A Pioneer of Food Remedies

The pioneer, in England, of the treatment of all sorts and conditions of
disease by means of a vegetable (chiefly fruit) dietary was Dr. Lambe, a
contemporary of the poet Shelley. His last book appeared in 1815, and in
it and the one preceding are recorded some wonderful cures, especially
in cases of cancer. It is only fair to add here that in Dr. Lambe's
opinion no system of cure is completely efficacious so long as the
patient is allowed to drink the ordinary tap or well water. Distilled
water was the only drink he advised. But he held it better still not to
drink at all if the necessary liquid could be supplied to the body by
means of fresh, juicy fruits. He contended that man is not naturally a
drinking animal; that his thirst is a morbid symptom, the outcome of a
carnivorous diet and other unwholesome habits. And I think that anyone
may prove the truth of this for him or herself if he or she will adopt a
fruitarian dietary and abstain from the use of salt and other
condiments.

I have cited so out-of-date a personage as Dr. Lambe for two reasons.
The first is that I know many of the so-called new and unorthodox ideas
are more likely to appeal to some readers, if it can be shown that they
originated with a duly qualified medical practitioner who recorded the
results of his observations and experiments in black and white. The
second is that the principles and practices of Dr. Lambe are
incorporated with those of the Physical Regeneration Society, a large
and ever-increasing body of enthusiasts having its head-quarters in
London, to whose annals I must refer those readers who desire up-to-date
instances of the efficacy of the use of fruit in disease. Lack of space
will not allow me to quote them here.