VEGETARIANISM AND DRUNKENNESS.
[To THE Mirror. OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—As a vegetarian of twenty-five years' experience, I must protest against those who eat " fish" being classed as vege- tarians. They are only one step towards being so. Fish And eggs, which latter many so-called vegetarians take, are highly animalised products, and no conclusions of what a vegetarian diet would do to take away the taste for stimulants can be properly drawn from the oases of those who use them. To -use only milk and its products, is another and a longer step in the direction named; but even here, the manner of doing the thing would have a large influence. Sour food of any kind— I mean sour in the process of decay—begets a craving for something to counteract its effect on the stomach, and this, combined With the habit of the lower classes of the Irish to. take buttermilk with their potatoes or porridge, would account for the national taste for whisky Diluted fresh milk would have a directly contrary effect.
Besides fish, the Hindoos, I am informed, use large quanti- ties of "ghee," or rancid butter, which appears likely to have the effect which buttermilk has been stated to have, and probably in a greater degree.—I am, Sir, &c.,
[Our correspondent thinks, we dare say, that he at least has. the courage of his opinions. To be perfectly logical, he should indict the Almighty for his mode of rearing the race Milk is clearly animal food ; animal foods create a taste for whisky ;. ergo, the original cause of drunkenness is suckling.—ED.. Spectator].
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