to the diet. Peanuts, cocoa- 
nut, and chestnuts should not be considered in the pro- 
teid class, as they contain such a large amount of starch 
and so small a quantity of proteid. 
There are many nut butters in the market, put up as 
substitutes for ordinary butter, which are really very 
poor substitutes indeed, as they contain so much cocoanut 
or raw peanuts that they are 60% to 80% starch, and 
are miscalled “butter” when ground up into a paste. 
Cow’s butter contains 100% fat, and is in no way similar 
to nut butter, and the latter should never be substituted 
for the former. A case I handled recently will show 
you how different the effect of the two butters may be. 
A child 10 years of age, who had suffered from asthma 
since birth, was brought to me for advice. After a fast 
of a few days all asthmatic symptoms disappeared, and 
the child was placed upon a well-balanced diet, free from 
all starches. Her health improved in every way and she 
had no more asthmatic attacks or wheezing for about 
two months, when she suddenly started having an attack 
about every other day. As she was still on the strict non- 
starchy diet I could not account for the return of the 
wheezing, but after the mother was questioned closely it 
came to light that the day before this last series of at- 
tacks started she had commenced giving the child nut 
butter as a substitute for cow butter, under the belief that 
it was more wholesome and was an exact substitute. I 
assured her that she was feeding her child a large amount 
of starch in the raw state, which is the most difficult kind 
of starch to digest, and that I would as soon have her eat 208 
The Fast Way to Health 
a piece of white bread (a thing I never recommend at any 
time) as to use that particular kind of butter. Of course, 
she did not understand what she was doing, and thought 
she was acting in the right way because someone told her 
nut butter was such a healthy food. As soon as the cow 
butter was again used in place of the nut butter the 
asthmatic attacks ceased at once, and have never ap- 
peared again in over six months. 
Roquefort Cheese is quite a strong tasting cheese, and 
would not be relished if enough of it were used to supply 
the meat element in the meal. For those in good health 
who are very fond of this cheese, a very small portion 
may be used with a piece of water-cracker, as an after- 
dinner delicacy. But remember, only a very small por- 
tion should be taken, and not more than one small hard 
water-cracker, or a small piece of toast. 
Cat Fish and Mackerel are two fish that are not good 
for anyone with weakened digestive ability, as they con- 
tain such a large percentage of fat. 
Crab Meat is similar to Lobster, and should be pre- 
pared by boiling, after being taken from the shell. It 
may be seasoned with butter and salt. No sauces or dress- 
ings of any kind whatever should be used. It should fur- 
nish the meat substitute at the meal, and should be com- 
bined with only salads and non-starchy vegetables. 
Domestic Duck may be used occasionally, and should 
be roasted the same as chicken. There is nothing par- 
ticularly harmful about duck meat except that more time 
is needed for its digestion than with other tame fowl 
such as turkey and chicken. 
Domestic Goose is better than wild goose, but because 
of the large amount of fat it contains it cannot be con- 
sidered as valuable a food as turkey or chicken. Its 
occasional use by those in good health is not likely to 
be detrimental. Proteid Food 
209 
NOT GOOD 
Heart. This organ should not be used for food, be- 
cause the muscles contain so much thickened blood on ac- 
count of its being the last organ in the body to stop 
functioning. As the death of an animal draws near, the 
circulation stops in the extremities first, and then the 
other parts of the body die slowly, until circulation finally 
comes to an end in the heart organ, and death ensues. 
This causes an accumulation of many more times the nor- 
mal amount of poisons in the heart tissues, and there is 
no way of preparing this organ for food whereby these 
toxins can be eliminated. 
Kidney. This is one of the eliminative organs, and 
is used in throwing out some of the worst poisons and 
toxic materials which the body has to deal with. At 
death, many of these impurities are retained in the kid- 
ney, rendering it an unwholesome organ for use as a 
food. You are no doubt familiar with the odor that 
comes from a kidney stew, which is the same as the odor 
from the strongest urine, and is caused by the enormous 
excess of urea and uric acid in the cooking kidney meat. 
Liver. This organ is commonly used for food, and is 
prepared by frying, and also by being mixed with other 
meat and ground into sausage. In any form in which it 
can be prepared it is a very unwholesome food, contain- 
ing a tremendous amount of biliary poisons and toxins. 
At death the liver is literally choked with these poisons, 
and they cannot be eliminated by any process of cook- 
ing with which I am familiar. 
Lungs are also eliminative organs, and contain cer- 
tain poisons which the lungs during life eliminate in the 
form of gases. At death, because of the sudden cessation 
of lung functioning, these poisons accumulate, and they 
cannot be removed from the tissues. 210 
The Fast Way to Health 
Smoked and Pickled Tongue are not desirable for 
food, because they cannot be properly digested after 
being cured in these ways. Spiced meats, which are so 
commonly sold in delicatessen stores, will always cause 
digestive disturbances, and the seasonings in which they 
are cooked will invariably produce flatulence. 
Pork Sausage should never be used for food, even if 
it is made in the best way possible at home, as it cannot 
be sausage unless it contains a large amount of fat, and 
cannot be cooked as such unless this fat is present. This 
large amount of fat renders the proteid indigestible. 
The kind sold in most meat markets is very poisonous, 
but even though the sausage is made from good meat, no 
one in good health should take any chances in using it as 
a food. It is almost the only cause of ptomaine poison- 
ing, and out of hundreds of cases I have handled of this 
form of poisoning, there were almost none where sausage 
had not been used at least a day or two before the acute 
attack. 
It seems that even a small piece of sausage which has 
not been chemically changed by the digestive juice be- 
cause of the large amount of fat present in it, will lodge 
some place in the intestines, and sometimes it will be sev- 
eral days before the patient will have diarrhoea and 
cramps trying to expel it. This poisoning is so prevalent 
that it is the height of folly to take a chance with this 
kind of meat. 
Bologna and Hot Dog are generally not made from 
the best of meat, and usually are too highly seasoned with 
garlic, etc., to make a desirable food. 
Corned Beef is usually prepared from beef meat 
which cannot be used for any other purpose, and a large 
amount of saltpeter is employed in its preparation. It 
is not corned beef unless this saltpeter is used, and this Proteid Food 
211 
has a very depressing effect upon the sexual functions, 
and is injurious to the system in many ways. 
Brains and Sweetbreads are not good articles of food, 
mainly because they are prepared improperly. I do not 
know of any tasty way in which they can be cooked which 
will not render them indigestible. 
Pickled Pigs’ Feet are really not a good meat food, as 
they contain very little proteid, and interfere with the di- 
gestion of other foods because of the vinegar used in 
their preparation. 
Limburger Cheese is an unwholesome cheese, being 
full of millions of putrefactive bacteria, which only add 
to the poisonous bacteria usually found in excess in the 
intestines of most people. It is a rotting, unwholesome 
cheese, and only enjoyed by those who like “queer” 
things. 
Canned Fish is subject to rapid changes after being 
removed from the can, and that part which cannot be 
used at once should be thrown away and not held over 
for another meal. In any case it should only be used 
when no other good proteid food is available. 
Salt Mackerel is very indigestible, being toughened by 
its preparation with salt, and as even fresh mackerel is 
difficult of digestion, after it is salted it is almost useless 
as a food, causing so much indigestion as to more than 
offset any good that could be derived from it. 
Hamburger Steak is usually made from a poor quality 
of meat, and even if ground round steak is used, the fat 
which is mixed with the proteid renders it indigestible. 
The Salisbury steak, as described in the section on 
“Good” proteids, should be used by anyone who is de- 
sirous of using ground beef. This Salisbury steak may 
be used day in and day out without any ill effect, and is 
one of the most valuable ways in which to use beef, but 212 
The Fast Way to Health 
the addition of fat in Hamburger steak really makes such 
a big change that it should not be taken at all when the 
Salisbury steak is so easily available. 
PROTE1DS 
I have found that it has been possible to simplify the 
regulations governing the use of the different foods by 
drawing up a set of rules which should be committed to 
memory, and which can be regarded as a positive guide 
in the selection of suitable meals. The proteid rule is:— 
“USE ONE PROTEID ONLY WITH ONE OR MORE 
COOKED OR RAW NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES.” 
As an amplification or extension of this rule, raw 
or cooked tomatoes may be added, and sweet sugar fruit 
or jello if desired. This means, in practical terms, that 
with your roast beef you should not take any potatoes 
or bread, but should content yourself with filling up on 
the non-starchy vegetables, both cooked and raw. A 
sample meal and a good selection would be any one of 
the following:— 
1. Roast beef, cooked spinach and asparagus, head let- 
tuce, stewed prunes. 
2. Broiled chicken, cooked celery, with salad of lettuce 
and tomatoes. 
3. Belgian hare, cooked string beans, summer squash, 
raw celery, jello. 
4. Filet of sole, and salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and 
cucumbers. 
(For more complete details see chapter on Combi- 
nations on page 289.) Chapter III 
STARCHES 
The main bulk of food on most tables consists of 
starchy material, and I believe that the large amount of 
starch generally used is far in excess of the natural 
demands of the body. The primary use of starchy foods 
in the diet should be to supply the body with heat and 
energy, but this does not require a very large amount 
daily in the average adult, and any quantity used over 
and above what is absolutely necessary will have nothing 
but an injurious effect upon the body, producing fer- 
mentation, with stomach acidity and flatulence, also 
catarrh, tonsillitis, throat trouble, skin eruptions, liver 
and kidney disorders, etc. 
A person of the strong digestive type will be able 
to use more starchy food than people of other types, 
provided that it is sufficiently masticated, and that 
vigorous exercise is indulged in to use up the energy ac- 
cumulated. The brain worker, however, will have very 
little use for starchy food, and can get along on a very 
small allowance, provided enough proteid is used to sup- 
ply the needed nerve energy. Those people of a nervous, 
bilious temperament, and particularly those with dark 
complexions, will find that an excess of starches will pro- 
duce a great many troubles for them, and unless their 
starch supply is limited to the minimum, such diseases as 
high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, rheuma- 
tism, gall stone and kidney stone, enlargements of the 
thyroid gland, and (as already suggested) all the ca- 
tarrhal diseases, lie in wait for them. 
The same material which the laundries use to stiffen 
collars and cuffs, and the paper-hanger uses for making 214 
The Fast Way to Health 
paste, will paste up the intestines if used in excess, and 
will be the cause of more disease than any other element 
of food in use on the modern table. Why then is so 
much taken, and why do we see every table loaded with 
a variety of starchy foodstuffs? 
My own opinion is that man has fallen into the habit 
of using too much starch because first of all he receives 
a large bulk of food for his money, which is easily made 
into palate-pleasing mixtures, and which fills up well. 
It also keeps well before being prepared, and large 
quantities may be conveniently stored for use as required. 
Then again starch is very stimulating, and while it pro- 
duces real heat and energy when used properly, it is on 
the other hand a great stimulant if used in excess or in 
wrong combinations with other food, and in this way 
seems to give much energy which is only stimulation and 
not of lasting benefit. This stimulation is closely allied 
to the apparent strength-producing action of alcoholic 
beverages. 
When starch is perfectly masticated, the time taken up 
in this operation will aid you in regulating the proper 
amount to take, and prevent you from using too large 
a quantity. Starchy food should always be held in the 
mouth for a long time and completely insalivated (mixed 
with saliva), care being taken to avoid eating and swal- 
lowing too rapidly. Those starches which are cooked in 
a mush form need just as much mixture with saliva as 
those that are more fibrous, and should not be swallowed 
until such mixture takes place. 
The digestion of starchs begins in the mouth, and it 
is the failure to recognize this important point that 
brings about so many digestive disturbances. Starch 
requires the most complete mastication and insalivation 
of any of the food materials taken into the human body. Starches 
215 
By the saliva, or digestive fluid of the mouth, the starch 
is partly changed into sugar, if given the opportunity 
by sufficient admixture. Thus changed, the starch passes 
down into the stomach organ, where it undergoes little 
further change. From the stomach it enters the small 
intestines, where it is mixed with the bile which is poured 
into the intestines at this point by the liver, and still 
further changed, becoming more easily assimilable, and 
in this way more readily absorbed through the walls of 
the small intestines. A certain quantity, of course, passes 
on, but the amount that enters the circulation through 
this process of assimilation and absorption is carried to 
all parts of the body, and through a process of oxidation 
liberates heat and energy. 
Bear in mind then that the saliva itself is alkaline, 
the gastric juice in the stomach acid, and the bile in the 
intestines alkaline. The starch needs the saliva, but 
should pass quickly through the stomach, as it does not 
need the gastric juice. Starches are always delayed 
in the stomach if mixed with proteids, acids, or sugars, 
and consequently become too acid and ferment when 
they come in contact with the bile in the intestines which 
is alkaline. This produces auto-intoxication and gas, 
with all the attendant symptoms and diseases which 
arise from these conditions. 
It is generally advisable when using starch to com- 
bine it with enough non-starchy and salad vegetables 
to supply plenty of bulk, as such mixtures will digest 
more readily, and will not produce flatulence. If starches 
are used carefully they may be of great value in the 
diet, but on the other hand are dangerous foods if im- 
properly used, and a study of the pages following will 
enable you to learn this valuable lesson in dietetics, i. e., 
how to use and how not to use starchy foods. 216 
The Fast Way to Health 
The following is a list of the principal starchy foods, 
arranged in the same manner as the Proteid list:— 
GOOD 
Potatoes 
Green Corn 
Macaroni 
Spaghetti 
Vermicelli 
Noodles 
Hubbard Squash 
Rice 
Corn Bread 
Corn Meal 
Wheat Flour Biscuits 
Whole Wheat Flour 
Whole Wheat 
Gluten Bread 
Shredded Wheat 
Barley 
Canned Corn 
Water Crackers 
Carrots 
Turnips 
Parsnips 
Beets 
NOT SO GOOD 
Buckwheat Flour 
Oatmeal Gruel 
Rye Flour 
Fresh Lima Beans 
Green Peas 
Wafers (Salt) 
Popcorn (Salt) 
Graham Flour 
Ordinary White 
Flour 
Fried Potatoes 
Lentils 
Cocoanut 
Raw Peanuts 
Chestnuts 
Hominy 
Sweet Potatoes 
Succotash 
NOT GOOD 
Yeast Bread 
Rye Bread 
Pumpernickel 
Buns 
Rolls 
Graham Bread 
Graham Crackers 
Cakes 
Cookies 
Ginger Snaps 
Macaroons 
Doughnuts 
Lady Fingers 
Puddings 
Rice Pudding 
Tapioca Pudding 
Tapioca & Apples 
Corn Starch 
Sago 
Navy Beans 
Kidney Beans 
Boston Brown 
Bread 
Bananas 
GOOD 
Potatoes. These constitute one of the finest forms of 
starchy food, although they only contain from 14% to 
18% of starch. I place the potato at the top of the list 
because I consider it one of the most valuable of the 
starchy foods, and not simply because of the quantity of 
starch it contains. White bread contains four times as 
much starch as potatoes, but if used in excess is about 
four times as injurious as the latter. If potatoes are 
used in proper combination with other foods, a larger 
amount can be eaten without injury than of any other 
starch. Starches 
217 
I believe the best way to prepare them is to wash them 
well with a vegetable brush, which should always be kept 
in the kitchen for this purpose. The potatoes should then 
be boiled in plain water for a long enough time to enable 
them to become soft. All starchy food requires long 
cooking in order to break up the starch cells and render 
them more easily digestible. Potatoes cooked in this way 
with their skins on will have a better natural flavor than 
if they are cooked in any other way. They should be 
eaten without removing the skin, which contains val- 
uable vitamines and organic salts. The only part of the 
potato that is anything more than starch and water is the 
skin, and if this is removed the valuable bone and nerve 
building elements are lost. 
Baking the potato is probably the next best method of 
preparation, making a very wholesome and tasty potato 
dish, but it will be observed that the skin must be so well 
cooked by this method, in order to insure that the inside 
of the potato is sufficiently soft, that the outside is burned 
to such an extent that the nourishing part just under the 
skin is completely killed. It is true that just under this 
burnt material will be found some dextrinized starch, 
but the organic salts will have been entirely destroyed. 
However, if sufficient salad and non-starchy vegetables 
are used this deficiency of vitamines will not be felt, and 
the person eating the potatoes will not suffer from their 
lack. 
Potatoes may be boiled after they are peeled, but this 
is never as desirable as if they were cooked in either of 
the above ways and the skin not removed. They should 
not be prepared by frying, but mashed potatoes may be 
used if made with cream and a very little milk, only re- 
member they need thorough mastication. 
Green Corn in season may be used with good results, 218 
The Fast Way to Health 
and in larger amount than canned corn, which is more 
starchy. No matter how carefully green corn is masti- 
cated, a great many kernels come through in the feces 
apparently without having undergone any great change. 
When much corn is eaten the bowels move quite freely 
because of the large quantity which has really not been 
properly digested, but which nevertheless passes through 
so quickly that it does not ferment. The hulls in this 
condition are very tender, and do not scratch or irritate 
the intestines as they would if the corn were dried and 
not properly pulverized. 
It is neither necessary nor advisable to cook the corn 
for a long time, as the starch cells of green corn are very 
readily digested even in a raw state. Green corn may be 
eaten from the cob, or may be cut off and served with a 
small amount of cream, or seasoned with butter. In case 
cream is used it should be warmed slightly by placing the 
bottle of cream in a pan of warm water, and then pouring 
over the warm corn which has been removed from the 
cob, just before serving. Canned corn is about three 
times as starchy as green corn, and a much less quantity 
should be used. 
Macaroni, Vermicelli, Spaghetti, Noodles. These are 
called “paste” foods by the Italians, and are made out 
of white flour and water. Sometimes eggs are added to 
the mixture, but the cheapest kinds are composed of 
nothing but flour and water, and are probably more de- 
sirable as a starchy food than when the eggs are added. 
It is the cheaper kind, minus the eggs, that I usually 
recommend to patients who want to use this kind of 
starch. 
The best way to prepare these foods is to cook them 
in boiling hot water, without the addition of any kind of 
seasoning. When taken from the water, season with but- Starches 
219 
ter or cream. Sometimes it is desirable to pour off tbe 
water and add the cream and butter to the pan in which 
they have been cooked. Under no circumstances, how- 
ever, should cheese, either cooked or raw, be added, and 
tomatoes should never be used in any way with any one 
of these starches. The malic acid in tomatoes is very 
strong, and should not be used with starches any more 
than vinegar should. If you have never prepared these 
pastes in this manner you do not know how good they 
will taste, and you have a treat in store for you the first 
time you try any one of them, if prepared as described 
above. 
Hubbard Squash is a very tasty starch food, and is 
equally as digestible whether baked or boiled. If boiled 
and mashed, cream and butter may be added if desired, 
in the same way as with mashed potatoes. 
Rice. White rice is the kind most commonly used, 
and may be either polished or unpolished. The polished 
rice has been prepared in this way by first of all re- 
moving the hull, and then tumbling the rice about in bar- 
rels along with a certain kind of polish which adheres 
to it and preserves it against dampness, and also against 
nits and bugs. This does not injure the rice in any way, 
and may be easily removed if the rice is washed in sev- 
eral waters. The Chinese wash their polished rice nine 
times before finally cooking it. This kind of rice should 
be soaked overnight, and boiled for at least an hour in 
unseasoned water. The best method available for the 
everyday housewife is to cook the rice in a double boiler 
for a long time, without stirring, so that the grains of the 
rice will not be mashed up. 
The most desirable method of preparing rice or any 
other grain is with the tireless cooker, or with the steam- 
pressure cooker. If you own either of these cookers you 220 
The Fast Way to Health 
will find satisfactory directions are given for preparing 
any grains. Whole rice may be purchased in some 
Health Food stores, and has the advantage of having a 
more delicious flavor, besides containing more organic 
salts, these being found in the outer covering, which cov- 
ering is removed in the case of the white rice. 
The rice should be served after cooking with butter 
or cream, and in no case should sugar be used either in 
the commercial form or by the addition of sugar fruits. 
Rice pudding is rendered unfit for food because of the 
sugar and raisins which are added. The rice will always 
ferment with this mixture, and produce excessive 
amounts of intestinal gas. 
Corn Meal is a wholesome starch food, and may be 
made into muffins or corn bread by using the proper mix- 
ture of milk and eggs, and adding baking powder as a 
raising agent. Sour milk and soda may be used, hut I do 
not consider this as desirable as baking powder, because 
the action of the baking powder can always be depended 
upon to be the same, but it is impossible to know when 
the mixture of sour milk and soda is perfect. 
Corn meal flour should he used without adding any 
wheat flour, as the two kinds of starch do not digest well 
together. To 1 cup of corn meal add 1 cup of milk in 
which 1 egg has been beaten up. After this is sufficiently 
mixed, add half a cup of corn meal in which has been 
stirred a teaspoonful of baking powder. Mix this rap- 
idly with the other mixture, and put in muffin tins or a 
cake tin, then place in a hot oven. Turn the fire down 
immediately, so as to allow the corn meal to cook through 
sufficiently. You will find that when no white flour is 
used it will take longer for the corn meal to cook, and 
if too much heat is used the outside will burn before 
the inside is thoroughly cooked. Corn meal may be used Starches 
221 
in the form of mush, and if used in this way should be 
cooked for at least one hour on a medium fire, and served 
with butter or cream, but no sugar. 
Baking Powder Biscuits. The only way in which 
white flour may be used as a food is when it is cooked in 
the form of baking powder biscuits. These should be 
made with flour, eggs, and milk, adding baking powder 
as in the preparation of corn meal muffins. They should 
be made very thin, so that they can be thoroughly cooked 
through. They should not be used in addition to any 
other form of starch at the meal, but should supply the 
main starch food, and be properly combined with non- 
starchy and salad vegetables. 
Whole-Wheat Biscuits can be made out of the entire 
whole-wheat flour in the same way as the baking powder 
biscuits are made. This whole-wheat flour, made from 
the entire grain, is not obtainable in the ordinary grocery 
store, but must be secured from some Health Food store 
where they have a special grinding machine for grinding 
the entire whole-wheat grain. The whole-wheat flour sold 
in most grocery stores is a mixture of a low grade of 
white flour with “middlings” added. It is called 
“Graham,” whole wheat, cracked wheat, and entire 
wheat, according to the mixture of middlings or bran 
which it contains. If you cannot obtain the real whole- 
wheat flour from your grocer, I will be glad to furnish 
you the names and addresses of different pure food com- 
panies who will send it to you by parcel post. Muffins 
made out of the whole-wheat flour must be made thin and 
cooked very slowly, otherwise they will not cook thor- 
oughly. 
Whole-Wheat Flour may be used by cooking it as a 
mush, in which case it should be cooked for a long time, 222 
The Fast Way to Health 
in the same way as corn meal mush, and served by sea- 
soning with cream and milk—no sugar. 
Whole-Wheat Grain. The entire whole-wheat grain 
in its natural state, if soaked overnight and cooked for a 
long period of time, will be found to be a most desirable 
breakfast food, and far superior to any of the pre-di- 
gested health foods which are sold on the market. This 
whole grain may be purchased from food stores, and is 
called “cleaned wheat,” although as a general rule it is 
not sufficiently cleaned, and will be found to contain small 
pieces of stone the same size as the grain. If you chance 
to bite into one of these pieces of stone you are liable to 
lose your appetite for the wheat, so I advise you to buy 
the whole-wheat grain from the same Health Food com- 
panies as sell the real whole wheat, as they use particular 
care in cleaning the wheat so that no stones or other for- 
eign material remain. 
Gluten. Gluten bread is recommended by many diet- 
icians because it is supposed to contain a smaller amount 
of starch than ordinary white bread. Analyses of the 
different gluten breads on the market, however, show 
that in the preparation of the gluten flour only 1% or 2% 
of starch is really removed. Unless one is very fond of 
the flavor of this bread it has no value over any other 
bread, and is much more expensive. 
Whole-Wheat Bread may be obtained from some 
Health Food stores in some of the larger cities, but it 
cannot be made satisfactorily at home. Most grocers 
will assure you that they sell whole-wheat bread, when it 
is really made from the imperfect mixture of middlings 
and white flour sold as whole-wheat flour. If the bread is 
made of the entire whole wheat it will be very hard, and 
cannot be made into a large loaf. The best way to pre- Starches 
223 
pare whole-wheat bread at home is in the form of the 
whole-wheat muffins described in the foregoing. 
Shredded Wheat Biscuit is the trade name of a certain 
shredded whole-wheat product. This makes a delicious 
toast if the biscuit is broken open and retoasted under the 
broiler. Because of its being so brittle it can best be 
eaten by pouring hot water over it, and then seasoning 
with butter. It can then be eaten with a spoon, and is 
a very tasty substitute for toast. 
Barley. This may be purchased in the ordinary 
stores under various trade names, and should be pre- 
pared the same as the entire whole-wheat grain, by soak- 
ing overnight and cooking for at least an hour. Serve 
with cream and butter the same as other mushes, but use 
no sugar. 
Water Crackers. These may be used in place of other 
starches if one is particularly fond of them, and by being 
broken open and roasted can be made a very desirable 
toast. They are really a kind of hard-tack, and may be 
taken on camping trips in place of bread. 
Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, Beets. These tuber vege- 
tables contain from 5% to 12% of starch, and should be 
used as a starchy food except when they are very small. 
You will notice they are also to be found in my table of 
non-starchy vegetables, but special attention is called to 
the fact that they must be small and immature, in which 
condition they contain only about 5% of starch. When 
they are full grown they should always be classed as 
starchy vegetables, and may be prepared in a variety of 
ways. They should always be washed well with a vege- 
table brush, and should never be scraped in the slightest 
degree, as this removes the organic salts under the skin, 
and destroys at the same time much of the agreeable 
flavor. They may be boiled in plain water, and seasoned 224 
The Fast Way to Health 
with blitter and salt when served, or they may be pre- 
pared by grinding one or more through a vegetable 
grinder and then baking this gronnd-up material in a 
cake pan in the oven. See also the instructions regarding 
these four tubers in the chapter on non-starchy vege- 
tables. 
NOT SO GOOD 
Buckwheat Flour, Oatmeal Flour. Are used in many 
different ways in the preparation of foodstuffs, but are 
quite irritating to the alimentary tract, and are the direct 
irritating cause of many skin diseases. I do not recom- 
mend them as a wholesome kind of starchy food, but they 
may be used when no better starch is available. 
Rye Flour is very hard to secure in a pure form, but 
is usually mixed with wheat flour the same as the ordi- 
nary whole-wheat flour. If you can secure the raw flour 
which is not mixed with wheat flour, very delicious muf- 
fins can be made from it, using the same caution in cook- 
ing as with the whole-wheat muffins, that is cooking them 
slowly and quite thin, so that they may be cooked thor- 
oughly through. 
Fresh Lima Beans are relished by many, and when 
they are small have a small amount of starch, but as they 
grow larger the starch develops in them, and they will 
then easily cause flatulence in the same way as other 
dried beans. 
Green Peas when matured have a similar composition 
to navy beans, and are gas-forming with some people 
whose digestive power is not normal. If they are very 
young and small, they may be used in the non-starchy 
class. 
Wafers are ordinarily made from white flour and wa- 
ter, and are seasoned with a large amount of salt. They Starches 
225 
would make a good starch food if the salt were not pres- 
ent. If they are used they should constitute the main 
starchy part of the meal, and should not be used in addi- 
tion to any other starches. 
Popcorn is a form of starch which is easily digested 
when it is cooked in the usual way, that is, by heating 
the popcorn till it pops open, splitting the kernel wide 
open and exploding the starch cells. It may be used as 
the principal starch part of a meal, and should be sea- 
soned with butter or salt. 
Ordinary White Flour. If this is taken at all it should 
be used as described in the making of baking-powder 
biscuits, and should never be used to thicken gravies. 
Cake and pastries, which are made principally from white 
flour, are always unwholesome foods, and should not be 
used by one who wishes to enjoy perfect health. 
Fried Potatoes should not be used when any other 
starch can be procured, but if they are used the French 
fried potatoes are the best. These are prepared by 
dropping small pieces of potato in boiling hot grease, 
preferably olive oil, Crisco, Mazola, or some one of the 
vegetable oils. The grease must be very hot, so as to dex- 
trinize the outside of the potato, and at the same time 
prevent the grease from soaking into the inside. After 
cooking, the grease should be drained off as much as pos- 
sible by holding the potatoes in a sieve. 
Lentils contain a large proportion of starch, but also 
have a considerable amount of the proteid element, being 
similar in this respect to dried beans, and fermenting 
easily. The best way to use lentils is to cook them for a 
long time in the form of a soup, adding whatever non- 
sfcarchy vegetables, such as celery and asparagus, may 
be desired. Bear in mind that this lentil soup should be 
cooked at least two hours, used as the starchy part of the 226 
The Fast Way to Health 
meal and not in addition to other starches, and eaten 
very slowly. 
Cocoanut, Peanuts or Chestnuts. May be used in 
place of other starches if there is a strong desire for 
them, bnt used in the raw starchy form will take about 
twice as long to digest as any of the other good starches. 
A pleasing change may be made if either of these foods 
be baked or boiled. Cocoanut must be cooked a long time 
so that the fibre is thoroughly softened, and it should then 
be served as a starchy food in place of potatoes, maca- 
roni, rice, or other starchy food, and should not be used in 
addition to them. Unshelled peanuts may be baked in 
the oven in a pan, cooking them slowly until the starch is 
well cooked, or the baking may be continued until they 
turn brown and become dextrinized. In either case, with 
the addition of a little salt and butter, they make a fine 
starchy food, if used in this way. Chestnuts may be 
cooked in their hulls in the same manner, and will be 
found to be more thoroughly cooked through if they are 
left in the oven for a long time with a low fire. After 
they have cooked for at least 30 minutes in this way, more 
heat may be turned on, and this sudden addition of heat 
will pop them open and slightly dextrinize them on the 
outside. It may seem queer to use any one of these so- 
called “nuts” in this manner, but I assure you they will 
make an enjoyable starchy part of any meal if so pre- 
pared. 
Hominy may be used as a good starch if it is soaked 
in water for several hours, and then washed in two or 
three washings of hot water so as to remove the irritating 
elements used in its preparation. It should then be 
boiled slowly for at least half an hour, and seasoned with 
butter or cream only. Starches 
227 
Sweet Potatoes are not as good a starch as Irish pota- 
toes, but if they are used, the best way to prepare them 
is to bake them for a long time in the oven, so that as 
much of the sweet potato as possible will be dextrinized. 
One should never use as large an amount of sweet pota- 
toes as they might use of the Irish potato, because of the 
peculiar carbohydrate mixture in the sweet potato which 
makes it ferment easily. 
Succotash is made from a combination of lima beans 
and green corn cooked together. This combination is not 
specially desirable, but if small lima beans are used, one 
with a strong digestive ability will not experience any 
difficulty in handling the combination. However, it 
should not be used in addition to any other starchy food, 
but taken as the main starchy part of the meal. 
NOT GOOD 
Yeast Bread. Any kind of bread made with yeast is 
unwholesome compared to muffins made with baking 
powder, or water crackers. The yeast is not entirely de- 
stroyed by cooking unless the bread is sliced thin and 
toasted all the way through. The opinion exists that in 
the ordinary baking of the loaf these yeast cells lose their 
power, but actual experiment has proven that this is not 
so, as all the bread in the center of the loaf, which has 
been left white, contains yeast cells which are still full of 
activity. These live yeast cells continue to develop in 
the stomach and intestines, thus producing additional fer- 
mentation and gas pressure. It is only by slicing thin 
and toasting all through, as indicated above, that the 
bread can be thoroughly dextrinized, and the yeast cells 
completely destroyed. 
A united effort has been, and is being, made by yeast 
manufacturers, through the medium of high-priced “au- 228 
The Fast Way to Health 
thorities,” to educate the public into believing that yeast 
is a desirable food. They claim that the yeast contains a 
large amount of vitamines, and consequently has a high 
food value, but the truth of the matter is that the vita- 
mines are quite a negligible quantity, and that the fer- 
mentative processes set up by the yeast produce hyper- 
acidity and digestive disorders which far outweigh the 
good of the vitamines. All the vitamines that the body 
requires may be secured by using a small amount of 
salad vegetables each day, and it should be understood 
that there are no vital substances in a cake of yeast which 
are not found in celery, spinach, etc. 
Home-made bread is probably a good deal worse than 
baker’s bread, inasmuch as larger quantities of it are 
eaten on account of the more agreeable flavor. This is 
also true of pies, cakes, pastries, etc., which are made 
richer at home than in the baker’s shop, and are there- 
fore more unwholesome as food. If the yeast bread is 
sliced thin and toasted brown all the way through, it will 
he completely dextrinized, and all the starch cells killed, 
and in this form is one of the most nourishing of the car- 
bohydrate foods, being entirely changed from its original 
starchy form. 
Rye Bread as purchased in the stores is made from a 
combination of wheat flour with a small quantity of rye 
flour. Because of the mixture of these two kinds of 
starches, it is never as good a bread as one made from 
either one or the other of the starches—that is to say 
straight wheat-flour bread or rye-flour bread is to be 
preferred to any admixture of the two. It is almost im- 
possible to buy rye flour of the kind that used to be used 
in the making of pumpernickel bread, and when this 
bread is made at the present time it is a combination of 
white flour and rye flour that is used, the mixture being Starches 
229 
seasoned with molasses, which gives it a dark color and 
makes it look more like the old-fashioned pumpernickel. 
However, I personally do not know of a baker in the 
United States who is making pumpernickel out of straight 
rye flour at the present time. 
Buns and Rolls should not be used unless they are cut 
open and retoasted carefully in the oven so that they are 
dextrinized all the way through. You will find that a 
tasty kind of toast can be made from either buns or 
French rolls, if some of the center part is removed before 
toasting. They can then be toasted to best advantage 
under a broiler, placing the white part next to the fire and 
the side already browned away from the fire. In the 
same way these buns can be toasted fresh at a picnic, 
and will be more enjoyable than the soggy buns so often 
used for sandwiches on these occasions. 
Graham Bread, as it can be purchased in the store to- 
day, is a mixture of muffins and white flour, and yeast is 
used for a raising agent. It may be toasted in the same 
way as white bread, but should not be used in any other 
form. The original Graham bread was made according 
to a formula which specified the use of a mixture of real 
corn meal and real whole-wheat flour, and was really en- 
tirely different from the kind that is found on the mar- 
ket today. 
Graham Crackers are made from Graham flour with 
the addition of sugar, and as sugar and starch should 
never be combined together, these crackers are not a 
wholesome food, and the feeding of them to young chil- 
dren is a pernicious habit which will often be the means 
of starting digestive disorders. There seems to be a 
general belief that because crackers and cookies are 
“soft” children are consequently able to digest them 
easily, but there is no truth whatever in such a notion. 230 
The Fast Way to Health 
Cakes, Cookies, Ginger Snaps, Macaroons and Lady 
Fingers are all unwholesome cookies, and should not 
be considered a suitable food even by one whose diges- 
tion is strong. They certainly should not be used by 
young children. 
Doughnuts are always hard to digest, and can never 
be considered a good food. No doubt the motive of the 
Salvation Army during the war was good, in giving the 
soldiers doughnuts, but I often wonder if the pleasure 
that they experienced in eating the doughnuts could make 
up for the physical depression which must have been 
caused by partaking of such an unwholesome food and 
one so difficult of digestion. 
Puddings are always made from a combination of 
starch and sugar, and are often seasoned with acid fruit 
juices. I have never been able to discover a combination 
of food classified under the name of “pudding’’ which I 
could recommend even to healthy people. Rice pud- 
ding is probably the least harmful of the puddings when 
it is made with raisins alone, and no other sugar is added, 
but even then this combination will cause excessive fer- 
mentation. 
Tapioca, Cornstarch and Sago are practically 100% 
starch in their dry state, and I do not know of any way 
in which they can be made tasty enough to use for food 
unless they are mixed with sugar, but this will always be 
an explosive mixture. 
Navy Beans and Kidney Beans. All of the dried 
beans contain such a mixture of proteid and starch in the 
same food that they are always gas producers, and after 
much experimentation I have been unable to find any 
place for them in the diet of anyone who is living close 
enough to civilization to be able to secure other foods. Of 
course, they will sustain life for a long time, and there Starches 
231 
are no doubt emergencies, such as a forced stay in the 
mountains, when no other food can be obtained, in which 
dried beans may be kept for a long period of time and 
used as needed. In such an event, they should never be 
used in addition to meat or any other starch, as sufficient 
proteid and starch are contained in them to meet all the 
body’s requirements. The main objection to these beans 
is found in the fact that the combination of proteid and 
starch is such that fermentation of the starch is inev- 
itable, although this fermentation will not be so pro- 
nounced if vigorous physical exercise is taken, such as 
might be necessary on a long enforced march. 
Boston Brown Bread is often mistaken for a health 
food, but is made with so much sugar as to be rendered 
unwholesome. 
Bananas are commonly recommended by dieticians 
as food, but I personally do not find that I can say much 
in their favor to patients, nor suggest them as a whole- 
some addition to the diet. The form in which we receive 
bananas is not a very natural one, as they have generally 
been seasoned by ripening in dark cellars, and really go 
through a process of rotting, with the result that the 
starch they contain becomes decomposed, producing a 
certain flavor which we have unfortunately learned to 
like. 
When the bananas are allowed to ripen on the trees 
they have an entirely different taste, as they contain a 
large amount of sugar. In this natural state they are 
freely eaten by the natives as a food, but in the decom- 
posed condition which they are in when we use them, a 
substance called amyl-nitrite is generated, which pro- 
duces vascular dilation. 
I do not know of a single article of food which pro- 
duces so much catarrh as the banana. Patients of mine 232 
The Fast Way to Health 
who have remained free from catarrh for several months 
have brought on a cold within a few hours by eating a 
single dish of bananas. I have checked up on case after 
case and have found banana eating to be so commonly the 
cause of colds that it almost appears as if the effect pro- 
duced were specific. It has been particularly noticeable 
in the case of small children who have enlarged tonsils 
and adenoids, and whose mothers have allowed them to 
eat bananas at almost any time of day because of the 
prevailing notion that they were a wholesome fruit. 
Many authorities claim that cooking bananas increases 
their digestibility, but actual experience with many pa- 
tients who have tried to eat them in this form has con- 
vinced me that cooking makes very little difference in 
their catarrh-producing effect. 
HOW STARCH SHOULD BE COMBINED 
When it seems advisable to take starch, always bear 
the starch rule clearly in mind. It is as follows:— 
“USE ONE STARCHY FOOD ONLY IN COMBINATION 
WITH ONE OR MORE RAW OR COOKED NON-STARCHY 
VEGETABLES.” 
This means: 
(1) That no kind of fruit should ever be used with starch. 
(2) That no kind of proteid should ever be used with 
starch, for example, that meat and rice should never 
be mixed. 
(3) That no two kinds of starch should be used together, 
such as bread and potatoes. 
In accordance with this regulation, the following are 
a few typical specimen starchy meals, containing good 
combinations: Starches 
233 
1. Baked potato, raw celery, lettuce and cucumbers. 
2. Boiled wdiole wheat grain, cooked spinach, and asparagus. 
3. Boiled macaroni, cooked summer squash, raw celery. 
4. Cooked sweet corn, raw celery, cooked cucumbers. 
You will find this question of satisfactory combina- 
tions more fully dealt with in the chapters devoted exclu- 
sively to combinations and menus, but the foregoing will 
guide you as far as we have gone and give you an idea of 
how to apply the general rule. There is no suggestion of 
priority about the order in which these combinations 
are quoted, that is to say No. 4 is quite as good as No. 1. Chapter IV 
COOKED NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES 
This class of food should furnish the main hulk of the 
meal, yet it is usually the most neglected. I believe that 
even though writers on dietetic subjects understand the 
importance of the non-starchy vegetables in the diet, 
nevertheless they do not sufficiently emphasize their value 
because of the tendency to teach patients the use of those 
particular foods which contain a high calorie or food 
value. The non-starchy vegetables contain the smallest 
amount of food value of any foods which are used, and 
still they are specially valuable for the following rea- 
sons : 
1. They contain the largest quantity of organic min- 
erals, which are as necessary to the body as the 
foundation is to a house. They supply these min- 
erals and vitamines to make up the nucleus of the 
nerve cells, and also furnish the solid part of 
other tissues, and the material for the building of 
bone. 
2. They have an enjoyable flavor if cooked properly, 
and one can fill up well upon them on account of 
their furnishing so much bulk, without being under 
the necessity of taking a large amount of those 
“nourishing” foods which everyone is liable to 
use in excess. 
3. They supply bulk material which can be used with 
the more concentrated foods, such as proteids and 
starches, and in this way they constitute a medium 
through which these foods can be more easily di- 
gested. 
4. The bulk thus supplied will be the greatest aid in 
overcoming constipation, which is the mother of 
so many diseases. Cooked Non-Stakchy Vegetables 
235 
It is almost impossible to overeat on any of the non- 
starchy vegetables, and those who are learning to restrict 
their diet will find they can satisfy themselves as easily 
by using a second helping of these non-starchy vegetables, 
instead of taking an additional amount of proteid or 
starch. You will also find it will be easy to overcome the 
habit of eating desserts if an extra dish of non-starchy 
vegetables is used instead. Of course, I do not believe it 
is ever a good plan to eat until you feel full, but those 
who have been in the habit of overeating will find they 
can cut down on the concentrated foods more easily if 
more non-starchy vegetables are used in their stead. 
There are a great many of the leafy non-starchy 
vegetables growing wild, and patients should find it an 
interesting study to hunt out the different kinds that may 
be found in the fields. The following list classifies those 
which are most easily obtainable:— 
GOOD 
Celery- 
Spinach 
Small String Beans 
Asparagus 
Summer Squash 
Cucumber 
Egg Plant 
Beet Tops 
Turnip Tops 
Small Beets 
Small Carrots 
Small Parsnips 
Small Turnips 
Pumpkin 
Lettuce 
Okra 
Chayotes 
Oyster Plant (Salsify) 
Mallow 
Kale 
Zuechini 
NOT SO GOOD 
French Artichoke 
Brussels Sprouts 
Cauliflower 
Dandelion Greens 
Kohlrabi 
Small Mushrooms 
Small Fresh Sugar 
Peas 
Rutabaga 
Sauerkraut 
Water Cress 
Swiss Chard 
NOT GOOD 
Onions 
Garlic 
Cooked Cabbage 
Leeks 
Chives 236 
The Fast Way to Health 
GOOD 
Celery is one of the very best of the non-starchy vege- 
tables, and there is no disorder of the body where it can 
not be freely used if any kind of food is allowable. The 
best kind is that which has been bleached out so that it is 
white, as this bleaching process removes certain volatile 
oils which are slightly irritating to the body. Great care 
must be exercised in washing from the celery any poison 
which has been used by the gardener to kill bugs or 
worms. Blue vitriol and strychnine are the poisons most 
commonly employed for the purpose, and if it is good- 
looking celery without worm holes you may be sure that 
one of these agents has been used. The poison will re- 
main in the inside parts of the head of celery, and can 
only be completely removed by taking the stalk apart and 
scraping each part thoroughly with a vegetable brush, 
afterwards washing in several pans of running water. 
If it is desired to cook the celery it should be cut into 
small pieces and boiled in plain water for at least two 
hours. This time seems necessary to develop a certain 
flavor which the celery acquires if prepared in this way. 
Of course it may be cooked for only a few moments, and 
will still be a desirable food even if prepared in such a 
manner, but you will find the flavor to be entirely differ- 
ent if the two-hour period is used. No seasoning of any 
kind should be added to the water, but if the water is 
cooked out sufficiently a small amount of cream and but- 
ter can be added when ready to serve. 
Spinach, Beet Tops, Turnip Tops, Mallow, Lettuce, 
Kale, should all be prepared in much the same way. 
After washing these leafy vegetables well they should be 
placed in a pan without any water except that which 
clings to the vegetable after washing. Put a cover on the 
pan and allow it to simmer over a slow fire for about ten Cooked Non-Staechy Vegetables 
237 
minutes, then turn the fire up and allow them to boil for 
five or ten minutes longer. In this way they will cook in 
their own juices, as the first ten minutes of cooking will 
draw the juice from the leaves so that sufficient liquid 
will be available for the cooking of the vegetables 
themselves. Do not remove the cover from the pan often, 
as the steam will escape if you do this, and more water 
will have to be added. 
No seasoning should be used in the cooking. These 
greens are frequently spoiled by the addition of bacon or 
pork, and are usually salted, which not only destroys 
their delicate flavor but makes them indigestible, while 
if any grease is used in their preparation it will interfere 
with the digestion of other foods. 
Small String Beans are the more desirable kind, as 
the beans in the inside of the pods are not so large. When 
the beans are large they produce fermentation and flatu- 
lence in the same way as navy and kidney beans. In case 
you cannot secure the small string beans it will be neces- 
sary to open the larger ones, either before or after cook- 
ing, and remove the beans from the inside. Fresh string 
beans are more desirable than the canned beans if they 
can be secured small enough, but usually this is a mat- 
ter of such difficulty that most of the year you will find 
it more convenient to purchase the canned variety, being 
careful to use a brand in which the beans are very small. 
Of course these canned string beans are already cooked 
and only need to be warmed up, but the fresh string beans 
should be cut in small pieces and cooked for at least one 
hour in order to bring out the best flavor. I must warn 
you again not to use any grease in the preparation of 
string beans, as they are rendered indigestible by even 
the small piece of bacon that most people put in. They 238 
The Fast Way to Health 
should be seasoned with butter and salt as desired by 
the person eating them. 
Asparagus should be used when it is fresh in the mar- 
ket to as large an extent as possible, but you will find it 
one of the most desirable of the canned non-starchy vege- 
tables that can be obtained. The smaller varieties are 
to be preferred to the larger kind, which are more 
starchy. Cook the fresh asparagus in plain water, and 
do not season until ready to serve, when butter and salt 
may be added if desired. 
Summer Squash, Cucumber and Chayotes are all in 
the non-starchy squash family, and are a very delicious 
addition to the everyday diet. Summer squash can only 
be secured in certain parts of the country during a limited 
season, but should be used as much as possible by those 
to whom it is available. Cucumbers may be secured 
nearly the whole year round, even though they are more 
expensive in certain seasons than others. Chayotes are 
only procurable in the Southwest, where they can be pur- 
chased in the market during the early fall season, and 
are often called “Mexican Squash,” as they are found 
growing naturally throughout Mexico. These vegetables 
should all be cooked in much the same manner as the 
others, that is, in just enough plain water to cover them 
so that too much of the flavor is not cooked out in the 
water. They may then be mashed, and butter and cream 
added if desired. 
Cucumber may be cooked with or without its peel, 
but if the peel is removed most of the strong acid, which 
is apt to irritate a delicate stomach, is removed along 
with it. If the chayotes or squash are fully grown they 
will have to be boiled, but it is better to secure the small 
tender ones if at all possible. Cooked Non-Stabchy Vegetables 
239 
Zucchini, or Italian squash, is similar to the ordinary 
summer squash, and may be used freely if cooked in the 
same manner as summer squash. It is, however, difficult 
to obtain, being raised only in certain parts of the 
country. 
Egg Plant should be prepared by boiling in plain 
water or baking in the oven. Probably the best way to 
boil the egg plant is to peel it and cut it in small pieces, 
cooking in just enough water to cover it. It may then be 
served, seasoned with butter and cream. If it is cut in 
two it can be baked more easily in the oven than if it is 
left whole, and the edible part may afterwards be taken 
out with a spoon in the same manner as with Hubbard 
squash. One of the most indigestible dishes served on the 
modern table is fried egg plant, which is literally soaked 
with grease and is really rendered entirely unfit for food. 
I take this special opportunity of condemning this method 
of preparing the egg plant, as it is practically the only 
way in which it is ever served. 
Small Beets, Small Carrots, Small Parsnips, S7nall 
Turnips, may be used as non-starchy vegetables if they 
are very small and tender, and may be prepared in a 
variety of ways. No matter how they are cooked, the 
peel should never be removed. They should not even be 
scraped, but should only be washed with a vegetable 
brush, after which they should be boiled whole in plain 
water and served in that manner, or cut in small pieces 
and boiled in just enough water to permit their being 
mashed afterwards. 
A very desirable way in which to bring out the flavor 
of any one of these is to grind through a vegetable 
grinder and cook carefully in a small amount of water, 
being particular to see that they do not burn. Any one of 
these vegetables may be cooked in this way, or two of 240 
The Fast Way to Health 
them may be mixed together, such as turnips and carrots 
or beets and parsnips. If mixed in this way they will 
make a very tasty dish, entirely different from anything 
to which you have been accustomed, and will really give 
the effect of a new vegetable. 
In my estimation the most delicious way of preparing 
this class of non-starchy vegetable is by baking. One or 
more may be used, and they should first of all be ground 
fine and placed in a dry baking pan to a depth of one to 
two inches. This should be placed in a moderate oven 
and cooked for about ten minutes, or until done. An 
agreeable flavor is added to the dish if the cooking is con- 
tinued until the top is browned. You will find that this 
method will develop still another flavor in the vegetables 
which is different from any you have been able to obtain 
by other methods of preparation. No seasoning of any 
kind should be used in any of the above ways of prepar- 
ing, but butter and salt may be added as desired when 
being eaten. See also my remarks on these four vege- 
tables in the chapter on Starches. 
Pumpkin is a very wholesome non-starchy vegetable 
if cooked properly. Practically the only way in which it 
is used on the average table is in the form of pie, in which 
form it is overspiced and seasoned with sugar, and thus 
rendered unfit for food. It is best cooked in the same 
manner as squash, that is, cut into small pieces, boiled in 
plain water, and mashed if desired, while cream and but- 
ter may also be added. The small fresh pumpkin should 
be used whenever possible, as it contains less starch than 
the more mature kind, which is the grade commonly 
found in canned pumpkin. But even this canned variety 
makes a good non-starchy vegetable to take on a camping 
trip where there is a scarcity of greens. 
Okra is a non-starchy vegetable used mostly through Cooked Non-Starchy Vegetables 
241 
the Southern states, where it is raised extensively. It 
makes an appetizing dish if cooked in plain water, and 
may he mixed with any of the other non-starchy vege- 
tables when desired. 
Oyster Plant or Salsify. This vegetable should be 
used as young as possible before the starch has had time 
to develop, as in this way it may be used more freely and 
has a more agreeable flavor. Do not scrape the oyster 
plant, but wash it with a vegetable brush and cook in 
plain water. If cut up thin and seasoned with cream and 
butter the flavor will slightly resemble that of an oyster 
stew, although the food value is undoubtedly different, as 
the oyster is a proteid food and often poisonous, while 
the vegetable oyster is non-starchy and always whole- 
some. 
NOT SO GOOD 
French Artichoke. The edible portion of this vege- 
table really contains about 14% of starch, but such a 
small amount is eaten at any time, and it makes such an 
enjoyable change, that I can recommend its use if not im- 
properly seasoned. It should be cooked in plain hot 
water, and seasoned only with butter and salt. No mayon- 
naise or salad dressing of any kind should be employed. 
Brussels Sprouts are a kind of cabbage, only the 
leaves are more tender, and if used at all they should be 
taken as a non-starchy vegetable. There does not seem to 
be as great a tendency to produce gas as in the case of 
cooked cabbage, and one can easily find with a little ex- 
perimentation whether or not they can take care of the 
small amount of sulphur compound which this non- 
starchy vegetable contains, without producing stomach or 
intestinal gas. 242 
The Fast Way to Health 
Cauliflower is similar in composition to cabbage, and 
can usually be eaten raw, but is not so desirable when 
cooked. However, small amounts may be eaten by some 
people if they find that it agrees with them. It seems to 
be entirely a question of whether their system needs the 
sulphur element contained in the cauliflower in small 
quantities. It should certainly not be used by anyone who 
is seeking to avoid the formation of stomach or intestinal 
gases, as there are plenty of non-starchy vegetables about 
which there is no doubt. 
Swiss Cliard is another of the leafy non-starchy vege- 
tables containing material which is slightly gas-forming, 
and should be used with caution in the cooked form. 
Dandelion Greens contain a good deal of starch in 
their stems, but where it is impossible to obtain other 
vegetables they may be used and the starch avoided by 
eating only the tender green parts of the leaves, which 
only contain a very small amount of starch. 
Kohlrabi and Rutabaga are also in that class of non- 
starchy vegetables which easily produce fermentation, 
and should be used with caution by those who are 
troubled with any extra-intestinal disorder. 
Small Mushrooms are non-starchy, but as they grow 
larger they develop a good deal of starch. They do not 
contain many vitamines or organic salts, and should not 
be used unless one can enjoy them cooked in plain water 
and seasoned only with butter and salt. Mixed with 
grease, as commonly served as a dressing for meat, they 
are always indigestible, and only serve as a thickening 
for gravy which would not otherwise be used. 
Small Fresh Sugar Peas contain so little starch that 
they may be easily classed as a non-starchy vegetable, Cooked Non-Staechy Vegetables 
243 
and may be used in that classification by anyone who is 
especially fond of them, or where better kinds of non- 
starchy vegetables are not obtainable. All legumes, such 
as peas, peanuts, and beans, contain a large percentage 
of both proteid and starch, and seem to be a bad combi- 
nation in themselves, invariably producing flatulence. 
However, if the green peas are very young and small, a 
limited amount may be used without inducing any dis- 
tress. 
Sauerkraut is made of shredded raw cabbage, soaked 
in a salt brine, and is usually served after being cooked. 
Although raw cabbage may be used as a good salad food, 
much of its value is destroyed when prepared in this way 
because of the large amount of salt in which it is soaked. 
I cannot advise its use except in very limited quantities 
by those who experience no discomfort after eating it. 
Watercress is a spicy non-starchy vegetable which 
may be used in the cooked form if added to such leafy 
vegetables as spinach, beet tops, etc., but is hardly pal- 
atable in the cooked form if used by itself. 
NOT GOOD 
Onions, Garlic, Leeks and Chives are non-starchy vege- 
tables, but contain a large amount of allyl sulfid, which is 
always irritating to the mucous membranes and never 
fails to produce gas in the human digestive apparatus. 
There seems to be a lesser amount of this substance in 
these vegetables after they are cooked, but there still 
exists such a large quantity that I have never been able 
to find a place in the diet of a well person where they 
could be used, either in the raw or cooked state, without 
producing discomfort and gas pressure, and consequently 
I cannot at any time recommend them for food. Please 244 
The Fast Way to Health 
remember that this opinion was arrived at after much ex- 
perimentation with both the sick and the well, and in 
spite of the recommendation of every dietetic authority 
with whose writings and advice I am familiar. 
There are one or two writers whose opinions on die- 
tetics I value very highly, but they still do not seem to 
have discovered that the onion eater cannot help being a 
walking gas factory. Out of thousands of patients who 
have consulted me I have not been able to find one who 
honestly thought that onions or garlic “agreed” with 
them. 
The only practical use to the human that I have been 
able to find for the onion is to fry it in grease and apply 
as a poultice over irritated lungs. The irritation pro- 
duced by the onions on the skin is sufficient to act as a 
counter-irritant in much the same way as a mustard 
plaster acts, but this irritating effect is not desirable in- 
side of the stomach or intestines. 
Cooked Cabbage is also a great gas producer, appar- 
ently due to some sulphur compounds which it carries in 
excessive quantities. Although raw cabbage can be used 
by most people, it seems that the cooking develops this 
sulphur compound in some manner, and there is no way 
that I know of preparing the cabbage by cooking where 
this gas-forming condition is not produced. 
HOW COMBINATIONS WITH NON-STARCHY 
VEGETABLES SHOULD BE USED 
The rule governing this is:— 
“ONE OR MORE NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES MAY 
BE USED WITH ANY SINGLE ARTICLE OF FOOD; THAT 
IS THERE IS NO FOOD MATERIAL WITH WHICH NON- 
STARCHY VEGETABLES DO NOT MIX.” Cooked Non-Starchy Vegetables 
245 
The following sample menus will suggest different 
ways in which these may be used:— 
1. Broiled beefsteak, cooked spinach, and salad of toma- 
toes and encumbers. 
2. Baked potato, asparagus tips, cooked cucumber, and raw 
celery. 
3. Roast mutton, summer squash, beet tops, and raw cab- 
bage. 
4. Pint of raw milk, cooked spinach, sliced tomatoes. 
5. 2 ozs. pecan nuts, small baked carrots, cooked carrot 
tops, baked apple. 
6. Soup of potatoes and spinach, cooked oyster plant, 
sliced cucumbers. 
(For more complete details, see chapter on Combinations.) 
The use of most of the foregoing vegetables in con- 
nection with the making of salads will be found dealt 
with fully in the chapter on Uncooked Salad Vegetables. Chapter V 
SOUPS 
A very valuable contribution to a meal may be made 
by the addition of some kind of soup. The same rules 
which govern the use of food combinations hold good in 
the case of soup also, and the inharmonious mixtures of 
foodstuffs usually made into soup will cause as much di- 
gestive trouble as if these same combinations were taken 
in a more solid form. If the combinations in soup are in- 
correct, such for instance as the use of macaroni and to- 
matoes together, or the addition of onions, you can ex- 
pect as much or more trouble as if you took these together 
at one time as solid foods. So remember to apply the 
same rules in the preparation of a mixture of foods in 
soup as you would for the combinations at the ordinary 
meal. 
Meat Soups should be made from the same kind of 
meat as is used at the meal, that is if any kind of beef is 
taken at the meal a soup may be made from beef meat 
combined with any of the other non-starchy vegetables 
which are used at the same meal. Probably the most 
delicious way to prepare beef soup is to use the ground 
Salisbury steak as described in the chapter under Pro- 
teids, and cook this ground round steak in sufficient 
water with a mixture of ground or chopped-up vegetables 
of the kind used at that meal. For instance, if celery and 
spinach are used as separate dishes at the meal they 
may be added to the soup, and if cooked for a long time 
with the meat will impart an agreeable flavor, without 
the addition of the usual thickening and starch generally 
employed in making soups. After cooking for at least an Soups 
247 
hour the soup should be served, and then seasoned with 
butter and salt if desired. 
Soup may be made from boiling chicken, rabbit, fish, 
or any of the other proteid foods, and combining them in 
the same way with the cooked non-starchy vegetables. It 
will be found that a better flavor is usually added if the 
vegetables are ground, and the soup made thicker by 
simply boiling out a good deal of the water. This soup 
will both look and taste different than any soup you iiave 
ever eaten, and by a little experimentation you will find 
that you can produce some very tasty and agreeable 
mixtures. 
Starchy Soups. A delicious soup may be made by 
using any one of the good starches as listed on page 216 
combined with any of the non-starchy vegetables; that is, 
a macaroni soup may be made by boiling macaroni with 
ground spinach, parsley, and celery, and cooking it a 
long time until the flavors of these foods are blended to- 
gether. Potatoes may be cooked in the same way in place 
of macaroni, or rice, barley, or any of the other grains 
used. There are dozens of combinations which may be 
employed, but the rule must always be kept in mind that 
only one starch should be used, and that starch should be 
the same one as is used at the meal. In the same way the 
same non-starchy vegetables should be used in the soup 
as are used at the meal. Of course no meat is to be added 
to this soup, but it may be flavored with butter and salt 
after cooking if desired. 
Non-Starchy Soup. It is often desirable to make a 
soup only of the non-starchy vegetables. This soup will 
fill up well, and in cold weather makes a light meal which 
is warming but does not contain much weight-producing 
food value. A combination of one or more of the non- 248 
The Fast Way to Health 
starchy vegetables may be used, such as carrots, spinach, 
parsley, celery, etc. These should be ground together 
and boiled for about an hour, afterwards seasoning with 
butter and salt. This soup may be taken exclusive of any 
other food for several days, and makes a very agreeable 
light partial fasting diet, which is satisfying to the pa- 
tient, but will at the same time give the digestive organs 
considerable rest from their usual function. Chapter VI 
UNCOOKED SALAD VEGETABLES 
It is believed by many scientists that man’s body 
is a composite collection of all the elements in the uni- 
verse. An element is defined as “a substance which 
cannot be separated into substances different from itself, 
at least by ordinary chemical processes.” Nearly one 
hundred of these elements have so far been discovered 
either in the mineral, vegetable, or animal kingdoms, and 
almost all of them have been found in the human body. 
Of course there are only a few that are found in the body 
in any appreciable quantity, such for instance as calcium, 
iron, magnesium, silicon, and potash. 
It is through food alone that the elements required 
by the vital forces in the building, maintaining, and 
repairing of our bodies are furnished. But food cannot 
impart more than it contains, and such a large propor- 
tion of the eatables commonly found on the modern table 
are so devitalized and improperly prepared that the most 
important organic minerals are either destroyed alto- 
gether or are entirely absent. Some of these elements 
are indispensable for the building of the bony structures 
of the body, and others again are needed for the repair- 
ing of nerve tissues and for the formation of the blood 
cells. 
In the case of young children an abundance of these 
elements is required for the building up process before 
maturity is reached, and from that time on a sufficient 
supply must be kept up in order to furnish, in an organic 
form, such minerals as the body regularly needs. There 
is a never-ending cycle of change from the mineral king- 
dom up through the vegetable and on into the animal 250 
The Fast Way to Health 
kingdom, and then back again into the mineral. The 
minerals of the soil become the minerals of vegetables, 
and are then said to be “organic minerals.” These 
organic minerals in the vegetables become the minerals 
of human or animal tissues, and on the disintegration of 
the body at death they return once more to the soil, 
there to provide food for vegetation once again. Foods 
which are uncooked and fresh from the soil contain the 
largest proportion of the vital elements, and cooking 
kills these elements at least partially; that is, changes 
them from a vegetable to a mineral form. 
Chief among those who argue the necessity for man’s 
return to a natural diet are the people who advocate the 
use of uncooked foods exclusively; but after man has 
lived for so many centuries on what has been at least a 
mixed diet, it is neither wise nor convenient to attempt 
to adopt such a sweeping change as to eliminate all 
cooked foods entirely. It seems that almost everyone 
who takes up the study of diet passes through the stage 
of believing that raw food is the only natural diet for 
man. It is no doubt true that primitive man lived on 
food in its raw state, but this was simply because of the 
fact that fire had not been discovered, and as soon as he 
learned how to prepare foods by heating, less and less of 
the uncooked material was used. 
I believe that the development of the art of cookery 
has been of great value to the human race, and that man 
has developed a higher pitch of evolutional efficiency be- 
cause of it. As a rule cooked food is more digestible than 
raw food because the cellular structure is broken down by 
the heat, thus rendering it possible for the digestive 
juices to penetrate the food more easily. Actual experi- 
ments with the use of the X-ray in observing the diges- 
tion of food have shown that uncooked vegetables usually Uncooked Salad Vegetables 
251 
are digested more slowly than the cooked foods, often 
taking twice as long in the digestive process. However, 
there is no objection to the mixture of uncooked and 
cooked foods at the same meal, and this generally seems 
the most desirable way to ensure a plentiful supply of the 
vital elements. 
No method has ever been discovered whereby the 
organic tissue-building minerals can be separated from 
vegetable food and put in a bottle or into tablets, 
although many manufacturers put out remedies which 
they claim contain these blood-building vitamines and 
organic salts. If a salad of the succulent leafy vegetables 
is used each day by a person who has reached maturity 
he will find he is getting enough of the raw vegetables 
to keep up the supply of minerals in the body, in addition 
to that which is found in smaller quantities in cooked 
food. 
The child’s desire to eat raw vegetables seems to 
be a most natural one, and children should be encouraged 
to partake more plentifully of all uncooked foods than 
would be necessary for the adult. It is surprising how 
rapidly a child’s health will improve after being placed 
on a diet containing plenty of salads and non-starchy 
vegetables, in place of the mushy, starchy food to which 
it has been accustomed. For the maintenance of perfect 
health these raw vegetable foods are indispensable at all 
times, instead of being recommended only in such obscure 
diseases as rickets, beri-beri, scrofula, etc., as is generally 
done. 
The following is a list of those raw salad vegetables 
which can usually be found on the market. You will 
observe that I do not include fruits in this list, as they 
must be considered apart from vegetables in their com- 
binations with other food. 252 
The Fast Way to Health 
GOOD 
Celery 
Spinach 
Asparagus 
Cucumber 
Parsley 
Small Beets 
Small Carrots 
Small Parsnips 
Small Turnips 
Lettuce 
Oyster Plant 
Mallow 
Nasturtium Leaves & 
Flowers 
Endive 
Alligator Pear 
Ripe Olives 
NOT SO GOOD 
Brussels Sprouts 
Cauliflower 
Cabbage 
Watercress 
Swiss Chard 
NOT GOOD 
Onions 
Garlic 
Leeks 
Chives 
Radishes 
Pickles 
GOOD 
Celery is probably tlie best of all of the salad vege- 
tables, containing a large amount of most of the organic 
minerals. Having so little starch it combines easily with 
all other food, is relished by nearly everyone, and never 
seems to disagree. It may be chopped up and added to 
a salad of other vegetables, but is so tasty by itself that 
I believe it should generally be served as the entire 
salad part of the meal. Salt should not be added to 
celery, and the practice of doing this is merely a habit 
which can easily be broken. Celery contains sufficient 
sodium chloride in an organic form in itself, and its 
delicious flavor is spoiled by the addition of the mineral 
sodium chloride or common table salt. This common 
table salt is always an inorganic mineral, and can never 
be used by the cell structure of the body, being simply an 
irritant in the stomach, and in the blood stream produc- 
ing the same irritating effect as microscopic pieces of 
metal might. Uncooked Salad Vegetables 
253 
The vegetable sodium chloride is needed in the body, 
and does become a part of the cell structure. It is often 
destroyed by cooking, and table salt is then added to the 
cooked food in order to furnish a substitute flavor for 
the flavor that has been cooked out, but this should never 
be done with uncooked foods. 
Spinach is not commonly used as a salad food, but 
if it is washed carefully and served with the leaves cool 
and crisp it will be found to be a good substitute for 
lettuce, and most people who try it are usually suffi- 
ciently pleased with its flavor to employ it in place of the 
other most of the time. It contains a large amount of 
iron, and is the richest in this element of all the leafy 
vegetables. Those who have a deficiency of hemoglobin 
or red corpuscles in the blood should use a plentiful 
supply of raw spinach. It may either be used alone or 
combined with any other good food. 
Asparagus is another tasty salad vegetable which 
may be used raw. Only the tender part should be eaten, 
as the ends of the large stalks will be found to be too 
tough for proper mastication. It may be used either 
by itself or with other vegetables, and has a flavor dis- 
tinctly its own which you will learn to enjoy if you will 
only try adding it to your list of salad vegetables. 
Cucumber has a bad reputation among the salad 
vegetables, but this is chiefly because of its customary 
bad companions. It is usually soaked in vinegar with 
onions, and the trouble almost invariably caused by these 
latter is blamed on the cucumber. Cucumber should 
be served plain without any seasoning, and prepared by 
peeling and slicing. Even the use of salt and oil should 
be avoided. Those who are having difficulty on account 
of gas formation will find that if cucumbers are used with 
an improperly balanced meal or when too much food 254 
The Fast Way to Health 
is eaten, that the cucumber will be tasted if gas is 
belched from the stomach. This is because during 
digestion the cucumber has a distinct flavor which can 
be more easily distinguished in the act of belching than 
the flavor of a dozen other foods in the stomach which 
are causing the fermentation. 
I have found a large number of patients who have 
a fear about eating cucumbers, and it often takes a 
considerable time before this fear can be overcome. In 
spite of using perfect food combinations with the cucum- 
bers they will always be looking for trouble, and this ex- 
pectancy of mind undoubtedly helps to make trouble until 
they can demonstrate to their own satisfaction that cu- 
cumbers in themselves are harmless and really a valuable 
salad vegetable. 
Parsley is a succulent vegetable, very rich in iron and 
potash. Because of its chemical composition it has a 
beneficial effect upon an inflamed urinary tract, tending 
to counteract some of the urine acidity when this is 
present in too large a percentage. 
Parsley is best served with a salad of other vege- 
tables, and the best way to prepare it is by grinding it 
through a vegetable grinder, using a large enough 
amount to make it at least one-half of the salad. It may 
then be mixed with or sprinkled over any other salad 
vegetable such as cucumbers, chopped celery, or ground 
carrots. It is as a general rule only used for garnishing 
a salad, but I urge you to use a large amount in the salad 
and you will find that it will make a very agreeable dish, 
and provide an interesting change from the ordinary run 
of salads. 
Small Beets, Small Carrots, Small Turnips, Small 
Parsnips. If these vegetables are used as a salad, only 
the smallest should be selected. They should be prepared Uncooked Salad Vegetables 
255 
by washing with a vegetable brush, but never under any 
circumstances should they be scraped, as this destroys 
the vital part just under the skin. They may then be 
used in their whole state, or may be ground through 
a vegetable grinder. 
These four vegetables contain a larger percentage 
of starch than any of the other salad vegetables which 
I have listed, and it is wise to use only one of them at a 
meal, adding some other raw leafy vegetable such as 
lettuce, parsley, or spinach. This will keep down the 
total amount of starch, and will be found to agree with 
the patient who is not in possession of a strong diges- 
tion, whereas if more than one of these vegetables is 
used the amount of raw starch, which is so difficult to 
digest, will seriously retard the digestive process. 
Lettuce is the most commonly used salad vegetable, 
but from several standpoints it is not the best. Lettuce 
contains a larger amount of water than any of the other 
salad vegetables, and less of the organic minerals. In 
order to supply enough of these minerals a large amount 
must be eaten at one time. Now lettuce contains a cer- 
tain hypnotic agent called hyoscyamine, which has a 
deadening effect upon the nerves of the stomach if 
used in large quantities. If a large supply of lettuce is 
taken at any one meal the hypnotic effect of this chem- 
ical will manifest itself by a drowsiness that will become 
apparent shortly after the meal is eaten. Digestion will 
be retarded, and because of this the other food used will 
ferment more easily, and it may safely be said that those 
whose digestive powers are weakened in any way will be 
well advised to content themselves with very small 
amounts of lettuce. 
However this ill effect does not appear to be at all 
pronounced if only a small quantity of lettuce is eaten 256 
The Fast Way to Health 
at any one time, and it may be used quite often as a 
garnish for the rest of the salad. I do not know of any 
other dietician who has brought out this point about let- 
tuce, but I assure you that I have checked up sufficiently 
on the truth of it, so that if you are a ‘ ‘ walking gas fac- 
tory” you had better set a strict limit to your ration of 
lettuce. 
Oyster Plant or Salsify is a good salad vegetable 
if used only when young and tender. It should be 
washed well, but not scraped, and may be served whole, 
sliced in thin slices or ground fine in a vegetable grinder. 
Since it contains a little more starch than the leafy 
vegetables it should not be used at the same meal as any 
of the other non-starchy tubers such as beets, carrots, 
parsnips, and turnips, because of the sum total of starch 
being too high. 
Mallow (Dwarf) grows wild in the fields. It has a dark 
green leaf, and is slippery like okra when cooked. It is 
very rich in all the blood-building properties. I advise 
you to use it whenever you can find a place where it is 
growing. As far as I know it is never cultivated and 
sold in the market. It mixes well with any of the other 
non-starchy vegetables, and a particularly good com- 
bination is to add it to spinach either in the raw or 
cooked state. 
Nasturtium Leaves and Flowers may be added to 
a salad and used as a garnish. Both the leaves and the 
flowers may be eaten, and they impart an agreeable 
flavor to any salad. 
Endives are a very good leafy salad vegetable, and 
should be used in preference to lettuce as a succulent 
vegetable whenever it is possible to secure them. 
Alligator Pears and Pipe Olives may be added to a 
salad or used by themselves for this purpose. They both Uncooked Salad Vegetables 
257 
contain quite a large amount of vegetable oil, and should 
not be used in too great a quantity. It is best to use the 
alligator pear without any seasoning, simply slicing small 
pieces of it for a salad. Ripe olives are to be preferred 
to the green ones, and are rendered more wholesome 
if they are allowed to stand for several hours in cold 
water before being eaten, as this will extract some of the 
salt brine in which they are put up. Either of these 
salad vegetables will mix with any other article or 
combination of food. 
NOT SO GOOD 
Brussels Sprouts are a variety of cabbage, and may 
be used as a salad vegetable by certain people. Being of 
the cabbage family they contain a considerable amount 
of allyl sulfid, but if only small quantities are taken, 
combined with other salad vegetables, those with strong 
digestion will be able to handle them without producing 
any flatulence. 
Cauliflower and Cabbage contain the same gaseous 
substance as Brussels Sprouts, but when they are used 
in a limited quantity in the raw state they can be taken 
by most people without any resultant discomfort. How- 
ever, they are always questionable, and if you find that 
you have an excess amount of gas after eating them you 
had better discontinue their use, and wait for a consid- 
erable time before trying them again. 
Siviss Chard is a kind of lettuce, but has some of the 
same properties as cabbage. Only small amounts should 
be used in combination with other salad vegetables. 
Watercress is a spicy leafy salad vegetable which 
should only be used in combination with other vegetables 
and should never compose the entire salad as is so 
commonly done. 258 
The Fast Way to Health 
NOT GOOD 
Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Chives, are commonly used 
as an additional seasoning to a salad, bnt in spite of the 
agreeable flavor which many people like, they produce 
more gastro-intestinal disturbance than any other class 
of food used on the modern table. The smallest amount 
of garlic rubbed on the side of the dish, as is sometimes 
done to flavor a salad, will produce flatulence in practi- 
cally every case. I do not believe there is a place in the 
diet where these vegetables can be used either in the 
cooked or raw state without being productive of a great 
deal of harm. 
Radishes must be tabooed by anyone who wishes to 
avoid the distress in the stomach and intestines caused 
by gas pressure. I do not know any way in which 
radishes can be taken where they do not produce this 
effect. 
Pickles are made from different foods soaked in some 
sour preparation. The most common vegetable used is 
the cucumber, which is soaked in vinegar and flavored 
with other seasonings. They are altogether useless as 
a food, and if eaten at a meal where starch is used will 
invariably cause stomach trouble. If taken with a non- 
starchy meal no perceptible discomfort will be expe- 
rienced by those in good health, but an extra secretion of 
gastric juice will be excited, and this as a rule is neither 
necessary nor desirable because of the fact that if con- 
tinued it will cause hyper-acidity of the stomach. 
HOW TO USE SALADS 
The rule governing the use of salads is:— 
“ONE OR MORE UNCOOKED SALAD VEGETABLES 
MAY BE USED WITH ANY OTHER SINGLE ARTICLE OF 
FOOD OR ADDED TO A MEAL WHERE THE OTHER 
FOOD COMBINATIONS ARE CORRECT.” Uncooked Salad Vegetables 
259 
Tomatoes and pineapple are two fruits which may 
be added to a salad, if no starchy food is used at the 
meal. 
The following are specimen meals embodying the 
salad rule:— 
1. 2 ozs. of pecan nuts, and salad of cucumber and celery. 
2. Baked potato, cooked spinach, salad of endives and 
asparagus 
3. Broiled fish, salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. 
4. Soup made from macaroni and spinach, dish of boiled 
macaroni, salad of spinach, celery, and parsley. 
(For more complete details see chapter on Combinations.) 
The use of these vegetables in the cooked form, to- 
gether with fuller particulars as to their food value and 
special virtues, will be found in the chapter on Cooked 
Non-Starchy Vegetables. Chapter VII 
FRUITS 
Those who believe that man should live upon a 
natural diet often argue that fruits are the food pro- 
vided by nature for him, but the truth of the matter is 
that most fruits growing in their natural state have usu- 
ally a very poor flavor, are undeveloped, and quite fre- 
quently full of worms. All the fruits we are using today 
as food have been developed by cultivation, and it may 
be regarded as doubtful that primitive man lived on the 
unpalatable wild fruits for any stronger reason than that 
he was driven to do so by the sharp spur of necessity. 
As soon as he became sufficiently cunning he learned the 
trick of cultivating these wild fruits, berries, and herbs, 
so as to grow them to a larger size and make them more 
tasty. 
The highly cultivated fruits we have today constitute 
a valuable addition to our food supply, provided a care- 
ful study is made of the different kinds with a view to un- 
derstanding when and where they may be used to ad- 
vantage. There is no magical property in fruit which 
makes it possible to use it indiscriminately with other 
foods; indeed the contrary is rather the case, so much so 
that the utmost care must be exercised in combining fruit 
with other foods, as it may quite easily become a danger- 
ous article of diet if improperly used. 
There is, however, undoubtedly a place in the every- 
day diet for fruit, and many special diets of fruit may be 
arranged for the patient to assist in the cure of specific 
diseases. The following tables and comments should be 
helpful to you if you will study them very carefully and 
endeavor to impress upon your memory the important Fruits 
261 
points dealt with in connection with the use of fruit as a 
food:— 
ACID FRUITS 
Apples 
Apricots 
Peaches 
Nectarines 
Pears 
Grapes 
Oranges 
Grapefruit 
Lemons 
Plums 
Loquats 
Cherries 
Berries 
Pineapple 
Tomatoes 
Melons 
STEWED FRUITS 
Prunes 
Figs 
Pears 
Raisins 
Apples 
Apricots 
Berries 
ACID FRUITS 
Apples in the raw state are a delicious fruit, which, 
however, is better taken by itself and should never be com- 
bined with starchy food. There is a considerable amount of 
carbohydrate material in the apple, and the combination 
in itself with its own acid seems to produce fermentation 
easily, so that quite frequently it cannot be used at all 
by people in whom this condition of fermentation sets up 
readily. If apples are used in place of a meal they may 
be combined with one or two ounces of nuts. 
Fresh Apricots can only be secured in certain parts 
of the country, and are an excellent fruit for use in a 
fruit fast. They should be taken alone or with such pro- 
teid food as nuts, cheese, or milk. If they are used in 
this way, the skins may be eaten if well washed. 
Peaches. Summer complaint, which is so common 
among children, occurs mostly during the peach season, 
and an almost specific cause seems to be the mixture of 262 
The Fast Way to Health 
peaches with starchy food. If the child is given peaches 
between meals when the stomach is still full of starchy 
food, it will have just as bad an effect as if the two had 
been eaten together. It is surprising how few cases of 
dysentery occur where the cause cannot be laid directly 
to this combination. 
Nectarines are a variety of the common peach, but 
contain more acid, and do not have the same tendency to 
produce dysentery. 
Fresh Pears have only a small amount of acid, and 
contain more sugar than any other element. They do 
not combine well with other food, but make a very 
agreeable meal by themselves. 
Oranges, Grapefruit and Lemons supply a plenti- 
ful amount of citric acid, and in such a quantity that they 
should never be used with a regular meal. Contrary to 
popular opinion, these fruit juices combine well only with 
milk. They may be used just before milk is taken, or 
they may be mixed with milk, as explained in the chapter 
on milk. The juice of these three fruits may be mixed 
together, as they contain essentially the same elements, 
and the only acid contained in them is citric acid. No 
other fruits can be mixed together in this way. 
In addition to the citric acid, grapefruit also contains 
organic quinine. A large proportion of this is in the 
skin, and may be extracted easily by the following 
method:—Cut a medium-sized grapefruit into small 
pieces, skin and all. After this has been done put it in an 
enameled pan or crock and pour over it one quart of boil- 
ing hot water. Allow to stand for at least 30 minutes. 
The juice from this may be taken during a fast, especially 
to stimulate the liver, and is particularly indicated in the 
treatment of all kinds of colds. The bitter taste arises 
from the organic quinine, which will have a quicker effect Fruits 
263 
than the inorganic form of quinine used in tablet form, 
without any of the bad consequences. It is also valuable 
in its action upon the liver and gall bladder in the elimi- 
nation of gall stones, and those who have a tendency to 
any kind of liver complaint will be benefited if they oc- 
casionally leave out a meal and drink instead a quart of 
this juice made from the grapefruit. 
Under no circumstances should grapefruit or orange 
juice or lemonade be taken preceding a meal or any closer 
than two hours before eating. 
Plums are a strong acid fruit, and make an agreeable 
fruit lunch. Eat as many as desired in place of any other 
food, and drink a glass or two of water. 
Loquats are a kind of acid fruit grown mostly in the 
southwest part of the United States. When ripe they 
have an agreeable flavor. A fruit meal may be made of 
them, with the addition of a glass or two of water. Spe- 
cial mention should be made of the bad habit of eating 
this kind of fruit between meals or near meal times, as it 
does not combine well with any other food. I have known 
very many cases of acute pain in the stomach and intes- 
tines from eating loquats fresh from the trees soon after 
partaking of a hearty meal. The opinion seems to pre- 
vail that fruit may be eaten at any time, but this is a 
great mistake, and there is probably no other class of 
food about which there is so much false teaching. 
Cherries contain more iron and blood-building prop- 
erties than any other fruit which can be found in the 
market. As with all of the other acid fruits they should 
be used by themselves, or in combination with sweet milk. 
There is a false belief that the combination of cherries 
and milk is particularly harmful, but a little experimenta- 
tion will reveal the fact that this is not true, and that the 
combination seems to be perfect. Of course if bread or 264 
The Fast Way to Health 
any other starch is added fermentation will set up 
quickly as the acid of the cherries is very strong, and no 
kind of starch should at any time be mixed with this fruit 
whether the cherries be in the raw, canned, or cooked 
state. 
When the child comes home from school after stop- 
ping off on the way and eating cherries or green apples, 
and is then given bread and butter and milk by his 
mother, you may expect intense stomach cramps, as such 
a combination of foodstuffs is probably the very worst 
that could be put together. The trouble, however, is 
caused entirely by the fact that bread has been added to 
what would otherwise have been a perfect combination. 
The acid of the cherries seems to assist in the digestion 
of the milk, so that the cherries and milk together are 
digested more rapidly than if the sweet milk were used 
alone. 
Berries, although not truly considered a fruit, are put 
in this class in order to simplify classification, as they 
should always be used in the same way as acid fruits. 
If the berries are well ripened they can often be used as 
the dessert at a meal which does not contain starch, but 
no sugar should be added. Cream may be used if desired. 
During the season a very palatable lunch may be had by 
using a pint of raw milk and as many berries as desired 
of any one kind. 
Pineapple is an acid fruit, but may be used as an addi- 
tion to a salad if no starchy foods are used at the meal. 
It really contains a good deal of acid, but this particular 
kind of acid does not seem to cause any trouble. It may 
also be used as a dessert, although if the canned variety 
is taken it is better to wash off the syrup in which it is 
put up. 
Tomatoes are an acid fruit, but one which can be used Fruits 
265 
with a non-starchy meal. The malic acid of the tomato 
seems to assist especially in the digestion of fish, when 
fish and tomatoes are taken at the same meal. However, 
this acid seems too strong for some people who are both- 
ered with flatulence, and in such cases should be withheld 
until digestion becomes normal. 
Melons contain a small amount of acid and a consid- 
erable amount of sugar and starch. They do not combine 
very well with other food, and should be used as a fruit, 
although they invariably produce a good deal of stomach 
and intestinal gas. Undoubtedly the best way to use 
melons is to make a complete meal of one kind of melon, 
eating all desired. They should never be eaten when they 
are unripe, at the beginning of the season. 
STEWED FRUITS 
Prunes, Figs, Raisins, and Apricots are wholesome 
foods if prepared properly. In their dried form they 
should be well washed and soaked overnight in enough 
water to cover them. They should then be cooked slowly 
in the same water for as long as possible, in order to bring 
out the sweet palatable flavor. No sugar should be added, 
as the slow cooking will bring out the fruit sugar, which 
will make them taste more delicious than if commercial 
white sugar is used. 
If you can possibly obtain the particular kind of dried 
fruit which has not been prepared by sulphur, you will 
find it a great deal more desirable in every way. The 
ordinary dried fruits are treated with sulphur in order 
to kill all the small forms of bacterial and worm life, but 
some of the sulphur elements are generally left in the 
food, and I find this tends to cause flatulence in the same 
way as it is caused by the sulphur in onions and garlic. 
This unsulphured, sun-dried fruit is hard to obtain in the 
ordinary grocery store, and in case you should be unable 266 
The Fast Way to Health 
to get it I will be glad to give you the names and ad- 
dresses of firms who will supply you by parcel post. 
If a few senna leaves are added to any of these dried 
fruits before they are soaked overnight, and the leaves 
left in while cooking, you will find it will have a very mild 
effect upon the bowels and will assist in overcoming con- 
stipation. Of course as many leaves may be added as 
seem necessary, but usually a very few will be sufficient. 
I make this suggestion only because I believe that if a 
laxative of some kind must be used this will be the least 
harmful form, but it should not be continued any longer 
than is absolutely necessary. 
Berries should always be washed in several waters, in 
order to remove any poison which has been sprinkled on 
the fruit while growing to keep away insects. They 
should then be stewed for a long time in the same way as 
the stewed fruits last referred to. They must only be 
eaten with a meal that does not contain strictly starchy 
food. 
Pears and Apples when used with a proteid meal 
should be stewed or baked. No sugar should be added, 
but it will oftentimes be necessary to stew apples for two 
or three hours on a slow fire, in order to bring out the 
natural sweetness. On account of the considerable 
amount of carbohydrate which these foods contain, an 
especially bad mixture is made by the addition of any 
commercial sugar. 
FRUIT RULE 
The rule governing the use of acid or stewed fruits is: 
“ONE ACID OR STEWED FRUIT MAY BE USED AS A 
MEAL BY ITSELF, OR IN COMBINATION WITH EITHER 
MILK, CHEESE, NUTS, OR ONE KIND OF PROTEID, 
AND COOKED NON-STARCHY AND SALAD VEGETA- 
BLES MAY ALSO BE ADDED IF DESIRED.” 
CAUTION—“NEITHER ACID NOR STEWED FRUIT 
SHOULD EVER BE USED WITH STARCHY FOODS.” Chapter VIII 
DESSERTS 
One of the most harmful dishes found on the average 
table today is some kind of tasty, sweet food, served at 
the end of the meal and called “dessert.’’ This is usually 
a palatable, pleasing mixture which one can eat easily 
even after a hearty meal on account of the agreeable 
flavor. 
Puddings are always made from some combination of 
sugar and starch, and this combination is one of the 
worst from the standpoint of physiological chemistry, 
because fermentation will always take place. In addition 
to the sugar being added to the starch, some kind of fruit 
or fruit juice is often thrown in which makes the com- 
bination even worse. 
Ice Cream is generally made with about the same mix- 
ture as puddings, namely eggs, cream, corn-starch, sugar, 
and usually some fruit flavoring. If made in this way it 
is certainly not a wholesome food. However, it may be 
made at home from a combination of pure cream and 
eggs, with the addition of only a small amount of sugar. 
A small dish of this dessert may be used by the average 
person occasionally without fear of harm, but there is 
always a tendency to chill the stomach and retard diges- 
tion unless the ice cream is eaten very slowly. 
Stewed Fruits make an excellent dessert, if one is 
desired, but you must see to it that this is not added to a 
meal which has already made you feel full. The addition 
of this kind of dessert should not be made if it causes you 
to feel stuffy, as it will set up digestive disturbance no 
matter how perfect its combination may be with the 
other food. 
Fruit Whip may be made from either prunes, figs, 268 
The Fast Way to Health 
apples, pineapple, pears, apricots, or berries, by mincing 
or grating np any of these fruits and adding them to the 
white of an egg which has been well beaten. They should 
be beaten in thoroughly with the white of the egg, and it 
is not necessary to add any other seasoning. Prune whip 
is about the only kind that is commonly used, but it is 
altogether spoiled from a dietetic standpoint by the 
addition of an extra amount of sugar, which is not only 
unnecessary but actually produces an almost sickening 
flavor. You will find that any of these fruits may be pre- 
pared in the same way as the prunes, without the addition 
of any sugar. They may be served with a small amount 
of cream if desired. 
Gelatin is put up in dried form and sold in packages 
under various trade names. It may be prepared without 
sugar and added to a salad, or one kind of fruit may be 
mixed with it and served as a dessert. “ Jello” is a mix- 
ture of gelatin with imitation fruit flavoring, and is one 
of the most convenient ways in which to use gelatin, the 
addition of the artificial flavoring not appearing to be 
harmful. It is usually prepared with a larger amount of 
sugar than is necessary, and you will find it will have a 
very agreeable flavor if only a small amount is used. 
Either gelatin or jello may be served with thick cream or 
with whipped cream. 
Gelatin is a very useful substance in the body, and it 
is the lack of this substance that makes the bones harden, 
rather than the addition of minerals. It seems that a 
plentiful supply of this food in the diet really keeps the 
bones and tissues softer and younger than when none is 
used. If there is a large supply of gelatin in the blood, 
coagulation will set up readily, and it is especially indi- 
cated in all cases where there is a tendency to bleed eas- 
ily. It is almost a specific for profuse menstruation and Desserts 
269 
the persistent bleeding at menopause, providing this 
bleeding is not produced by tumors or cancers. If the 
patient will use gelatin three times daily for two or three 
days before teeth are extracted there will be very little 
bleeding, as the blood will coagulate easily. 
Unless too much sugar is used with the gelatin or 
jello it is hardly possible to eat too much of it, and I 
strongly urge that it be used several times a week, either 
as an addition to the salad or in the form of dessert. 
Custards may be used as a dessert if made properly, 
or they can be used as the main part of a proteid meal. 
Although it is not ordinarily advisable to mix two kinds 
of proteids together, if eggs and milk are properly mixed 
before cooking the proteid elements in the two seem to 
combine freely. I do not find this to be the case when 
they are used uncooked. No corn-starch or sugar should 
be added to this custard, but a few raisins may be used 
if desired, in order to impart a slightly sweet flavor. In 
place of the raisins a small amount of lemon juice can be 
added, and beaten up vigorously with the egg and milk. 
The custard should be cooked in a slow oven, otherwise 
the egg and milk wall separate, but it is well to have the 
dish warm in which the custard is cooked before it is put 
into the oven, so that the cooking will start more quickly. 
If the egg and milk separate before the cooking is com- 
pleted the custard may be taken out of the oven and 
beaten up again. It might even be necessary to do this 
two or three times during the cooking, in order to cook 
thoroughly through. 
DESSERT RULE 
The rule governing the use of desserts is as follows:— 
“ANY OF THESE GOOD DESSERTS MAY BE USED 
IN COMBINATION WITH ANY NON-STARCHY OR SALAD 
VEGETABLES OR IN ADDITION TO A PROTEID MEAL, 
BUT SHOULD NEVER BE USED WITH STARCHY FOOD.” Chaptee IX 
MILK 
Milk is one of the foods which man has been able to 
develop through the proper care of cattle, so that cows 
and nanny goats have been trained to give milk for a long 
period instead of for the short time necessary for the 
nourishing of their offspring. Although the milk of any 
animal is only ideal food for the young of that particular 
animal, nevertheless I believe that cow’s milk is one of 
the most valuable foods which man can use at the present 
day, provided he will learn to understand its proper place 
in the diet. 
Milk is a liquid food and must be as completely masti- 
cated as if it were solid food, that is to say it must be 
moved around in the mouth so that it may be thoroughly 
mixed with saliva. This is not done as a general rule, 
and the milk consequently forms into large curds in the 
stomach because of being swallowed in large mouthfuls, 
and the digestive juices of the stomach are unable to 
penetrate these curds and extract from them the neces- 
sary nourishment. 
Raw unpasteurized milk contains practically all of 
the elements necessary for the body’s nutrition, but when 
it is added to an ordinary meal and mixed with other 
nourishing foods, the stomach will be unable to take care 
of such a quantity of material which is at the same time 
difficult of digestion. Milk is not digested easily, as many 
people believe, but takes about the same length of time 
in the digestive process as any other good proteid such 
as lean beef, mutton, etc. If it is mixed with any of these 
other proteids, digestion will be delayed in the stomach, 
and will take about twice as long as when the milk is used 
by itself. Milk 
271 
Milk should therefore be used only by itself, or in 
combination with some one of the fruits. Digestion takes 
place more easily if fruit is taken with milk than if the 
latter alone is used, as milk in this combination seems to 
gather in smaller curds which the digestive juices can 
penetrate more easily. 
Pasteurized Milk does not have as great a food value 
as milk in the raw state on account of its being heated to 
such a degree that the organic salts and vitamines are 
precipitated and changed into minerals which the body 
cannot use. This pasteurizing process kills some of the 
bacteria which sour the milk, and this is probably the 
reason why dairymen pasteurize milk, since in this con- 
dition it will keep for a longer time without souring. 
In some States the laws regulating the distribution of 
milk compel the pasteurizing of all milk taken from cows 
which have not been tested for disease. Raw milk can 
only then be sold from cows which have passed the neces- 
sary health tests. No disease germs are killed by the 
pasteurizing process, and if the milk is from unhealthy 
cows no amount of heat would make it fit for food—not 
even if it were boiled. 
Raw milk from healthy cows is in such demand that 
at the present time in Los Angeles a quart of it sells for 
28 cents, and even at that figure your order has to take 
its place on a waiting list. An unlimited amount of pas- 
teurized milk may be secured at 15 cents a quart, so it 
can be readily understood that if the dairyman has cows 
which are healthy enough to pass the tubercular and 
other tests, he will sell the milk as raw milk and receive 
the extra profit. 
Unhealthy milk from sick cows cannot be made fit for 
food by any kind of sterilizing process, any more than 
could the contents of a garbage can, so when I advise the 272 
The Fast Way to Health 
use of milk you must remember that it should always be 
healthy milk taken from healthy cows, and of course as 
fresh as possible. 
The Milk Diet has been adopted to a large extent by 
those who are searching for more abundant health, and 
in certain cases it is productive of very beneficial results. 
Anyone suffering from any form of gastro-intestinal dis- 
order will usually find that a few days on a milk diet will 
assist the stomach and intestines in regaining their nor- 
mal tone, and the rest from other foods is undoubtedly 
of some benefit. The milk may be taken in place of meals, 
using as much as a quart at one time, but the best way in 
which to take an exclusive milk diet is to drink small 
quantities of milk at frequent intervals. For instance, a 
very good method is to take an 8-oz. glass of milk every 
hour for twelve hours, so that three quarts in all are 
taken in a day. 
It is important to be regular in the time for taking 
milk, as the stomach and intestines seem to be able to 
handle it more easily if this regularity is practised. It 
is in addition usually advisable to add some fruit or fruit 
juices to this diet, and a very desirable way is to take one 
or more teaspoonfuls of lemon juice just before each 
glass of milk is taken. This seems to assist in the diges- 
tion of the milk, and tends to prevent biliousness. Orange 
juice or grapefruit juice may be substituted for the lemon 
juice, or any of the acid fruits may be used to advantage. 
I find that almost everyone can take the milk diet if some 
kind of fruit is used, whereas there are a great many who 
cannot take a large enough quantity of milk itself to sus- 
tain them without producing biliousness, probably from 
the amount of fat which the milk contains. The fruit 
juices appear to help in emulsifying this fat and making 
it more easily digested. A very good way in which to Milk 
273 
use milk is to take it in place of a meal, drinking a glass 
every fifteen minutes until one quart is taken, and eating 
along with it some of the fruits suggested above. 
Lemon Milk is a kind of sour milk or substitute for 
buttermilk, made by adding the juice from one-half to 
one or even two lemons to a pint of milk, and shaking the 
lemon juice and milk together vigorously. An egg-beater 
may be used in beating the mixture up, but the simplest 
way to prepare this lemon milk at home is probably to 
put the pint of milk in a quart bottle and then add the 
strained lemon juice in any quantity desired to suit the 
taste. Put the cap on the milk bottle and shake vigor- 
ously, churning it up and down to mix the milk and lemon 
together. This mixture tastes different than any other 
sour milk that you have ever used, and is relished by 
almost everyone. Patients who are so weak that they 
cannot digest any other food will always be able to digest 
this lemon milk if they can eat anything at all. You may 
take a pint or more of the mixture for a meal, or a glass 
per hour may be taken in the same way as in the sweet 
milk diet, but it must be mixed fresh each time you use 
it, as the curd and whey will separate after a time if not 
taken when prepared. 
Sumik may be made by using milk which has been 
allowed to stand in a cool place for a week or ten days. 
The bottle, which has been kept covered, should then be 
opened and about one-half of the whey removed. The 
rest of the milk can then be shaken in the bottle, or 
poured out in a pan and beaten with an egg beater. This 
is equal in value to the lemon milk, but is not so easily 
prepared on account of the length of time the milk takes 
to sour by its own lactic acid. If the milk is soured more 
quickly by heat the flavor is entirely different, and it does 274 
The Fast Way to Health 
not taste nearly so good as if soured for a long time in a 
cool place. 
Buttermilk as secured from the dairyman is usually 
only soured skim milk, and is generally taken from pas- 
teurized milk which has had the cream removed for but- 
ter. Because of its liability to have been taken from sick 
cows I do not advise its use when the lemon milk or sumik 
made from raw milk is so easily obtainable. 
Bulgarian Milk. This kind of sour milk is made more 
quickly by adding to sweet milk a culture of Bulgarian 
bacillus, which assists in the souring process and in de- 
veloping the lactic acid. If it is added to raw milk it is 
no doubt better than ordinary buttermilk, but it cannot 
be compared in value to lemon milk or sumik. 
Goat’s Milk may be used in place of cow’s in any way 
except for the milk diet. When an attempt is made to 
take enough goat’s milk for an exclusive diet, you will 
find that after drinking one or two quarts a slightly un- 
pleasant taste will gradually make itself apparent, which 
is not perceptible when only a small quantity is used. 
Goats are naturally healthy animals and their milk is 
very clean, so if it is enjoyed and can be secured fresh 
you will find that it makes a good substitute for cow’s 
milk. Chapter X 
TOASTEiD FOOD 
When any kind of starch is heated sufficiently to turn 
brown, it has then been changed into dextrose, in which 
form it is readily assimilated. When the starch itself 
is eaten it must be converted by the digestive juices into 
a form similar to this dextrose, after which assimilation 
takes place. It is not possible for starch to be assimi- 
lated until it is thus converted, so that browning the 
starch by toasting saves the digestive organs so much 
work, and prepares the food for immediate assimilation, 
which assimilation no doubt begins as soon as the food 
enters the stomach and continues through the intestines. 
Although starch ferments very easily, after the same 
food has been dextrinized there is no possibility of fer- 
mentation existing, and it can never cause indigestion, 
because it is already digested and ready for assimilation. 
Those who are inclined to constipation must be cautious 
in the use of this class of food, as indeed they should be 
with all concentrated foodstuffs, because so much is as- 
similated, and very little bulk material left behind to 
form bowel movements. However, if sufficient bulk is 
used at the same time, dextrinized foods themselves will 
not produce constipation, but care must be exercised by 
those with sluggish intestines until the bowel movements 
become normal. 
Any dextrinized food mixes well with any other arti- 
cle of diet, and is especially recommended for those who 
are doing hard muscular work or who, in addition to 
brain work, are taking vigorous physical culture exer- 
cise. The following are some of the more important 
toasted foods:— 276 
The Fast Way to Health 
Melba Toast is tlie name given to a certain kind of 
toasted bread by some of the larger hotels, and is distin- 
guished from the ordinary toast by being very thin and 
browned all the way through. It may be made at home 
very easily by using the following method: cut all of 
the crust from an ordinary loaf of white bread, and slice 
the entire loaf in pieces one-quarter of an inch thick. 
Allow these to dry at least overnight, and preferably 
even longer. When thoroughly dry they should then be 
put in a moderately hot oven and roasted so that the heat 
will entirely penetrate the dried bread and it will be 
browned all the way through. 
If the crust is left on the bread you will find that it 
(the crust) will tend to burn, while the rest of the toast 
will not be browned well enough. The cooking must be 
continued until there is no sign of any white starch in the 
toast. The best way to do is to toast an ovenful at a time 
and not attempt to do anything else while you are watch- 
ing the toast. Sit in front of the oven and open the door 
every minute or two, so that there will be no chance of 
the toast either being burned or not browned completely. 
When toasted in this way the bread will have a sweet 
taste similar to what used to be sold in the stores under 
the name of “Zwieback.” It was possible at one time to 
buy this imported zwieback in packages, and it was sim- 
ply made from plain bread and toasted in the same man- 
ner as I have described for the Melba toast, but as far 
as I have been able to ascertain, all of the zwieback that 
is now sold on the market is made from sweetened bread 
and only partially toasted, and is in no way similar to 
Melba toast, being really as harmful as white bread be- 
cause of the untoasted starch which is mixed with sugar. 
There is no advantage in eating the ordinary toast 
which is served in restaurants over eating any other kind Toasted Food 
277 
of bread, and it really appears as though more digestive 
disturbance is caused by eating this ordinary toast than 
if plain bread is used. Melba toast may be taken with 
any other food, and several pieces may be eaten at a 
meal. It should be buttered fresh as it is being eaten, 
and the butter should not be allowed to melt on the toast. 
If the butter does melt on the toast it seems to have some 
effect upon the other foods which are eaten with it, and 
digestion is delayed. It may not seem reasonable to be- 
lieve that it would make any difference whether the but- 
ter melted or not, but I have found by actual experience 
with patients that it does make a great deal of difference. 
Shredded Wheat Toast is best made by breaking open 
a shredded wheat biscuit and retoasting the inside by 
placing it under a broiler fire, far enough away from the 
fire to make certain that it will not burn too much. Be- 
cause this wheat biscuit is shredded the heat from the 
broiler will penetrate it easily and toast it through 
quickly, a thing that cannot be done with ordinary bread. 
The shredded wheat may also be cooked in the oven in 
the same way as bread toast, but I believe the cooking 
under the broiler is to be preferred, as the outside of the 
shredded wheat biscuit is already partially toasted, and 
when placed under the broiler the inside may be cooked 
more than the outside, which ensures a complete toasting 
all the way through. This can be served with the addi- 
tion of boiling hot water poured over it, and eaten with 
a seasoning of fresh butter. No sugar should be added. 
Triscuit is of the same composition as shredded wheat 
biscuit, and is simply pressed flat. It should be toasted 
in the oven in the same way as the Melba toast, and makes 
a very delicious toast. Packages of this triscuit may be 
taken on travels and camping trips, and retoasted just 
before being used. It has a different flavor than Melba 278 
The Fast Way to Health 
toast on account of being made from shredded whole 
wheat, and will be relished by those who do not care par- 
ticularly for the latter. 
Kellogg’s Toasted Wheat Biscuit is similar to Triscuit 
but is more dextrinized when purchased. However, it 
should be retoasted in the oven, and may then be used in 
place of any other toast. 
Other Toasts may be made from whole-wheat bread, 
Graham bread, muffins, or even corn bread. The only 
rule to remember is that all of the starch must be con- 
verted into brown dextrose. There is no particular ad- 
vantage in using any of these breads for toast except that 
the flavor is somewhat different and might be relished 
more by some than that of white bread toast. All of the 
other food elements are destroyed in toasting and only 
the dextrose is left behind, so there is actually more dex- 
trose in the white bread toast than in the others. Whole- 
wheat bread does not toast as easily as the white bread, 
but if sufficient care is exercised in browning it entirely 
through it makes a delicious toast, although very hard 
to chew. 
Toasted Nuts. If nuts are shelled and roasted in a 
pan in the oven they may be dextrinized thoroughly and 
will develop a rich brown color. By this process most of 
the proteid is destroyed, leaving behind a flavoring mixed 
with the dextrose which is very agreeable to the taste, 
and a small dish of this food may be used with almost any 
meal to which toast could be added. 
Peanuts are so high in starch value that they make an 
excellent nut for roasting. For convenience you can buy 
the ordinary roasted peanuts, shell them, and retoast in 
the oven in a pan. This retoasting takes only a few min- 
utes, and they may be served hot, with the addition of a 
little butter if desired. These roasted nuts make a pleas- Toasted Food 
279 
ant addition to the meal, and may be taken freely by 
almost anyone who is not suffering from constipation. 
If chestnuts are used they should be browned first and 
broken in halves and then toasted in the pan in the oven. 
Pecan or almond nuts may be used in the same way as 
peanuts, but care must be exercised to see that they are 
toasted completely. 
Roasted Nut Butter may be used in those cases where 
toast could be used. This does not mean the ordinary 
mixed nut butters on the market, which are light in color 
because the nuts have not been roasted. Only roasted 
nuts should be used, as this is dextrinized food, while the 
nut butters light in color are made from nuts containing 
a large amount of raw starch. A small portion of nut 
butter may be served on the plate with the dinner with 
almost any kind of a meal. 
Corn Flakes are a kind of dextrinized breakfast food 
which may be used as a toast if retoasted slightly in the 
oven and served with cream, or by moistening with hot 
water and flavoring with butter. 
Uncle Sam’s Breakfast Food is a kind of breakfast 
food which has been on the market for a number of years 
and consists of a mixture of toasted wheat flakes made 
from whole wheat mixed with flaxseed. This should be 
used in the same way as the corn flakes, but is more 
desirable because of the small amount of flaxseed it con- 
tains, which helps to overcome constipation and coun- 
teracts the constipating effect which is present with all 
dextrinized foods. Chapter XI 
LIQUIDS 
Water should be the principal liquid used, but the reg- 
ulations governing the taking of it must be left to each 
individual person. When large amounts of non-starchy 
and salad vegetables form part of the diet there will be 
such a quantity of water supplied by these foodstuffs 
themselves that it will not be necessary to take a very 
large amount for drinking purposes. 
When hard muscular exercise is being indulged in 
there will be an increased demand for water, as the body 
is constantly eliminating moisture in liquid and gaseous 
forms at such periods. This elimination is actually going 
on at all times, but it is increased when it is necessary for 
the body to regulate its temperature or to throw out 
toxins which have been dissolved in the body liquids. 
There are many who advocate the drinking of water 
with meals, and just as many who consider that it is in- 
jurious. I believe that both opinions are correct accord- 
ing to the individual case. There is no rule I know of 
that can be laid down to apply to everyone, but a great 
deal of experimentation must be conducted in order that 
each one may ascertain just what proportion of water 
should be used in the diet, either with meals or between 
meals, to get the best results. 
In general if the urine is quite clear it will indicate 
that the body has enough water for its needs, but if you 
find that it (the urine) becomes heavy at certain times it 
is well to see that an extra amount is added some time 
previous to such periods, that is to say if you find that 
each day the urine is cloudy at eleven or twelve o’clock 
in the forenoon, it would be a good plan to drink one or Liquids 
281 
two glasses of water about ten o’clock. The same per- 
son will generally find it advantageous to take one or two 
glasses of water again an hour or so before dinner. 
If water is taken just before retiring it will be neces- 
sary to get up once or twice during the night for the pur- 
pose of emptying the bladder, and this often disturbs the 
patient’s sleep and prevents the deriving of the fullest 
amount of good from the night’s rest. If your urine is 
very heavy in the morning it would be better to adopt the 
habit of getting up about 4 or 5 a. m. and drinking one or 
two glasses of water at that time, so that the body may 
have this water to use for the purpose of cleansing the 
kidneys and bladder from the material which has accum- 
ulated during the night. 
If there is an insistent craving for large amounts of 
water in the daytime it is usually because too much sea- 
soning is taken in the food, particularly of salt. If you 
are eating food prepared as I have suggested in this 
book, and you still have a desire to drink water a good 
many times during the day, it would be well for you to 
have your urine examined to see that it does not contain 
sugar in excess, which would indicate that you were suf- 
fering from diabetes. 
Try drinking half a glass to a glass of hot water after 
each meal in place of coffee or tea. Do this for a few 
days, and then try a few days without taking any water 
at meal times at all. In this way you will be able to ascer- 
tain which procedure seems to agree best with you, and 
whether digestion is improved or retarded hy one or the 
other method. 
It is generally possible to drink water between meals 
in large quantities without injuring the body, but this 
should not be done merely as a matter of policy unless 
you have clear evidence that you are deriving benefit of 282 
The Fast Way to Health 
some kind. My own belief is that constipation is fre- 
quently caused by taking large amounts of liquids, as 
these are washed down into the intestines and supply for 
a time the medium which takes the place of the intestinal 
juices. These intestinal juices, however, have a better 
lubricating effect than water, if left in a natural state, 
but their strength seems gradually to diminish if large 
quantities of water are used. If the food is allowed to 
digest in the stomach and intestines without too much 
liquid being added, there will be more digestive juices 
formed and more of the normal lubricating fluids will be 
generated, but this generation seems to be discouraged 
if too many liquids are taken. 
Coffee and Tea, which are so commonly used, cannot 
be classed as good beverages, and should not be taken 
with any regularity. An occasional cup of tea without 
sugar or cream, or a small cup of black coffee without 
sugar or cream, may be allowable on special occasions, 
but their use should not be made a habit. There are 
many authorities who condemn tea and coffee as very 
dangerous drinks, and they are often spoken of as the 
cause of different diseases. There are others again who 
freely recommend their use, claiming that the drugs con- 
tained in them are not harmful. 
After a close study of the subject with many classes 
of patients and those in good health, my conclusion is 
that more harm than good will come from their use, and 
I cannot conscientiously recommend them. However, it 
does not seem to me that the drugs in tea and coffee are 
so harmful, but rather that the kidneys and liver seem 
to be overworked when they are taken. If coffee is drunk 
at breakfast you will find the urine very heavy in the 
middle of the morning, and if you test yourself carefully 
you will discover that your mental and physical powers Liquids 
283 
will not be as acute as if hot water were used in place of 
the coffee. If you are striving for 100% efficiency these 
drinks must be eliminated. 
Milk is about the only liquid food I ever advise, and it 
may be used in either the sweet or the sour state as ex- 
plained in the chapter on this subject. You must remem- 
ber that milk should never be taken at the ordinary meal. 
This was recognized many centuries ago when the Mosaic 
laws were written, yet I know a good many people at the 
present day, even including dieticians, who do not under- 
stand that to drink milk when eating either meat or fish 
is to form one of the most incompatible of food mixtures. 
Cocoa and Chocolate were for a long time considered 
a good food for convalescents and were generally given 
to patients in the hospitals. Many institutions for the 
care of the sick, however, have now abandoned the use of 
these beverages, finding that they cause more trouble 
than either coffee or tea. They seem to produce a good 
deal of biliousness, and of course are unpalatable unless 
a large amount of sugar is used. Chocolate is simply 
cocoa to which sugar has been added. I never recom- 
mend either of these at any time as a food. 
Malted Milk is a stimulating food beverage, and if it 
is used at all it should be taken in place of a meal, and 
then only mixed with milk or water. The mixtures with 
malted milk put up at the soda fountains are really un- 
wholesome concoctions. Malted milk is entirely devital- 
ized, and only contains stimulating elements of a carbo- 
hydrate nature. Probably because of the fact that it is 
a liquid carbohydrate it does not digest easily, since no 
one mixes it sufficiently with saliva, and there is no doubt 
that the common practice of taking a hurry-up lunch at 
the corner soda fountain consisting of malted milk and 284 
The Fast Way to Health 
sandwiches should be regarded as one of the very worst 
dietetic errors. 
Light Wines, such as claret, sauterne, and sherry, may 
be used with a proteid meal, but should not be taken when 
starch is eaten. There are undoubtedly some people with 
weak digestive functions who will be able to get more 
good from their food if a glassful of wine is taken just 
before the meal. If it is impossible to secure good wine 
and you can obtain whiskey or brandy, a small amount of 
either of these may be used if well diluted with water, 
just before the meal. This is particularly desirable at 
the evening meal, and especially with those who have had 
an exhausting day of hard mental work. At such a time 
the stimulant seems to act as a food, and quickly renews 
the energy which has been used up during the day. 
If excesses with any kind of alcoholic beverage are 
indulged in, intoxication will be produced, accompanied 
by a marked impairment of the physical and mental func- 
tions, but in spite of this fact there is undoubtedly a 
place in the diet for certain small amounts of well-made 
wines or liquors. 
Beer was never a very wholesome drink, seeming to 
cause a good deal of flatulence. Only a small quantity 
should be taken with the meal, and it is really much better 
to drink it between meals when no other food is in the 
stomach. 
Lemonade, Orangeade, Limeade, etc., may be used if 
they are taken without any other food in place of a meal. 
It is not even the best policy to take these drinks between 
meals, but rather to substitute them for a meal such as 
lunch, or any of the other meals during hot weather or 
when you are not very hungry. A most agreeable flavor 
can be produced if honey or maple syrup is used in place 
of the ordinary sugar. Liquids 
285 
Carbonated Drinks of all kinds are not to be recom- 
mended because of the effect in the stomach and intes- 
tines of the generation of gas from the carbonated water. 
In addition they are usually sweetened with glucose and 
flavored with various imitations of fruit flavors, which 
makes it necessary to use them in place of a meal if they 
are taken at all, and not in addition to any other food. 
Coca Cola is a drink made by adding carbonated water 
to coca cola extract, which contains mostly burnt sugar 
and caffeine, the principal drug found in coffee. If this 
is used far enough away from meal times it is stimulat- 
ing, but apparently not harmful. Coffee has much less 
caffeine in it than coca cola, yet seems to work much more 
mischief than the latter. Coca cola has been largely con- 
demned by dieticians and health authorities, but I per- 
sonally have never been able to find a patient who has 
been harmed by it provided it was taken only occasion- 
ally and not near meal times. 
Grape Juice is a drink which may be used any place in 
the diet where grapes themselves could be taken. (See 
chapter on Fruits.) The kind which is prepared from the 
pure juice of the grape, which has only been heated suffi- 
ciently to pasteurize it so that it can be bottled without 
spoiling, is much to be preferred. Most of the grape 
juice on the market is made from poor grapes which are 
boiled and to which sugar is added. This kind of grape 
juice is not so wholesome as that prepared by pasteur- 
izing only, and in addition has a constipating effect, while 
the other is laxative and nourishing, but of course neither 
of these is ever so desirable as the fresh juice of the 
grape which has not been heated in any way. Grape 
juice is a refreshing and nourishing drink if taken in 
place of a meal, but the same caution must be observed 
as governs the use of fruits. Chapter XII 
SUGAR 
Sugar is a form of carbohydrate food which is used 
liberally on the average table, but the way in which it is 
taken generally does more harm than good. If it were 
entirely eliminated from the diet we would not be nearly 
so likely to sutler from the lack of those elements not 
contained in sugar which have to be derived from 
other foods, but which we are apt to go short on because 
these particular foods are crowded out of the diet to make 
way for the palatable sugar. It is used a great deal for 
flavoring starchy dishes, and this combination with starch 
can always be relied on to produce excessive fermenta- 
tion. 
It is this combination of sugar and starch which is so 
commonly used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages, 
some liquors being made entirely by fermenting grains 
and sugar together. If such combinations are used in 
the human digestive apparatus precisely the same kind 
of fermentation will take place, although of course to 
nothing like the same extent as if allowed to continue for 
a week or two. Sufficient fermentation however actually 
does take place to produce a large amount of stomach 
and intestinal gas, and at the same time certain toxic 
substances are generated in the production of the alcohol 
which results from this fermentation. 
You are perhaps familiar with the processes by which 
fusel-oil and other poisonous substances are distilled 
from liquors, and at this particular time when so much 
illicit distilling is going on you doubtless know of many 
cases of sickness and even of blindness and paralysis 
brought on by drinking these distilled liquors that have Sugar 
287 
not been properly treated for the removal of these poi- 
sonous properties. Similar poisons are manufactured in 
the alimentary canal when too much starch is eaten or 
when sugar and starch are mixed together at the same 
time. It is surprising to see how certain chronic ail- 
ments will disappear when the patient stops using such 
combinations as are to be found in breakfast cereals fla- 
vored with sugar, puddings made with starch and sugar, 
and even by eliminating from the starchy meal drinks 
which have been flavored with sugar. 
Almost any kind of sugar may be used in place of 
starch if the rules laid down for starches are followed. 
Most people however would not be satisfied with a meal 
of this kind, yet there are some agreeable ways in which 
the better sugars may be taken. The sugar fruits for 
example may be used in place of starch, or may be eaten 
in addition to a proteid meal. If one is very fond of 
stewed prunes, figs, raisins, or any of these sugar fruits, 
a pleasant change may be made from the ordinary starchy 
meal by substituting any one of these fruits for the 
starch. As however the nourishment contained in the 
stewed fruits is so concentrated, it is always advisable 
to use a certain amount of non-starchy or salad vege- 
tables at the same time. 
Another way in which they may be combined is with 
sweet milk or buttermilk. If honey or maple syrup is 
ever used it should be taken as previously suggested in 
connection with the making of lemonade, or can be used 
in flavoring toast or waffles which are dextrinized. These 
sugars should not be used with bread or muffins, although 
those with strong digestive ability will find they are able 
to eat stewed fruits that are rich in sugar with muffins 
or mush made from whole-wheat flour. This is a matter 
that must be tried out in each individual case, but as a 288 
The Fast Way to Health 
rule it will be found that the whole-wheat muffins and 
stewed fruit will not ferment as easily as other combina- 
tions of starches and sugars. This is not true of the 
ordinary whole-wheat flour, but can only be applied to the 
flour made from the entire grain. I believe the reason 
that less fermentation takes place with these foods is 
that they seem to pass through the alimentary canal 
more quickly and do not delay in any one place long 
enough for fermentation to be developed. Most of the 
starches pass through very sluggishly and ferment more 
readily. 
CANDY is not the best kind of sugar to use, and 
cannot be considered to have the same wholesomeness as 
the sugar fruits. The vitamines are entirely destroyed 
in the sugar used in the making of candy, but these are 
retained in the fruit, which preserves the sugar in more 
of its natural form. If candy is taken at all it should be 
used in place of starchy food, and sufficient bulk of non- 
starchy or salad vegetables taken with it, or a small 
amount used at the end of a proteid meal. It is however 
rather a dangerous food for anyone to use who is trying 
to keep in perfect health, and whose case demands that 
they should live on a small amount of carbohydrates. If 
children are given enough of the sugar fruits to eat in 
place of candy they will generally be more satisfied and 
will not think of asking for the latter. Chapter XIII 
FOOD COMBINATIONS 
When the average person plans a meal the idea which 
seems to be uppermost in his or her mind is to prepare 
as many tasty dishes as possible, and often those who 
pride themselves on their culinary art delight in serving 
concoctions which are distinguished by “queerness” 
from any their friends know how to prepare. Another 
point which is generally kept prominently in mind is to 
provide so much food that the people eating it will be- 
come as full as possible, and it would almost appear that 
the meal is not regarded as a complete success unless 
everyone feels stuffy after partaking of it. Quite fre- 
quently, too, in preparing food for one’s own family, an 
attempt is made to furnish as large a quantity as possible 
with the least expenditure of money. 
The most important points, however, for the house- 
wife to take into consideration in the preparation of the 
meal are:— 
1. So to combine the different foods at a meal that they will 
be correct from the standpoint of physiological chemistry, 
that is, that incompatible mixtures will not be used. 
2. To prepare foods so that they will be easily digested 
and assimilated. 
3. To understand the necessity for supplying, not necessar- 
ily at one meal, but in the course of the day, all of the 
elements necessary for the body’s growth. 
4. To serve only such a quantity of the different foods that 
no one will feel stuffy after eating. 
It must be understood that it is not what we eat indis- 
criminately that supplies our bodies, but what we digest 
and assimilate and convert into tissue. Even though the 
most wholesome food is used, so long as it is so improp- 290 
The Fast Way to Health 
erly mixed with other foods that there is a constant bat- 
tle going on between the different foodstuffs in the stom- 
ach and intestines, the body will be unable to extract the 
nourishment it requires, at least not without a great ex- 
pense and waste of energy. As every chemist knows, 
there are just as many antagonistic chemicals in the test 
tube in the laboratory as there are those that blend easily, 
so in like manner in the human digestive apparatus foods 
must be considered from the standpoint of proper agree- 
ment during the chemical digestion in the stomach and 
intestines. 
The simplest plan which has yet been suggested to 
solve the difficulty of improper food mixtures is the use 
of the “Mono” diet, where only one food is eaten at a 
time. I have personally known several people who lived 
on this diet plan for a considerable period, with apparent 
benefit. They used only one article of food at a time, eat- 
ing as much as desired of that one particular food, and 
waiting until hungry again, when some other one food 
would be taken. I often prescribe such a diet for patients 
while under treatment, but it is improbable that the aver- 
age person would be willing to live on such restricted 
fare for any length of time. 
The most practical plan is without doubt to use one 
strongly nourishing food at a meal, in combination with 
other foods which combine well, are more easily digested, 
and fill up in an adequate manner. The two most im- 
portant kinds of food, and those which are the “most 
nourishing” are the proteids and starches, and it 
seems advisable not to use both of these at the same meal. 
Possibly the simplest manner in which to set forth the 
best way of using these foods is to discuss each one sep- 
arately from the particular point of view of combination 
with other foods. For fuller information as to the foods Food Combinations 
291 
themselves the chapters in the earlier portion of Division 
II of this book should be consulted. 
Proteid Combinations. Meat is the principal proteid 
food, and is probably needed by the body more than any 
other foodstuff. It is digested in the human in much the 
same way as it is in a carnivorous animal. No changes 
take place in meat while it is in the mouth except that 
it is broken up into smaller particles. The saliva, or 
digestive juice of the mouth, does not have any effect 
upon meat whatever, as it does in the case of starch, 
and meat can be digested just as well in the stomach 
in large pieces as if finely masticated. The digestion of 
meat begins in the stomach and is almost entirely a chem- 
ical process, the meat being liquefied by the chemical 
action of the gastric juice upon it. Thus liquefied it is 
easily assimilated through the walls of the stomach, and 
in a well-balanced meal four-fifths of the proteid food is 
absorbed into the circulation in this fashion. The re- 
maining one-fifth of this liquefied proteid passes into the 
small intestines, where it continues to be absorbed. 
The digestive juice of the stomach is of an acid 
nature, and the digestive element in the gastric juice can 
act only in this acid medium. If starch is mixed with 
meat at a meal, on account of its being of an alkaline 
nature it will delay the digestion of the proteid in the 
stomach. Carnivorous animals live entirely upon flesh, 
and never eat any other article of food except when they 
are domesticated and taught to use some other foodstuff 
which has been flavored with milk or meat. In their 
natural state they devour their prey whole, and in this 
way, by eating bones and skin, get many of the necessary 
organic minerals. When man eats meat, however, he 
does not consume the bones and seldom the skin of the 
animal, but finds an even more valuable substitute by 292 
The Fast Way to Health 
using large quantities of the non-starchy vegetables and 
fruits. These provide bulk to be mixed with the proteid, 
and assist in its digestion. 
I believe the simplest way in which to remember how 
to use proteid food to the best advantage is to bear in 
mind that when you are eating a proteid meal you are 
taking what might be called “tiger food,” that is, you are 
eating such food as a tiger might eat, except that you 
are substituting non-starchy vegetables and fruits for the 
bones and skin which the tiger would demolish entirely. 
It is as a general rule not wise to mix with meat any of 
those foods which require complete mastication, such as 
the grains and tubers which contain a large amount of 
starch. The following specimen meals contain good pro- 
teid combinations: 
1. Lean beef, cooked spinach, and celery. 
2. Roast mutton, cooked asparagus, raw celery. 
3. Broiled fish, salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. 
4. Coddled eggs, Melba toast, stewed prunes. 
Starches. As the first step in the digestion of starch 
begins in the mouth, it is well to masticate all starchy 
foods thoroughly so as to mix them with saliva. Acid 
fruit should not be used with starch, first of all because 
the acid will counteract the alkaline saliva of the mouth, 
which is necessary for the digestion of the starch, and 
also because the fruit acid will stimulate the flow of gas- 
tric juice which is not needed for the starch digestion. 
If proteid food is used with starch the starch will always 
be delayed in the stomach waiting for the proteid to be 
digested, and in consequence will reach the intestines in 
an acid condition which it is difficult for the alkaline bile 
to overcome. If proteid and starch are used at the same 
meal the starch will be rendered unfit for digestion in the 
small intestines by this delay in the stomach and the pro- Food Combinations 
293 
teid food will not be as perfectly digested and assimi- 
lated because of the starch interference. 
Starch is a very concentrated food and requires the 
combination of some other bulky foods such as the non- 
starchy and salad vegetables to assist in separating it 
thoroughly, so that the digestive juices may penetrate 
and the starch be more easily digested. Those animals, 
such as the cow, which use the largest amount of starch, 
masticate the starchy grains which they eat, and their 
chewing of the cud is simply for the purpose of digesting 
the starch by the action of their saliva. They also grind 
up along with the starch all of the green succulent vege- 
tables they can find, and when man eats starchy food, 
exactly the same combinations should be used as the 
farmer feeds to such of his cattle as chew the cud, except- 
ing that in place of hay, man confines himself to the ten- 
der, succulent, non-starchy vegetables. 
Cattle must always be given enough hay with their 
grain, and whenever a domestic animal breaks into the 
grain bin and eats too much of this kind of starch with- 
out having hay at the same time, the animal is liable to 
die from violent digestive disturbances. I do not believe 
that we should copy the animals exactly in our habits of 
eating, but I oftentimes find that the successful farmer is 
more careful about the feeding of his cattle than he is in 
the feeding of his children or of himself, and it is reason- 
able enough at times to look for valuable lessons from 
some of these homely animal comparisons. 
Man is able to live on both carnivorous food and 
herbivorous, and it seems to be one of the greatest secrets 
of dietetics to know that although man may subsist on 
either tiger’s food or cow’s food, the tiger food and the 
cow food should not be mixed together at the same meal. 
Another important point to be remembered in con- 
nection with the use of starch is that each starch has a 294 
The Fast Way to Health 
different cell structure from the rest, and therefore it is 
not advisable to use two kinds of starch at the same meal, 
but is much better to take as much as may be necessary 
of only one kind. Strong seasoning, spices, condiments, 
pickles, etc., should not be used with starchy food, as too 
much gastric juice is secreted if these are eaten, and 
while their use might be excusable with proteid foods, 
when used with starches the acid state of the stomach 
which they produce, directly interferes with the starch 
digestion. The following specimen meals will give you 
some idea of the different forms in which starch may be 
taken and combined with other foods:— 
1. Baked potato, cooked spinach and string beans, raw 
celery. 
2. Boiled rice, cooked cucumbers, salad of cucumbers and 
lettuce. 
3. Whole-wheat mush, salad of raw grated carrots on 
lettuce. 
4. Corn bread, cooked asparagus, raw cabbage. 
SUMMARY OF RULES FOR COMRINATIONS 
Proteid Rule— Any one proteid may be used with one or 
more cooked and raw non-starchy vege- 
tables, with the addition of one kind of 
fruit either raw or cooked, as recommended. 
Starch Rule— Any one starch may be used with one or 
more cooked and raw non-starchy vege- 
tables. No fruit should be used with this 
meal. 
Non-Starchy Rule—One or more non-starchy vegetables, either 
raw or cooked, may be used with either one 
starch or one proteid, or with any one 
other article of food such as milk, toast, or 
fruit. Food Combinations 
295 
Fruit Rule— One fruit, as recommended, either raw or 
cooked, may be used with a proteid meal, 
or with milk, or with any non-starchy 
vegetable. 
CAUTION—Fruit should never be used 
with starch. 
Toast Rule— Toasted food may be used with any other 
article of food. 
Milk Rule— Milk may be used by itself or with any one 
kind of fruit or with one or more non- 
starchy vegetables. 
Dessert Rule— Any good dessert may be used in combina- 
tion with any non-starchy or salad vege- 
tables, or in addition to a proteid meal, but 
never with starchy food. 
NOTE:—Whole-wheat crackers or muffins may be used in a lim- 
ited quantity with either proteid or starchy foods by 
those in good health. This seems to be an exception 
to the general rules regulating the use of proteids and 
starches. Chapter XIV 
MENUS 
MENU No. 1 
Suggested for Brain Workers—Those Inclined to Obesity— 
Catarrhal Disorders—Asthma or High Blood Pressure. 
Breakfast: One coddled egg, one waffle, dish of 
stewed raisins. 
Lunch: Raw apples as desired. 
Dinner: Roast chicken, cooked cucumbers, 
cooked spinach, raw celery, jello. 
Sunday 
Breakfast: Two poached eggs on Melba toast, 
stewed apricots. 
Lunch: Glass of orange juice. 
Dinner: Roast beef, cooked string beans, 
cooked asparagus, salad of tomatoes 
and lettuce, five stewed prunes. 
Monday 
Breakfast: Dish of cottage cheese, four or five 
pieces Melba toast, five stewed 
prunes. 
Lunch: As many pears as desired. 
Dinner: Broiled Belgian hare, cooked celery, 
cooked lima squash, salad of cu- 
cumber and lettuce, apricot whip. 
Tuesday 
Breakfast: French omelet on toast, baked apple. 
Lunch: Fresh apricots and two ounces Pecan 
nuts. 
Dinner: Leg of mutton, cooked small carrots, 
cooked lettuce, raw celery, baked 
pear. 
Wednesday 
Breakfast: Two coddled eggs, three toasted tris- 
cuits, five stewed figs. 
Lunch: One pound of cherries. 
Dinner: Salisbury steak, cooked tomatoes, 
cooked zucchini, salad of lettuce, 
tomatoes and cucumber. 
Thursday Menus 
297 
Breakfast: French omelet of whites of two eggs 
and two ounces of milk, on Melba 
toast, stewed pears. 
Lunch: Dish of cottage cheese and fresh 
peaches. 
Dinner: Broiled filet of sole, cooked spinach, 
tomato salad. 
Friday 
Breakfast: Two eggs poached in milk and served 
on toasted shredded ivheat biscuit, 
five stewed prunes. 
Lunch: One pound of grapes. 
Dinner: Broiled steak, cooked oyster plant, 
salad of grated small carrots on 
lettuce, apple whip. 
Saturday 
MENU No. 2 
Suggested as an increase of starch for those included under Menu 
No. 1 who take sufficient physical culture exercise. 
Breakfast: Two coddled eggs, four or five pieces 
of Melba toast, five stewed prunes. 
Lunch: Corn bread, string beans, raw celery. 
Dinner: Broiled chicken, zucchini, spinach, let- 
tuce, stewed raisins. 
Sunday 
Breakfast: French omelet, toasted triscuit, stewed 
apples. 
Lunch: Macaroni, spinach, head lettuce. 
Dinner: Boast mutton, stewed egg plant, salad 
of cucumber and lettuce, jello. 
Monday 
Breakfast: One coddled egg, Melba toast, stewed 
apricots. 
Lunch: Baking-powder biscuits, string beans, 
egg plant, cucumber. 
Dinner: Roast Belgian Hare, mashed carrots 
and turnips, raw celery. 
Tuesday 
Breakfast: Cottage cheese, toasted shredded ivheat 
biscuit, stewed figs. 
Lunch: Sweet corn, cooked asparagus, raw 
carrots. 
Dinner: Boast beef, cooked mashed pumpkin, 
spinach, sliced tomato. 
Wednesday 298 
The Fast Way to Health 
Breakfast: Two eggs poached in milk and served 
on Melba toast, baked apple. 
Lunch: Spaghetti, string beans, head lettuce. 
Dinner: Roast chicken, baked ground beets, 
spinach, grated carrots on lettuce. 
Thursday 
Breakfast: French omelet with whites of two eggs 
on toasted triscuit, stewed raisins. 
Lunch: Cooked carrots, oyster plant, raw cel- 
ery. 
Dinner: Broiled halibut, baked egg plant, 
salad of tomato and lettuce. 
Friday 
Breakfast: Whole wheat muffins, peanut butter, 
stewed pears. 
Lunch: Rice, string beans, celery, salad of raw 
cabbage. 
Dinner: Salisbury steak, spinach, salad of cu- 
cumber, tomato and lettuce. 
Saturday 
MENU NO. 3 
Suggested for Those Doing Hard Muscular Work or Taking 
Sufficient Vigorous Exercise. 
Breakfast: One coddled egg, small piece of ham, 
waffle, five stewed prunes. 
Lunch: Boiled rice, salad of celery and grated 
carrots on lettuce. 
Dinner: Broiled chicken, cooked celery and 
cooked lettuce, grated beets on let- 
tuce, baked apple. 
Sunday 
Breakfast: Mush of ground whole wheat, one cod- 
dled egg, two or three pieces Melba 
toast. 
Lunch: Baked potato, cold cooked asparagus, 
raiv cabbage. 
Dinner: Baked Belgian hare, cooked string 
beans and asparagus, raw celery, 
prune ivhip. 
Monday Menus 
299 
Breakfast: French omelet on toasted triscuit, 
stewed apple sauce. 
Lunch: Corn bread, cooked spinach, raw cel- 
ery. 
Dinner: Roast beef, cooked spinach and pars- 
ley, salad of cucumber, steived 
apricots. 
Tuesday 
Breakfast: Two coddled eggs, four or five whole 
wheat muffins. 
Lunch: Boiled macaroni, cooked summer 
squash and head lettuce. 
Dinner: Roast mutton, cooked asparagus and 
celery, raw tomatoes, five stewed 
prunes. 
Wednesday 
Breakfast: Two eggs poached in milk and put on 
toasted shredded wheat biscuit, 
stewed apricots. 
Lunch: Baked squash, string beans, raw 
grated carrots on lettuce. 
Dinner: Broiled steak, cooked chayotes and 
spinach, raw celery, jello. 
Thursday 
Breakfast: French omelet or five pieces of Melha 
toast, stewed raisins. 
Lunch: Cooked carrots, cooked celery, cooked 
spinach. 
Dinner: Broiled sea bass, salad of lettuce, to- 
matoes and cucumber, stewed figs. 
Friday 
Breakfast: Dish of whole wheat mush, one cod- 
dled egg, two or three whole wheat 
muffins. 
Lunch: Sweet corn, baked parsnips, raw cel- 
ery. 
Dinner: Salisbury steak, cooked spinach and 
celery, salad of tomatoes and let- 
tuce, stewed pears. 
Saturday Chapter XV 
CHILDREN’S DIET 
When it is necessary to wean the child from its 
mother’s milk, the best substitute will be found to 
be raw cow’s milk. For instance, a child of ten months 
when he is being weaned should be given from 5 to 8 ozs. 
of cow’s milk every four hours. Each feeding of milk 
should be preceded by one or two teaspoonfuls of sweet 
orange juice. Start out by giving the baby 5 ozs. of milk, 
and gradually increase to 8 ozs., stopping the increase 
only when the child shows it is getting too much by hav- 
ing some of the curd come up in its mouth. 
Follow this up by four feedings a day of from 20 to 
32 ozs. of milk in addition to the orange juice used. If 
constipation exists, try increasing the orange juice to 
three or four teaspoonfuls before each feeding. If this 
does not bring about the desired results, reduce the 
orange juice to one or two teaspoonfuls as before, and 
add one teaspoonful of milk of magnesia to each quart 
of milk, shaking the magnesia up in the milk each time 
before the milk is poured from the bottle into the nursing 
bottle. 
Sometimes you will find that a child of ten months 
cannot take enough milk at a time to get in a sufficient 
quantity in the four feedings. If this is the case it is 
quite allowable to give the feedings every three hours, 
using only 4 to 5 ozs. at a time. Under no circumstances 
should any other food be added to the milk, and it should 
never be diluted with water. This milk diet may be 
continued until the child is about two years of age. If 
any other food is added before that age is reached it 
should only be cooked non-starchy vegetables. Small por- Children’s Diet 
301 
lions of meat or starchy food given to a child who is using 
milk will often bring about serious digestive disturbance. 
Milk is an ideal food for the growing child, and with 
the addition of the orange juice it would be possible for 
a baby to grow into a strong adult without any other food 
ever being added. The longer the baby is kept on the milk 
diet the stronger you will find its digestion when it is 
finally given other foods. Cow’s milk contains more 
bone-building properties than even mother’s milk, but of 
course this means milk in the raw state and not pasteur- 
ized. If desirable the milk may be warmed slightly by 
placing the nursing bottle in a pan of warm water which 
has been removed from the fire. The water must be of 
such a temperature that the hands may be placed in it 
without burning. If the water is steaming hot so that 
the hands cannot be placed in it you will find that the 
milk will become pasteurized, and the organic salts will 
become precipitated and changed into useless minerals 
which the body cannot use. People who object to using 
pasteurized milk because it is devitalized often heat the 
raw milk to a greater temperature than that which is 
used in pasteurizing, and consequently destroy most of 
the good which is in the raw milk. 
If after the end of two years it seems advisable to 
give the child any other food than milk, a good way to 
make the change is to give a bottle of milk at 6 a. m. and 
another feeding 3 hours later, at 9 a. m. A meal may 
then be given some time between 12 and 1 o’clock, using- 
one kind of starchy food and the choice of one or two 
non-starchy vegetables. At this age the child’s teeth are 
not sufficiently well developed for perfect mastication, so 
it is best to mince the vegetables up slightly or run them 
through a fpod grinder before cooking. No milk should 
be added to this meal, but a small amount of cream or 
butter may be served with the minced vegetables. 302 
The Fast Way to Health 
Care should always be taken to see that no other food 
is on the table when the child is eating its own selected 
foods, and to get the very best results it seems advisable 
to feed the child by itself unless those who are eating at 
the same time are willing to use the child’s food combina- 
tions. No food should be given during the afternoon, and 
if the child should happen to ask for some, it will be found 
that a drink of water will generally satisfy until it is 
time for the evening meal, when the following combina- 
tions should be used:— 
Small piece of lean beef, mutton, chicken, or rabbit. 
Choice of as many as desired of the non-starchy vegetables. 
Dessert of stewed fruit or jello with cream, or whipped 
cream if desired. 
The meat and vegetables used at this meal should also 
be cut up fine, and the baby should be given no ‘ ‘ tastes ’ ’ 
of any other food or it will become dissatisfied and want 
every food in sight. It is a good plan to feed the baby by 
itself before the rest of the family, as in this way it can 
be given exactly what food it needs without being 
tempted by other things, and the mother will have an 
opportunity of enjoying her own dinner when the time 
comes, without having to look after the child at the same 
time. This is not the plan generally followed in most 
households, but if you adopt it with the baby from the 
start you will find it will work out well. 
After a time the child will become dissatisfied with 
milk alone in the early part of the day, mainly because of 
being curious to know what other foods taste like that it 
sees the family using at breakfast, and after the age of 
three or four years it will usually be found desirable to 
change to a three-meal plan. The feeding of the baby at 
this time should be practically the same as that for an 
adult who is doing hard muscular labor, excepting of Children’s Diet 
303 
course that the quantities should be smaller. The growing 
child can use a larger amount of carbohydrates, that is 
sugars and starches, than after reaching maturity, but 
there will always be present the dangers in connection 
with the use of starch in the baby’s diet that are to be 
guarded against by the adult who is using more starch 
and sugar than his body needs for heat and energy. 
If the baby seems subject to colds or the tonsils are 
enlarged above the normal, or if there is a tendency to 
over-weight, it might become necessary to eliminate 
starches altogether until such tendencies are overcome. 
The child should not be allowed to eat between meals, not 
even fruit, and it may be said that if regularity of meals 
is ever important it is doubly so during childhood. Chil- 
dren should be taught what foods are best for them and 
encouraged to use such foods, rather than be constantly 
told that certain things “are not good for them.” If the 
parents do not understand the philosophy of feeding, of 
course, they are not able to impart this knowledge to their 
children, but if they do understand and if they live ac- 
cording to strict dietetic rules, their example will be the 
best teaching their children could obtain. 
If children learn that certain foods combined together 
make for good health, the impression made upon their 
minds will be just as distinct and permanent as when 
they learn in arithmetic that two and two make four. Try 
to make the child understand that eating the right food 
in proper combination with other foods will give them 
the material out of which to build a strong body, so that 
they will be able to experience the joy of winning con- 
tests both on the athletic field and in the class room, but 
do not expect your advice to be taken seriously unless 
you as a parent really believe what you are teaching, and 
prove it by setting a good example before your children. 304 
The Fast Way to Health 
MENU 
Suggested for children from breast nursing to about 
2 years:— 
At 6 a.m., 9 a.m., 12 noon, 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. 
Take 4 to 6 ozs. of raw cow’s milk, each feeding to be 
preceded by 1 or 2 teaspoonfuls of orange juice. 
The milk should be sucked through a nipple if 
possible. 
No feeding at night except warm water if desired. 
Or as an alternative 
At 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. 
Take 5 to 8 ozs. of milk, preceding each feeding by 
1 or 2 teaspoonfuls of orange juice as above. 
For children from about 2 years to 3 years:— 
At 6 a.m., and 9 a.m. 
Take 6 to 8 ozs. of raw cow’s milk, preceded by 2 or 
3 teaspoonfuls of orange juice. 
Between 12 noon and 1 p.m. take 
One starchy food 
One or more non-starchy vegetables 
One salad vegetable 
SPECIMEN MEALS: 
(1) 
Baked potato 
Spinach 
Grated carrots 
(2) 
Corn bread 
String beans 
Celery 
(3) 
Boiled rice 
Summer squash 
Lettuce 
At 6 p. m. take 
One proteid food 
One or more non-starchy vegetables 
One salad vegetable 
Dessert 
SPECIMEN MEALS: 
(1) 
Broiled steak 
Asparagus 
Celery 
Baked apple 
(2) 
Roast chicken 
Spinach 
Celery 
Jello 
(3) 
Mutton chop 
String beans 
Grated carrots 
Stewed prunes 
For children above 3 years of age a menu is suggested 
similar to that on page 298 for those doing hard muscu- 
lar work, excepting that the quantities would be smaller. Chapter XVI 
SOME RULES ON EATING 
1. Eat only when really hungry, and nothing but the 
simplest and plainest of food. Do not eat anything at all 
if it is necessary to excite the appetite with condiments, 
spices, etc. The body can never be hungry for a pickle, 
but can only be excited by it. Hunger and appetite are 
really very different, and one must not be mistaken for 
the other. 
2. Do not eat if you are tired, but first of all refresh 
yourself with rest, as you will only be hungry when you 
are strong and well poised. Although appetite may exist 
for food because of tasty-looking dishes, the food that 
you eat when in an exhausted condition will only act as a 
poison to you because you will not have enough energy 
to digest it. 
3. When exercise is taken before a meal there should 
always be a sufficient period of relaxation before com- 
mencing to eat. 
4. Kegularity of meals is important, as the digestive 
organs seem to function much better if accustomed to 
periodical rest and work. 
5. Three well-balanced meals seems to be the best 
rule to follow, unless assimilation is so perfect that two 
meals are sufficient. In that event it is best to omit the 
noondajr meal and use only breakfast and dinner, making 
two fast periods of 12 hours each. 
6. Each meal should be made as simple as possible 
and with the smallest number of combinations of food- 
stuffs. Variety may be introduced at the different meals, 
however, so as not to repeat a certain food unless espe- 
cially preferred. 306 
The Fast Way to Health 
7. Drinking water during the meal or afterwards is 
allowable if the food is not washed down with the liquid. 
If there is much thirst it will be well to check up on your 
salt ration, as those who use plenty of leafy green vege- 
tables will generally find sufficient water in their food 
unless too much salt is taken. 
8. Eat only when feeling well, and never when suf- 
fering from nausea, pain, headache, fever, or any dis- 
tressing or discomforting symptom of disease. Many 
serious ailments will never have an opportunity of devel- 
oping if this rule is followed at the first sign of approach- 
ing danger. Whenever it seems necessary to miss a meal 
or two, remember to take one or two enemas, in order to 
cleanse the colon from fecal matter which will accumulate 
because of the absence of material in the intestines from 
meals which have been missed, and which if eaten would 
have helped to evacuate the accumulation of feces. 
9. Serve yourself with only a small amount of each 
article of food, so that you may keep your combinations 
correct and not overeat of any particular food. Do not 
fear that you will be insufficiently nourished if the proper 
kind of food is eaten. Not more than one-half the amount 
of food at the ordinary meal is really necessary, and the 
rest we eat at our peril. In all my experience I do not 
know of a single case of a patient who suffered because 
too small an amount of food was eaten, provided the food 
actually taken was of the proper class and quality needed 
for the body. 
10. Dislike for a certain article of food or certain 
mental or ethical objections must be considered, and the 
substitution of another kind of nourishment of the same 
class is often necessary until the person is able to over- 
come this mental handicap. 
11. Mastication of the starches is especially im- Some Rules on Eating 
307 
portant, since mouth digestion is absolutely essential to 
bring about the chemical changes necessary for the 
proper assimilation of starches. In addition all food will 
be digested more thoroughly from the enjoyment of the 
taste produced when there has been proper mastication. 
12. Use only such an amount of starch as the body 
can build into heat and energy, as any surplus which can- 
not be consumed in the physiological processes will be a 
handicap to the body and the cause of many diseases. 
13. An ample amount of proteid in the daily fare is 
of the utmost importance in order to effect repairs in the 
cell structures and muscles, and to bring about the neces- 
sary changes in the cells themselves. These cells cannot 
be replaced or built up with any other substance such as 
starch, any more than the worn-out parts of an engine 
can be replaced with gasoline. 
14. Be sure to have enough “roughage” in the diet, 
as the more concentrated food materials are more easily 
digested and assimilated in this element, and its presence 
ensures sufficient bulk for suitable intestinal elimination 
of waste and toxic substances. You will find it almost 
impossible to overeat on this class of food, whereas great 
care must be exercised in regulating the amount of such 
foods as proteids and starches. 
15. Uncooked salad vegetables are as essential to the 
body as the foundation stones are to a beautiful mansion, 
for the vital organic minerals are to be found only in 
these foods in any appreciable quantity. They furnish 
all of the vitamines necessary for the body, and in fact 
are the only foods which contain these vitamines to any 
extent. 
16. Unhappy mental states paralyze digestion, and 
when the body is under the control of fear, hatred, criti- 
cism, jealousy, or any of the destructive emotions, the 308 
The Fast Way to Health 
food taken into the stomach acts as a direct poison to the 
body, and although its action is generally slower, the 
poisoning is as sure as that of carbolic acid. It is the 
direct cause of many diseases, and the contributing cause 
of many others. Better a banquet of inharmonious food 
mixtures coupled with the joy usually present on such 
occasions, than the everyday gloom of the family table. Chapter XVII 
SUGGESTIONS FOR A DAILY REGIME 
Upon arising in the morning it is always a good plan 
to take some form of physical culture exercise, either 
walking, or the calisthenic movements explained in the 
chapter on Exercise and Digestion. If you go for a walk 
the best plan is to dress in some heavy clothing and walk 
rapidly, so as to produce profuse perspiration, then take 
the calisthenic exercises upon completing the walk. Walk- 
ing is one of the most valuable exercises, but will never 
supply the proper benefit to the system unless the other 
exercises are taken as well, especially those lying on the 
back and face downward, where the abdominal and back 
muscles are brought into play. 
Do not miss a morning without taking some of these 
exercises for at least ten minutes. Follow the walk and 
exercises by a cold shower bath. After this is the proper 
time for a man to shave himself and dress for the day, 
and for a woman to dress herself and get ready to pre- 
pare breakfast. The breakfast may consist of any of 
those combinations suggested in the chapter on Menus, 
or any other combination of food on the lines laid down 
which it may be more convenient to use at the time. It 
is of course permissible to use the combinations sug- 
gested for lunch or the evening meal at breakfast time, 
simply changing the places of the different meals. 
After breakfast a regular habit should be formed of 
going to the toilet and sitting there until the proper 
bowel evacuation takes place. It is not a good plan to 
read the paper at this time, but to concentrate upon the 
necessary function. 
Between breakfast and lunch, if you are able to take 310 
The Fast Way to Health 
the time, a walk of one or two miles would be very bene- 
ficial. If you are a housewife it ought to be possible to 
arrange this, as you can regulate your work accordingly. 
Those working in offices however will not always be able 
to find the time except on Sundays. 
Lunch may consist of any suitable combination, but I 
would especially refer you to those suggestions given in 
the chapter on Food Combinations. During the 
afternoon, if it is possible, a walk of a mile or two 
is again recommended. Those men who are working 
in offices will find that after work in the evening is the 
best time for the hardest physical exercises, which should 
be taken at this time. A most desirable way to get this 
exercise is to go to a gymnasium and go through the 
various forms of exercise which are used there. Boxing 
and wrestling, handball, exercises with chest weights, and 
other such vigorous exertions are especially recommend- 
ed. In almost any city nowadays there is a gymnasium 
of some kind with a competent physical instructor in 
charge who can, if need be, give private instruction in ex- 
ercises with the different kinds of apparatus available. 
You need allow only about an hour for this exercising 
including dressing and undressing, and if this is taken 
three times a week it will help you very greatly in keep- 
ing well, and will allow you to use a larger variety of 
food and a more generous diet. In some cities there are 
gymnasiums for women where they can go during the 
middle of the afternoon and indulge in those vigorous 
exercises which they have had to do without since the 
days of childhood. If this exercise is taken in the middle 
of the afternoon there will still be sufficient time to get 
home and prepare the evening meal. 
A surprising thing that will be noted if exercise of 
this kind is taken during the day is that you will not Suggestions for a Daily Regime 
311 
require as much sleep as you have been accustomed to, 
and you will observe that the physical culture exercising 
has actually rejuvenated your body to such an extent 
that not more than eight hours’ sleep will he necessary. 
I have found some people who could cut down their hours 
of sleep to much less than this simply by increasing the 
amount of physical culture exercise they took. This does 
not exactly mean increasing the amount of work they 
were doing, but rather in adopting those particular exer- 
cises which are especially recommended in this book as 
vitality building. 
Dinner may consist of any food which is used in prop- 
er combination, but I usually advise what I call the 
“proteid” meal in the evening, consisting of 1 proteid 
food, 1 or more non-starchy cooked vegetables, a salad 
of raw vegetables, and sometimes a dessert of stewed 
fruit. This kind of meal seems to digest more readily 
in the evening than any other, and may be taken more 
freely without any bad consequences by those troubled 
with insomnia or asthma, disorders in which a meal in 
the evening seems to interfere with sleep. However, if it 
is desirable, a starchy meal may be used in place of a pro- 
teid meal. 
Some evenings should be spent at home reading and 
studying, but a certain number should also be devoted 
each week to attending entertainments and amusements 
such as picture shows, theatres, lectures, etc. It is a good 
plan to set aside certain evenings in the week to do this, 
even though you feel inclined to stay at home every night. 
The outside association will be of great benefit to you, 
and your interest in pleasurable amusements will really 
assist in digestion and be an aid in the cultivation of 
more perfect health. 
Before retiring each night the same exercises should 312 
The Fast Way to Health 
be taken that are taken before breakfast in the morning. 
These exercises should be completed in ten or fifteen 
minutes, followed by a warm shower bath. Sometimes 
it is the best plan to sit in an easy chair and read for a 
few minutes before going to bed after taking your bath, 
as the exercises and bath will often improve circu- 
lation to the extent that you will not be able to go to sleep 
easily, whereas if you relax and read for a few minutes 
you will be able to drop immediately into a refreshing 
slumber. 
When you do go to sleep be sure that it is with the 
belief that you will waken up with abundant strength 
and vitality. Keep that thought constantly in mind as 
you are going to sleep, and do not make the mistake of 
giving yourself such bad suggestions as the following: 
“I am so tired”; “I can hardly undress I am so tired”; 
“I feel exhausted”; “I have had such a hard day’s work 
I am all in.” If you go to bed with these thoughts on 
your mind as sure as the sun rises you will awaken in 
the morning with the same tired feeling that you went to 
bed with, while if you go to sleep with the constant 
thought of increased strength, repeating over and over 
to yourself such words as “Strength, Power, Vitality,” 
you will find you will be much more refreshed from the 
sleep you enjoyed, during which time the mind was uncon- 
sciously dwelling upon these good suggestions. This is 
a very essential point indeed, and I assure you I would 
not mention it here unless I considered it very valuable. Chapter XVIII 
BATHING 
I believe it is advisable to take some kind of bath once 
or twice daily in order to keep the pores of the skin 
cleansed and free from the impurities of the body which 
are thrown out through them. The best kind of bath for 
all purposes is the shower bath. If you do not have a 
built shower bath in your home an attachment may be 
purchased at the drug store at a nominal sum which can 
be connected to an ordinary faucet in the bath tub, and 
which will provide you with an excellent form of shower 
bath. You can squat down in the tub and spray your 
entire body with a stream of warm water, soaping after- 
wards if desired and washing off again with cold water. 
At least one or two of these baths should be taken daily, 
and if exercises are taken morning and night they should 
always be followed by a warm or preferably cold shower 
bath. 
I want to take this opportunity to condemn especially 
the ordinary bath tub where the bather sits or lies in a 
tub of hot water and tries to soak the dirt out of the 
pores, only succeeding in retarding their activity by mak- 
ing them more lifeless through the effect of the warm 
soapy water. From experiments I have made I am con- 
vinced that lying in a tub of warm water which has been 
heated in the hot water heater is devitalizing to the 
human body. It seems that the magnetism of the body 
is carried off in the water, and this devitalized hot water, 
by absorbing the bodily energies, really reduces the 
bather to exhaustion. This is not the case when bathing 
in cold water or natural running water, when the body 
seems to be in many cases re-energized or strengthened 
by such bathing. 314 
The Fast Way to Health 
Mineral Water Baths can be had at natural mineral 
springs where the water issues from the ground at dif- 
ferent temperatures. These waters contain different 
kinds of alkalis, and their curative effect depends en- 
tirely upon the fact that some of the acidity of the body 
is counteracted by both bathing in and drinking this 
water. Its good effects are usually only temporary, and 
precisely the same effects could be secured if the bather 
would use his own bath tub and simply add epsom salts 
and bicarbonate of soda to the water. I do not especially 
recommend this as a treatment, but in some cases of 
rheumatism and kindred ailments relief will often be 
found in an immersion in warm water to which has been 
added either epsom salts or soda, or both. These baths 
are only to be taken as an emergency relief and should 
not be continued for any length of time. 
Sitz Baths are taken in either hot or cold water by 
sitting in about 7 or 8 inches of water in the bath tub. 
The hot sitz bath is the one most commonly used to re- 
lieve congestion in any of the pelvic organs, such as is 
present in cystitis, inflammation of the womb or ovaries, 
or in prostatic troubles. The water should be made as 
hot as it is possible to endure, and the bath should last 
from five to ten minutes, or at any rate until the skin 
becomes quite red. The feet may be kept in the water at 
the same time as the hips, but the other parts of the body 
should not be wet if you wish to secure the local effect 
through the pelvis. 
Internal Bathing, or Enemas, I consider to be the 
most effective single remedy with which I am familiar 
that can be used in almost every acute or chronic disease. 
When I get an emergency call in a case of sickness I 
always advise an enema to be administered at once, and 
after giving such advice over the telephone I usually find 
that by the time I make the call the patient has recovered, Bathixg 
315 
at least to some extent, through this simple method of 
treatment. Not only are poisons in the intestines removed 
by the enema, but any nerve centers in the abdomen such 
as are found around the uterus, ovaries, or rectum, will 
be instantly relieved from the pressure of the accumu- 
lated feces or gas if the enema is taken correctly and 
brings about satisfactory results. 
The apparatus used for administering an enema may 
be purchased in any drug store, and consists of a rubber 
bag or enameled can to which is attached a long rubber 
tube with an attachment at the end for inserting into the 
rectum. The container should be hung up on the wall 
about four or five feet above the floor, so that the water 
will flow by gravity. 
The best position to assume in taking the enema is 
what is called the “knee chest” position, where the pa- 
tient kneels on the floor with the hips elevated, and at the 
same time rests the chest against the floor. The ordinary 
enema should be of warm water, and usually one quart is 
sufficient. The water should be allowed to flow in very 
slowly while the patient is in the knee chest position. It 
may even be necessary to pinch the tube off occasionally 
so that the water runs for a few seconds and is then 
stopped and the intestine allowed to take care of the 
water which has been accumulated within it. The tube 
may then be released, and a small amount of water again 
allowed to run, and then stopped once more and a rest 
taken. After the entire quart is in the intestines the 
tube should be removed, and the patient should then lie 
on the back on the floor and churn the stomach up and 
down vigorously so that the water will be well mixed 
with the feces all through the large colon. 
After about five minutes in this position the water 
may then be expelled while sitting on the toilet, but great 316 
The Fast Way to Health 
care should be exercised in allowing the water to escape 
only very slowly, so that the delicate rectal membranes 
are not injured by the forced rapid expulsion of feces 
and water, which is often made more violent by intestinal 
gases which are pressing the contents of the intestines 
out. 
These enemas may be taken when constipated or 
whenever you are feeling ill from any cause, as it is most 
remarkable how different kinds of ailments will be re- 
lieved by this procedure, even though you may not under- 
stand why such an effect should be produced. Chapter XIX 
EXERCISE AND DIGESTION 
In these days when mental work yields so much 
greater financial returns than mere physical work, it is 
important to urge, especially upon brain workers, the 
necessity for more vigorous exercise. A sufficient amount 
of exercise is needed to encourage the growth of the 
muscular cells, to keep the circulation of the blood up 
to the normal, and to insure more perfect assimilation 
of the food taken, this assimilation being at its best when 
the muscles are sufficiently exercised and call on the sys- 
tem for plenty of nourishment. 
The quantity of food taken at meals does not need to 
be so carefully limited if a proper amount of vigorous 
exercise is indulged in. The brain worker may be 
poisoned into sickness by perfectly good food which has 
not been properly digested and assimilated on account of 
its being used in excess over and above the demands of 
the system for material for repair and growth, while on 
the other hand the man working at hard muscular labor 
might be able to use exactly the same foods and quanti- 
ties as the brain worker without fear of injury. 
The most desirable form of exercise from every stand- 
point is some kind of outdoor sport such as baseball, golf, 
or hiking, and these should be indulged in with regularity 
if you can find some particular one that you enjoy. How- 
ever, these play exercises should also be supplemented 
by certain calisthenic exercises, which can be taken at 
home once or twice daily. Although exercise of the en- 
tire body is needed, very beneficial results will be found 
to come from well directed physical culture exercises, 
especially those which develop the muscles of the torso or 318 
The Fast Way to Health 
trunk. Those exercises, taken while lying on the back, 
develop more particularly the abdominal muscles, and 
when these muscles are well developed they will assist in 
holding the vital organs of the abdomen in place. This 
development will prevent prolapsus, and will gradually 
raise any prolapsed organs to the normal position. 
The exercises taken while lying face downward de- 
velop the different muscles attached to the spine, and 
such development will hold the vertebrae of the spine in 
their proper place. In the exercises of this kind given 
in the following pages, the spinal muscles may be so 
strongly developed in a few months’ time that neither the 
osteopath nor the chiropractor will be able to find a sub- 
luxated (partially dislocated) vertebra. These sublux- 
ated vertebrae, which pinch upon the nerves issuing from 
the spine, are the direct or indirect cause of different 
diseases brought about by the shutting off of the nerve 
supply to the various parts of the body served by these 
particular nerves. 
While these exercises are being practised for the de- 
velopment of the back muscles, it is advisable at the same 
time to keep up osteopathic or chiropractic treatments 
until the muscles attached to the spine have developed 
sufficient strength through the exercising to hold the ver- 
tebrae in the normal position. 
The exercises which are given to be taken in the stand- 
ing position do not require a great deal of muscular en- 
ergy for their performance, nor do they develop muscle 
to any appreciable extent, but should be considered val- 
uable nevertheless because of inducing a better flow of 
blood to the extremities and also as a form of treatment. 
They should be performed regularly for their stretching, 
twisting, and vitalizing effect, which effect is similar to Exercise and Digestion 
319 
that which would be received from taking massage, osteo- 
pathic, or chiropractic treatment. 
If you start taking these exercises go through the en- 
tire list first of all, doing the easy ones a greater num- 
ber of times than the more difficult ones, and as strength 
and ability develop, gradually eliminate the easier exer- 
cises altogether and do only those which you found hard 
in the first instance. You will find that as your muscular 
power increases you can concentrate your time on only a 
few of the exercises taken from each position, and if you 
will do these as vigorously as you can, after two or three 
weeks you will find that ten minutes ’ time twice daily will 
be sufficient for you, provided only the hard, strenuous 
exercises are indulged in. 
The exercises referred to are as follows:— 
SPECIAL EXERCISES 
STANDING 
1. Hands at sides—open and close the fists vigor- 
ously. Hands extended at sides—shoulders high—re- 
peat. Hands extended at front—shoulders high—repeat. 
Hands extended over head—shoulders high—repeat. 
2. Hands clasped behind neck—bend to the left and 
then to the right—keeping the knees stiff. Bend for- 
ward and then backward—keeping the knees stiff. Twist 
body to the right as far as possible—then to the left as 
far as possible—keeping the hips motionless and the 
knees stiff. 
3. Hands extended over the head—swing the arms 
vigorously in opposite directions in a circle in front of 
the body. 320 
The Fast Way to Health 
4. Arms over head—fists clenched—raise on toes, at 
the same time opening the fists vigorously. Then back to 
the first position. Inhale as you raise yourself on toes, 
and exhale as you return to the first position. 
5. Hands open at sides, palms to the back—raise 
arms in front over head and back as far as possible. In- 
hale as you do so and throw the head back, looking as far 
back on the ceiling behind you as possible. Then return 
to the first position, exhaling as you do so. 
K LYING ON BACK 
1. Hands extended over head. Raise upper body— 
keeping knees stiff—touch the legs as far towards the 
feet as possible with the finger tips. 
2. Raise knees alternately to chest and return. Raise 
knees together to chest and return. 
3. Raise and lower legs alternately—keeping the 
knees stiff and toes pointed downward. 
4. Raise and lower both legs together—keeping knees 
stiff and toes pointed downward. 
5. Raise right leg to right angle with body, keeping 
the toes pointed downward—then change position of 
right and left legs vigorously, without allowing the heels 
to touch the floor. Try to breathe naturally during this 
exercise. 
6. Extend arms on floor at right angles to body— 
palms pointing downward—keep the arms and shoulders 
in this position and bring the right foot over and touch 
the left hand—twisting the body and bending the knee as 
much as necessary to do so. Return to original position 
and repeat .with left foot, touching the right hand. Exercise and Digestion 
321 
7. Arms over head—raise both arms and both legs 
together, at the same time keeping knees stiff and touch- 
ing the legs as far down towards the feet as possible. 
8. Hands clasped behind head—slowly raise the 
arms, head, and shoulders as high as possible, attempting 
to come to a sitting position. 
LYING FACE DOWNWARD 
1. Clasp hands behind neck—then raise head, shoul- 
ders, and elbows as high as possible, at the same time 
raising both legs, keeping knees stiff. 
2. Raise and lower right and left legs alternately— 
keeping the knees stiff and bending the legs backward 
at the hips. 
3. Arms extended straight over the head—raise the 
arms, head, and shoulders, at the same time raising the 
legs and keeping the knees stiff. 
4. Hands pointing out straight over head—raise 
arms, shoulders, and head, also raise the legs, keeping 
the knees stiff. Inhale as you raise to this position, and 
exhale upon returning to original position. Next sep- 
arate the hands to the distance of about two feet, and 
raise and lower as before. Then extend the hands 
straight out from the shoulders and repeat as before. 
Hands at the sides—repeat as before. Reverse the exer- 
cise, going hack to the original position. As the strength 
of the back muscles develops you may make the exercise 
harder, changing the position of the arms only a few 
inches at a time. In the exercise as described you will 
have only four different positions of the arms, but this 
can easily be increased to fifteen or twenty by making a 
slight change in the position of the arms. 322 
The Fast Way to Health 
5. Arms extended straight out from side, with palms 
pointing downward—bring the right foot over and touch 
the left hand, bending the knee and twisting the body as 
much as possible, but keeping the chest and arms flat on 
the floor. Return to original position, and repeat with 
the left foot, touching the right hand. 
Take these exercises both in the morning and eve- 
ning, slowly at first, doing each one two or three times, 
and increasing as you are able. Do the exercises before 
an open window. Chapter XX 
THE MIND AND DIGESTION 
It appears that every cell of the body has a kind of 
intelligence of its own. The instinctive habits of growth, 
motion, and assimilation are the result of the process of 
thought in each cell, of which we are ordinarily not con- 
sciously aware, but which is going on in every cell of the 
human body. The various groups of cells making up the 
different organs are also possessed of group intelligence 
which controls the action of that organ. It is still more 
or less of a mystery just where the intelligence originates 
which controls the functioning of the lungs, heart, diges- 
tion, etc., but the potent fact remains that the central 
governing power of the conscious mind is able so to direct 
the mental forces in the cells that this cell intelligence 
may be stimulated to more perfect functioning, or de- 
pressed enough to cause sickness and even death. 
We are all sufficiently familiar with the sudden phe- 
nomenon of shock to the body produced by unexpected bad 
news, and to the sensation in the solar plexus caused by 
fear or anger. This acute effect upon the body has been 
observed by everyone at some time or other, but because 
recovery is so rapid very little serious thought is given 
to it. All psychologists, however, agree that about nine- 
tenths of our thinking is unconscious, that is to say, is 
instinctive, or becomes so much a habit that we are not 
aware of it. Yet it is these unconscious processes of 
thought from which we receive most good or harm accord- 
ing as their nature is constructive or destructive. 
The ill effect produced by worry over some serious 
problem, or the sudden anger generated at a supposed 
wrong, can be only of small importance compared to the 324 
The Fast Way to Health 
hidden tendency to worry over every problem and to be 
in a chronic state of suppressed anger. The occasional 
outbreaks of sarcasm or criticism or jealousy displayed 
at meal time will undoubtedly upset digestion, but few 
seem to realize that the serious trouble which really 
exists is that chronic state of mind which is secretly 
depressing the normal functions of the body by the hidden 
workings of unlovely thoughts, which thoughts are 
directly responsible for those sudden outbursts of 
unwholesome ideas which find expression in fits of anger, 
jealousy, fear, and the like. 
One who has suffered from digestive disturbance has 
vivid recollections of many unhappy hours, and there is 
no denying the fact that even though the best food is used 
and used in the right way, yet the unconscious expectancy 
of trouble is so deeply impressed upon the memory mind 
of habit that there will be set up a tendency to look for 
distressing symptoms which will prevent the enjoyment 
of normal digestion until this habit is overcome. Those 
who follow the dietetic instructions contained in this book 
will at once feel the good effects that will follow, but 
complete results will not be achieved until you learn to 
expect perfect digestion and vigorous health as a matter 
of course. The advice given in these pages is the cream 
of years of dietetic experience, and although it is pre- 
sented to you in a style that may be easily understood, 
the desire at the same time is none the less earnest that 
you should receive the greatest possible good from these 
studies. 
Especially I would urge upon you that you help your- 
selves in every way possible by cultivating the habit of 
looking for improvement in every direction day by day. 
You will be encouraged to this end by the immediate 
benefits you will receive if the instructions herein con- The Mind and Digestion 
325 
tamed are followed faithfully, and if you know that you 
are making a sincere effort to do everything in your 
power to help yourself it certainly will not be hard to 
imagine the improvement which you are entitled to re- 
ceive from this dietetic regime. 
As you go to the table cast aside every distressing 
thought, whether it be worry over business, fear of indi- 
gestion, jealousy in love, criticism of others, or in short 
any thought whatever that does not engender feelings of 
courage, love, confidence and poise. Do not discuss the 
news of the day nor the headlines in the newspapers, as 
such sensational material is generally of a nature to 
exercise a secretly depressing effect upon the digestive 
functions. If the food has been selected judiciously ac- 
cording to the best knowledge available, then proceed to 
concentrate upon its taste and flavor. 
If talking will help you and those dining with you, 
then make suitable comments on any agreeable topics you 
can think of, even telling stories if need be. Brag about 
how good you feel and how well everyone at the table 
looks. Compliment those about you on whatsoever you 
can find praiseworthy in them or their arrangements. If 
you are at a party you will no doubt find it easy enough 
to say many pleasant things, and if at home it should be 
possible to maintain the same spirit which you have no 
difficulty in exhibiting before friends. Most people are 
apt to get into a kind of mental rut of inharmonious 
thought when at the table at home, probably enough be- 
cause the home folks are forced by circumstances to sub- 
mit to such ways, whereas the same actions if indulged 
in before others might lead to the loss of valuable friend- 
ships. 
If the events of the day have been trying, it is much 
better to lie down and relax before the meal, and if pos- 
sible change to fresh clean clothes before coming to the 826 
The Fast Way to Health 
table. Try to clean up mentally as well as physically 
before you offer yourself to your family in the evening, 
and before you partake of the food which has been care- 
fully chosen for the nourishment of your body. 
Do not make the mistake of using the “will” as an 
aid to digestion, but rather put into operation the powers 
of desire and expectancy, as these will be found to be 
much more powerful agents in bringing about the object 
you are trying to accomplish. 
After you have partaken of what you honestly con- 
sider a wholesome repast, do not proceed to look for 
trouble, but expect to be unconscious of digestion, and 
give your mind and thoughts to any constructive or en- 
tertaining subject which pleases you. 
If you look for gas and digestive discomfort you will 
probably be able to find them, even if they have to be 
manufactured to suit such a wrong expectancy of mind. 
I find many people troubled after a meal with what they 
thought was gas, but which usually turns out to be caused 
by swallowing air while trying to belch gas from the 
stomach when there really lias been no excess fermenta- 
tion at all. It is surprising how much discomfort can be 
caused by this habit in the case of one who has had the 
experience of many years of digestive disturbance and 
has learned to look for gas after every meal. 
Time after time I have watched a patient under exam- 
ination with the X-ray who has behaved exactly as I have 
indicated. When a meal is given to which is added a cer- 
tain amount of barium sulphate the exact shape of the 
stomach can be seen with the aid of the fluoroscopic 
screen in the X-ray examination. When a gas pocket 
forms in the stomach it is plainly visible, and I have seen 
hundreds of patients start to try to belch up gas imme- 
diately after this test meal was given, when there was 
actually not a sign of gas in the stomach. I have seen The Mind and Digestion 
327 
these same patients persist in their belching exercise 
until I could observe them swallow enough air to make a 
distinct air pocket, and then suffering from this supposed 
gas, going through all kinds of contortions in an effort 
to expel the air they had swallowed, in many cases 
actually “enjoying” more discomfort than would have 
been caused by the gas from an indigestible meal. 
Those who develop the habit of taking soda after a 
meal often only expel the gas which the mixture of soda 
and stomach acid will invariably produce. After this gas 
has been expelled the patient will develop a real indiges- 
tion because of the fact that the alkaline soda has de- 
stroyed the digestive juice of the stomach, and the food 
cannot digest as well as if the soda had not been taken. 
If gas has actually been formed because of fermenting 
food it will come up easily by itself, and you do not have 
to search for it. There will often be a good deal of 
flatulence produced in the chronic dyspeptic even when 
good food is used, caused by digestive juices which have 
not so far been properly balanced by the digestive powers 
to enable them to take care of well proportioned meals, 
after the body has been so long accustomed to improper 
ones only. Some of these juices are alkaline and others 
acid, and if there is an excess supply, the amount left 
over, which is not used in the process of digestion, will 
often make gas by the combination of the alkali and acid. 
This will gradually disappear as the proper foods are 
used in the right amounts and combinations. 
In a book of this nature it is not possible to dwell at 
any length upon the mental causations of disease. Men- 
tal science and physical science do not disagree, even 
though at times they appear to, principally because 
physical scientists retain certain theories which have no 
foundation in fact. I have tried to present in this trea- 
tise on diet only those facts which have been proven to be 328 
The Fast Way to Health 
true, and I do not ask the reader to believe anything 
written herein which cannot be demonstrated. If you 
will try to understand the principles of diet as outlined 
in this book, and will practise the rules laid down in a 
conscientious manner, the results which follow will be 
so convincing that they can hardly fail to induce com- 
plete belief, and when that belief is established you will 
see very clearly the road which leads to health. When 
sufficient physical changes make themselves unmistak- 
ably felt, you will then have unconsciously developed 
that faith which will add the best mental treatment pos- 
sible in connection with a proper scientific regime, and 
such a combination can hardly fail to lead you to the 
perfect health to which you are entitled. INDEX 
A 
Abstinence from Food, 15. 
Acne, 23. 
Actinic Rays, 92, 183. 
Adenoids, 171. 
Agar-Agar, 21, 77. 
Amusements, 311. 
Anemia, 25. 
Aneurism, 126. 
Appendicitis, 30. 
Apples, 21, 261, 266. 
Apricots, 20, 261, 265. 
Arteries, Hardening of, 58. 
Arteries, Hypertension of, 58. 
Arthritis Deformans, 154, 165. 
Artichoke, French, 241. 
Asparagus, 27, 238, 253. 
Asthma, 35. 
Auto-Intoxication, 14. 
Auto-Toxemia, 40. 
B 
Backache, 44. 
Bananas, 231. 
Barley, 223. 
Bass, Sea, 198. 
Bass, Black, 198. 
Baths, Open Air Sun, 24. 
Baths, Sitz, 55, 314. 
Baths, Sponge, 109, 111. 
Bathing, 18, 313. 
Bathing, Internal, 314. 
Beans, Kidney, 230. 
Beans, Lima, 224. 
Beans, Navy, 230. 
Beans, String, 237. 
Beets, 223, 254. 
Beet Tops, 236. 
Beer, 284. 
Beef, 194. 
Beef, Corned, 210. 
Beef, Dried, 203. 
Beef, Roast, 196. 
Berries, 264, 266. 
Biliousness, 50. 
Biscuits, Baking Powder, 221. 
Biscuits, Whole Wheat, 221. 
Bladder, Inflammation of, 45, 55 
Bleeding, 101, 203, 268. 
Blood Pressure, High, 57. 
Blood Pressure, Low, 60. 
Blood, Congestion of, 12. 
Blackheads, 23. 
“Blues, The,” 50. 
Bologna, 210. 
Brains (as food), 211. 
Bread, Boston Brown, 231. 
Bread, Graham, 229. 
Bread, Rye, 228. 
Bread, Whole Wheat, 222. 
Bread, Yeast, 227. 
Breakfast Pood, Uncle Sam’s, 279. 
Breath, Shortness of, 26. 
Breathing, Deep, 27. 
Bright’s Disease, 63. 
Bronchitis, 67. 
Brook, Dr. Harry Ellington, 17. 
Brussels Sprouts, 241, 257. 
Brushing the Body, 23. 
Buddha, 16. 
Buddhists, 185. 
Buns, 229. 
Butter, Nut, 207, 279. 
Butter, Cow, 207. 
Buttermilk, 274. 
C 
Cabbage, 27, 244, 257. 
Candy, 23, 288. 
Cakes, 230. 
Calisthenics, 14, 28, 317. 
Calomel, 52. 
Carrots, 27, 223, 254. 
Carbohydrates, Use of, 58. 
Carbonated Drinks, 285. 
Catarrh, 70. 
Cathartics, 78. 
Carrington, Hereward, 17. 
Catheterizing, 48. 
Catfish, 208. 
Cauliflower, 242, 257. 
Celery, 236, 252. 
Chard, Swiss, 242. 
Chayotes, 238. 
Cheese, 201. 
Cheese, Cottage, 201. 
Cheese, Cream, 202. 
Cheese, Limburger, 211. 
Cheese, Neufchatel, 202. 
Cheese, Roquefort, 208. 
Cheese, York State, 202. 
Chicken, 197. 
Chicken Pox, 108. 
Cherries, 20, 28, 263. 
Chestnuts, 226. 
Chiropractic Treatment, 45, 318. 
329 Chives, 243, 258. 
Chocolate, 283. 
Christ, 16. 
Circulation, Defective, 72. 
Clams, 206. 
Clammy Skin, 26. 
Cocoanut, 226. 
Cocoa, 283. 
Coca-Cola, 285. 
Cod, Fresh, 198. 
Cod, Salted, 205. 
Cod, Tom, 198. 
Coffee, 282. 
Coldness, 26. 
Colicky Pains, 119. 
Colitis, 30. 
Combinations, Food, 289. 
Combinations, Proteid, 291. 
Control of Appetite, 16. 
Constipation, 26, 75. 
Cookies, 230. 
Corn, 217. 
Com Flakes, 279. 
Corn Meal, 220. 
Cornstarch, 230. 
Corpuscles, Red Blood, 27, 28, 29. 
Corpuscles, White, Blood, 29. 
Crab, 208. 
Crackers, Graham, 229. 
Crackers, Water, 223 
Crackers, Whole Wheat, 295. 
Crayfish, 206. 
Crusts (Skin), 23. 
Cucumber, 238, 253. 
Custard, 269. 
Curettcment, 48, 102. 
Cystitis, 47, 49, 53. 
D 
Daily Regime, 309. 
Dandelion Greens, 242. 
Deafness, 80. 
Desserts, 267. 
Dewey, Dr., 17. 
Diabetes, 82. 
Diagnosis, Self, 22. 
Diaphragm, Action of, 35. 
Diarrhoea, 26. 
Diet, Evolution of, 184. 
Diet, Carnivorous, 185, 191, 291. 
Diet, Children’s, 300, 304. 
Diet, Mono, 290. 
Diet, Natural, 250. 
Diet, Vegetarian, 185. 
Digestive Disorders, 85. 
Disease, Origin of, 12. 
Disease and its Causes, 11. 
Dizziness, 26, 28. 
Douche, Hot, 55. 
Doughnuts, 230. 
Dropsy, 73. 
Duck, 208. 
E 
Eales, Dr., 17. 
Ears, Ringing in, 26. 
Eczema, 91. 
Eggs, 199. 
Eggs, Coddled, 200. 
Eggs, Hard Boiled, 200. 
Eggs, Poached, 201. 
Eggs, Yolk of, 27, 199. 
Egg Plant, 239. 
Elements, 249. 
Emotions, Destructive, 14. 
Endive, 256. 
Enervation, 13. 
Enemas, 18, 314. 
Electro-Therapy, 103, 171. 
Epilepsy, 93. 
Exercise and Digestion, 317. 
Exercise, Physical, 14, 19, 319. 
Eyes, Weak, 26. 
Eye Strain, 14. 
F 
Fast Way, The, 15. 
Fast, General Conduct of, 18. 
Fast, Apple, 61, 79. 
Fast, Cherry, 98. 
Fast, Fig, 128. 
Fast, Fruit, 20, 28. 
Fast, Fruit Juice, 20. 
Fast, Grape, 24. 
Fast, Tomato, 136. 
Fatty Heart, 135. 
Fermentation of Food, 286. 
Fevers, 107. 
Fever, Bilious, 108. 
Fever, Scarlet, 108. 
Figs, 265. 
Fish, 198. 
Fish, Canned, 211. 
Fissure, 162. 
Flatulence, 114. 
Flour, Buckwheat, 224. 
Flour, Oatmeal, 224. 
Flour, Rye, 224. 
Flour, White, 225. 
Flour, Whole Wheat, 221. 
Fluoroscopic Examination, 326. 
Food Combinations, 289. 
Food, Fried, 23. 
Food, Natural, 184. 
Food, Proteid, 191. 
Food, Withholding of, 22. 
330 Fowl, Wild, 204. 
Frogs’ Legs, 203. 
Fruitarians, 185. 
Fruits, 260. 
Fruits, Acid, 261. 
Fruits, Stewed, 265, 267. 
Fruit Whip, 267. 
G 
Gallstones, 118. 
Game, 204. 
Garlic, 243, 258. 
Gas, Stomach & Intestinal, 114, 326. 
‘ ‘ Gassy ’ ’ Food, 131. 
Gastritis, 87. 
Gelatin, 202, 268. 
Genital Derangements, Female, 96. 
Ginger Snaps, 230. 
Glands, Sebaceous, 23. 
Gland Therapy, 17. 
Gluten, 222. 
Goitre, 123. 
Goose, 208. 
Grain, Whole Wheat, 222. 
Grapes, 20. 
Grape Juice, 285. 
Grapefruit, 262. 
Greasy Foods, 23. 
Green Sickness, 25. 
H 
Halibut, 198. 
Hamburger Steak, 211. 
Hare, Belgian, 198. 
Haskell, Chas. C., 17. 
Hazard, Dr., 17. 
Hay Fever, 70. 
Headache, 26, 52, 127. 
Heart (as food), 209. 
Heart Derangements, 131. 
Hemorrhoids, 163. 
Hemorrhage of the Lungs, 178. 
Hemoglobin, 29. 
Hernia, 137. 
Hominy, 226. 
“Hot Dog,’’ 210. 
Hubbard Squash, 219. 
Human Organism, 11. 
Hydrogen, 187. 
Hyperthyroidism, 126. 
Hypnosis, Self, 142. 
I 
Ice Cream, 267. 
Insomnia, 141. 
Irritation of Senses, 14. 
Iron, Need of, 26. 
Iron, Organic and Inorganic, 27. 
J 
Jaundice, 52. 
K 
Kale, 236. 
Kidney (as food), 209. 
Kidney Stone, 45, 145. 
Krishna, 16. 
L 
Lady Fingers, 230. 
Lamb, 204. 
Lamp, Quartz Mercury Yapor, 24, 
183. 
Laxatives, 78. 
Leeks, 243, 258. 
Lemons, 262. 
Lemonade, 284. 
Lentils, 225. 
Lettuce, 236, 255. 
Leucocytes, 29. 
Limeade, 284. 
Liquids, 280. 
Lists, Food—Fruit, 261. 
Lists, Food—Proteid, 194. 
Lists, Food—Starches, 216. 
Lists, Food—Cooked Non,-Starchy 
Vegetables, 235. 
Lists, Food—Uncooked Salad 
Vegetables, 252. 
Litmus Paper, 54. 
Liver, Torpid, 50. 
Liver (as food), 209. 
Lobster, 205. 
Loquats, 263. 
Lumbago, 45, 165, 170. 
Lungs (as food), 209. 
M 
Macaroons, 230. 
Macaroni, 218. 
Macfadden, Bernarr, 17. 
Mackerel, 208. 
Mackerel, Salt, 211. 
Mahomet, 16. 
Mallow, 236, 256. 
Mankind, Study of, 11. 
Mastoiditis, 147. 
Mating Instinct, Blocking of, 26. 
Measles, 108. 
Melba Toast, 276. 
Melon, 265. 
Meningitis, 49. 
Menstruation, Excessive, 60, 101. 
Menstruation, Irregular, 99. 
Menstruation, Painful, 97. 
Menstruation, Scanty, 99. 
Menus, 296. 
Metabolism, 11, 17, 28. 
331 Mind Cure, 17. 
Mind and Digestion, 323. 
Milk, 270, 283. 
Milk, Bulgarian, 274. 
Milk, Goat’s, 274. 
Milk, Lemon, 273. 
Milk, Malted, 283. 
Milk, Pasteurized, 271. 
Milk, Sumik, 273. 
Milk, Diet, 57, 74, 85, 88, 90, 105, 
133, 272. 
Migraine Headache, 53, 128. 
Mineral Oil, 21. 
Muffins, 278, 295. 
Murphy Drip, 18. 
Mutton, 196. 
Muscles, Abdominal, Strengthening 
of, 28, 138, 157, 320. 
N 
Nails, Pale, 26. 
Nasturtium Leaves & Flowers, 256. 
Nature, Rules of, 12. 
Natural Processes, 11. 
Nausea, 26. 
Nectarines, 262. 
Nervousness, 162. 
Neuralgia, 165. 
Neuritis, 56, 165. 
Noodles, 218. 
Nourishment, Assimilation of, 13. 
Nuts, 206. 
Nuts, Toasted, 278. 
O 
Obesity, 150. 
Oil, Paraffine, 31, 164. 
Oil, Kerosene, 111. 
Oil, Olive, 120, 122. 
Okra, 240. 
Olives, Ripe, 256. 
Omelet, French, 200. 
Onions, 243, 258. 
Oranges, 262. 
Orange Juice, Blood changes with, 
29. 
Orangeade, 284. 
Organs, Sagging of, 156. 
Osteopathic Treatment, 45, 120, 318. 
Overeating, 131, 188. 
Oxygen, 26, 187. 
Oysters, 206. 
Oyster Plant, 241, 256. 
P 
Palpitation, 117. 
Parsnips, 223, 254. 
Parsley, 254. 
Peaches, 261. 
Pastry, 23. 
Peas, Green, 224. 
Peanuts, 226, 278. 
Pears, 262, 266. 
Pears, Alligator, 256. 
Perch, 198. 
Peristalsis, 30. 
Physical Culturists, 185. 
Pickerel, 198. 
Pickles, 258. 
Pimples, 23. 
Pigs’ Feet, Pickled, 211. 
Pineapple, 264. 
Plums, 263. 
Popcorn, 225. 
Potatoes, 216. 
Potatoes, Fried, 225. 
Potatoes, Sweet, 227. 
Pores, Stoppage of, 23. 
Pork, 204. 
Prolapsus, 26, 46, 97, 130, 156. 
Proteids, 191. 
Prunes, 265. 
Psoriasis, 91. 
Puberty, 23, 26. 
Puddings, 230, 267. 
Pulse, Feeble, 26. 
Pumpkin, 240. 
Pustules, 23. 
R 
Rabbit, 198. 
Radishes, 258. 
Raisins, 265. 
Raw Fooders, 185. 
Redness, Inflammatory, 23. 
Rectal Irrigation, 46, 129. 
Rectal Troubles, 161. 
Reflex Pains, 46, 49. 
Repression, 26, 97, 104. 
Rheumatism, 46, 164. 
Rice, 219. 
Rolls, 229. 
Rules—Dessert, 269. 
Rules—Fruit, 266. 
Rules—on Eating, 305. 
Rules—Non-Starchy Vegetable, 
244. 
Rules—Proteid, 212. 
Rules—Salad, 258. 
Rules—Starch, 232. 
S 
Sago, 230. 
Salads, 249. 
Salisbury Meat Diet, 63, 169, 177, 
195. 
Salmon, 205. 
332 Salsify, 241, 256. 
Salt Glow, 23. 
Sausage, 210. 
Sauerkraut, 243. 
Scales, 23. 
Sciatica, 46, 165. 
Seventh Day Adventists, 185. 
Self Poisoning, 41. 
Shrimps, 206. 
Shredded Wheat Biscuit, 223. 
Shredded Wheat Toast, 277. 
Sinclair, Upton, 17. 
Sickness, Green, 25. 
Sleeplessness, 141. 
Smallpox, 108. 
Soldiers’ Home, 40. 
Sole, 198. 
Soups, 246. 
Spinach, 236, 253. 
Spiritual Teachers, 16. 
Spinal Lesions, 44. 
Spaghetti, 218. 
Squash, Italian, 239. 
Squash, Summer, 238. 
Starches, 213, 292. 
Starvation, 21. 
Steak, Round Sirloin., 196. 
Stomach Ulcer, 88, 116. 
Stuffing, 197. 
Subluxated Vertebrae, 44. 
Succotash, 227. 
Sugar, 23, 286. 
Sumik, 273. 
Summer Complaint, 261. 
Sunburn, 24, 27. 
Suppositories, Glycerine, 163. 
Surgery, 17, 103. 
Survival of Fittest, 15. 
Sweetbreads, 211. 
Swiss Chard, 242, 257. 
Symptoms, Fasting, 19. 
T 
Tachycardia, 136. 
Tapioca, 230. 
Tea, 282. 
Tea, Flaxseed, 33. 
Temperament, Change of, "35. 
Theosophists, 185. 
Therapeutic Light Treatment, 120, 
177. 
“Thoughts are Things,’’ 21. 
Tilden., Dr., 17. 
Tomatoes, 264. 
Toasted Food, 275, 278. 
Toasted Wheat Biscuit, Kellogg’s, 
278. 
Toasted Nuts, 278. 
Tongue (as food), 204, 210. 
Tonsils, Enlarged, 82. 
Tonsils, Removal of, 29. 
Tongue, Pale, 26. 
Tongue, Coated, 42, 111. 
Tonsillitis, Chronic, 171. 
Triscuit, 277. 
Trusses, 139. 
Tuberculosis of the Lungs, 174. 
Turnips, 223, 254. 
Turnip Tops, 236. 
Turkey, 197, 198. 
Tumors, Fibroid, 98, 103, 104, 105. 
Tuna, 199. 
Turtle, 203. 
Types, Digestive—Fox, 192. 
Types, Digestive—Ox, 192. 
Types, Digestive—Wolf, 192. 
U 
Ultra-Violet Light, 24, 25, 27, 69, 
71, 93, 172, 183. 
Urine, Condition of, 55, 65. 
Uterine Fibroids, 104. 
Uterus, Misplacement of, 44. 
V 
Varicose Veins, 181. 
Veal, 204. 
Vegetables, Cooked Non-Starchy, 
234. 
Vegetables, Starchy, 216. 
Vegetables, Medium Starchy, 223. 
Vegetables, Uncooked Salad, 249. 
Vermicelli, 218. 
W 
Wafers, 224. 
Walking, 28, 62, 309. 
Watercress, 243, 257. 
Water, Drinking of, 18, 280. 
Wines, 284. 
Wintergreen, Oil of, 110. 
Z 
Zucchini, 239. 
Zwieback, 276. 
333