1. Morgan on salt and Denton
J. Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
Tue, 5 Sep 95 17:55:00 -0500
In pages 100-103 of *The Scars of Evolution* (1990) Elaine Morgan
uses Derek Denton's 1982 book, *The Hunger for Salt*, as support
for claims that are contradicted by the very book she cites. She
also quotes Denton in her endeavor, and this quote is both altered
and out of context. I shall attempt to point out these facts
without making too long a post.
To make this long post easier to read, I'll do this in 4 sections:
1) Delineating Morgan's claims about salt, and human versus
non-human reactions to it;
2) Quotes from both Morgan's and Denton's books, showing that my
delineation of Morgan's claims is accurate, and that her claims
are contradicted by the very book she uses to support them;
3) A recap of the above; and
4) Dealing specifically with Morgan's quote of Denton's book.
*** Section 1: Morgan's claims about salt *************************
First I've delineated Morgan's claims about salt, which center around
her contention that humans are fundamentally different from other
mammals in their physiological reaction, or lack of reaction, to
salt:
While other mammals have a innate physiological reaction to salt
need, humans have no such innate physiological reaction to salt
need.
Humans do not undertake any compulsory search for salt when
deficient, and human intake of salt bears no relation to salt
deficit or surplus.
Other mammals respond just as urgently to a deficiency in salt
as they do to a deficiency in water.
Other mammals take in the precise amount of salt they need to
correct their deficiency and then "will take no more".
Non-human mammals go to great lengths to satisfy their salt
hunger, but humans do not.
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Jim Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
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