Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 2.djvu/137



D. Diet.─The great importance of this, in an enquiry respecting the sources of health and disease in a community, will be generally admitted, and renders a somewhat closer examination of the subject necessary. In this district, as in most others, the kind of food in general among the common people, has been determined by the nature of their habits and pursuits, and by the species of aliment of which their locality is most productive. We find, accordingly, that the inhabitants of this district are as much indebted to the sea as to the land for sustenance. Fish, pork, potatoes, and barley bread, compose the general stock of provisions. In plentiful seasons, in summer, the pilchard, in its fresh state, with potatoes, is the main article of diet; in winter and spring, the same fish, salted, with potatoes, is still the staple and standing diet of the labouring classes of the district. In most cases, indeed, the salted pilchard may rather be considered as a sort of sauce (scottice kitchen) for the accompanying mess of potatoes, than as a substantial article of diet, as it bears but a very small proportion, both in size and actual nutriment, to the latter; still its presence is necessary, and is deemed most essential. The fish and potatoes are boiled together. This, together with barley bread, may be considered as the general dinner of the peasantry, miners, and fishermen, throughout the year, although, as has been already observed, the same fish in its fresh state, and, also, mackerel and other fishes, and, occasionally, salted pork, take the place of the salted pilchard, as accompaniments to the unfailing potatoe. The same dish, or some variety of the same, especially as to