FASHION, in general, signifies the prevailing mode or taste, and is particularly applied to dress. In this respect, it frequently supplies the place of reason; especially when the two principal rules, namely, propriety and conveniency, are neglected.
We cannot enlarge on this article, which, though it frequently undermines the health of blooming youth, and frustrates the fondest hopes of parents, yet is supposed essentially to contribute to the flourishing state of trades and manufactures: hence we doubt, whether the most appropriate censure of that tyrant, whose shrine is revered by all the young, the gay, and the frivolous, would be productive of any good effects. This much, however, we venture to say, that fashion, when trespassing either on the rules of health, propriety, or convenience, ought to be universally exploded; and treated with a similar degree of silent contempt which moral and political innovations generally experience, when they are not supported by a just and solid basis.
FASTS, or Fasting, denotes abstinence from food, particularly for religious reasons.
Fasting has been transmitted to us from the earliest ages, as a duty necessary to be performed at certain periods, in order to deprecate those calamities, with which the innate depravity of man is said to be justly punished.
Having already considered the effects of fasting, under the head of Abstinence, we shall only add, that it is particularly injurious to tender and debilitated habits, in the early part of the day; because the fluids of the human body, after circulating for several hours without any alimentary refreshment, at length acquire a putrid tendency, which is obvious from the strong alkaline breath of the most healthy person, after rising from his nocturnal couch. There are, however, instances of fanatics, who have subsisted for many days, and even weeks, without any sustenance; but, though such persons may occasionally survive these unnatural attempts, yet their health is, in consequence, miserably impaired.—Similar effects often arise from a total abstinence from animal food, whether on account of religious or other motives.—Thus, a late Professor in the University of Glasgow, shortened his life, by abandoning the use of flesh meat at an age exceeding 60 years; and, after living upon vegetable aliment about six months, he was reluctantly obliged to resort to his former mode of diet; but these changes had so unfavourably affected his constitution, that he died in a very short time after making the experiment.
FAT, an unctuous, solid substance, deposited in little membranous cells, in various parts of animal bodies: it serves to defend the muscles and bones against cold, to temper the acids of aliments, and probably to the support of the whole frame.
The fat of several animals was formerly kept in the druggist's shops, as hog's-lard, the fat of deer, geese, and also human fat.—With respect to their real virtues, much depends on the manner in which they have been purified and preserved.
The method of preparing fat for medicinal purposes is, to remove all veins, skins, fibres, &c.; when it is to be washed, till the water
