"Diet vs. Chastity.-From the earliest infancy to important old age, under the perverting influence of civilization, there is a constant antagonism between diet and purity. Sometimes-rarely we hope-the helpless infant imbibes the essence of libidinous desires with its mother’s milk, and thence receives upon its forming brain the stamp of vice. When old enough to take food in the ordinary way, the infant’s tender organs of digestion are plied with highly reasoned viands, stimulating sauces, animal food, sweetmeats, and dainty tidbits in endless variety. Soon, tea and coffee are added to the list. Salt, pepper, ginger, mustard, condiments of every sort, deteriorate his daily food. If, perchance, he does not die at once of indigestion, or with his weakened forces fall a speedy victim to the diseases incident to infancy, he has his digestive organs impaired for life at the very outset of his existence. Exciting stimulants and condiments weaken and irritate his nerves and derange the circulation. Thus, indirectly, they affect the sexual system, which suffers through sympathy with the other organs But a more direct injury is done. Flesh, condiments, eggs, tea, coffee, chocolate, and all stimulants, have a powerful influence directly upon the reproductive organs. They increase the local supply of blood; and through nervous sympathy with the brain, the passions are aroused. Overeating, eating between meals, hasty eating, eating indigestible articles of food, late suppers, react upon the sexual organs with the utmost certainty. Any disturbance of the digestive function deteriorates the quality of the blood. Poor blood, filled with crude, poorly digested food, is irritating to the nervous system, and especially to those extremely delicate nerves which govern the reproductive function Irritation provokes congestion; congestion excites sexual desires; excited passions increase the local disturbance and thus each reacts upon the other, ever increasing the injury and the liability to future damage. Thus, these exciting causes continue their insidious work through youth and more mature years. Right under the eyes of fathers and mothers they work the ruin of their children exciting such storms of passion as are absolutely uncontrollable."

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Original Language: English

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pp.183-184

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Harvey_Kellogg