Food drunk
Encyclopedia
Food drunk is a term used to describe the physiological state of a person after consuming large amounts of food.
is long-established, e.g. drunk with opium
(1585), or with tobacco
(1698).
In October 1905 Thomas Edison
(then 58 years old) declared that "the country is food drunk.... the people eat too much and sleep too much, and don't work enough". Citing the theories of Louis Cornaro (born 1464), Edison explained how an assistant had been so affected by experiments with X-rays that "doctors had to amputate one limb after another.... and finally he died", but that he had reversed the effect of radiation on himself by reducing his food intake to 12 ounce
s a day.
The phrase was echoed by Dr J E Rullfson of Toledo after fasting for sixty days from January 5, 1907. He holds that the entire human race is food drunk, saying "the dinner eaten by Napoleon just before the battle of Leipsic
proved so indigestible that the monarch's brain was clouded and as a result the battle was lost. The eel stews of Mohammed kept the whole empire in a state of turmoil, and a pie which King Philip
failed to digest caused the revolt of the Netherlands
."
Symptoms
Most commonly described as being both a satisfying and tiring feeling.Historical meaning
The use of "drunk" to mean overcome by substances other than alcoholAlcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
is long-established, e.g. drunk with opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
(1585), or with tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
(1698).
In October 1905 Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
(then 58 years old) declared that "the country is food drunk.... the people eat too much and sleep too much, and don't work enough". Citing the theories of Louis Cornaro (born 1464), Edison explained how an assistant had been so affected by experiments with X-rays that "doctors had to amputate one limb after another.... and finally he died", but that he had reversed the effect of radiation on himself by reducing his food intake to 12 ounce
Ounce
The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems...
s a day.
The phrase was echoed by Dr J E Rullfson of Toledo after fasting for sixty days from January 5, 1907. He holds that the entire human race is food drunk, saying "the dinner eaten by Napoleon just before the battle of Leipsic
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
proved so indigestible that the monarch's brain was clouded and as a result the battle was lost. The eel stews of Mohammed kept the whole empire in a state of turmoil, and a pie which King Philip
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
failed to digest caused the revolt of the Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
."