Chapter 38b—Sanatarium Dietary
Letter K 45, 1903
Brother and Sister-----, I wish to present for your consideration a
few points that have been revealed to me since first there arose the
difficulties connected with the question of discarding flesh-meat from
the tables of our medical institutions....
I have been plainly instructed by the Lord that flesh-meat should
not be placed before the patients in our sanitarium dining-rooms. Light
was given me that the patients could have flesh-meat, if, after hearing
the parlor lectures, they still urged us to give it to them; but that, in
such cases, it must be eaten in their own rooms. All the helpers are
to discard flesh-meat. But, as stated before, if, after knowing that the
flesh of animals can not be placed on the dining-room tables, a few
patients urge that they must have meat, cheerfully give it to them in
their rooms.
Accustomed, as many are, to the use of flesh-meat, it is not sur-
prising that they should expect to see it on the sanitarium table. You
may find it unadvisable to publish the bill of fare, giving a list of the
foods supplied at the table; for the absence of flesh-meat from the
dietary may seem a formidable obstacle to those who are thinking of
becoming patrons of the sanitarium.
Let the food be palatably prepared and nicely served. More dishes
will have to be prepared than would be necessary if flesh-meat was
served. Other things can be provided, so that meats can be discarded.
Milk and cream can be used by some.
I make myself a criterion for no one else. There are things that I
can not eat without suffering great distress. I try to learn that which is
best for me, and then saying nothing to any one, I partake of the things
that I can eat, which often are simply two or three varieties that will
not create a disturbance in the stomach.
Let us remember that we have had a long time to become accus-
tomed to the health reform diet. We can not expect anything else than
that in our sanitariums it will be necessary to furnish dishes prepared
319