PHYSIOLOGICAL INFLUENCE OF CONDIMENTS. 705 



of the influence of alcohol, and of common salt, leaving out of the 

 account their local action in the mouth and stomach. 



Does the same hold good for extract of meat ? None of the known 

 organic elements of this extract have an action analogous to that of 

 caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol. Still it is certain that the potash which 

 it contains brings about results which are essentially general. It ren- 

 ders the nerves and the muscles more excitable, and produces an accelera- 

 tion of the contractions of the heart. Kemmerich was at first disposed 

 to attribute the exciting and quickening action of the extract to the 

 potash which it contains ; and he has shown that meat-extract, reduced 

 to ashes, produces a fatal effect when administered in the same quan- 

 tity which is fatal before it is so reduced. He has demonstrated that 

 a dose of chloride of potassium, containing the same quantity of potash 

 which is contained in a half-pound of meat, accelerates the beating of 

 the heart in a healthy subject. Yet, notwithstanding this, we are not 

 to overlook local action, and suppose with Kemmerich that the extract 

 of meat might give place to a small quantity of potash, and still leave 

 the food equally nutritious. 



We might accordingly attribute to 'the extract of meat the same 

 property which characterizes animal food, viz., the production of an 

 extraordinary degree of energy and vigor. Here Voit observes that 

 this property does not belong to the extractive elements, but rather to 

 the albuminoid materials, the proportion of which contained in animal 

 food exceeds that contained in vegetables, as compared with the non- 

 nitrogenized elements. Indeed, if we feed a carnivorous animal on a 

 small quantity of meat, with a large amount of fat and meat-extract, 

 he loses his natural liveliness. The same theory holds good for man, 

 when fed on vegetable diet and the extract of meat. His vi^or is far 

 less than when meat forms the basis of his food. But on the other 

 band, if we give to an herbivorous animal food rich in albuminoid 

 principles, if, for instance, we give to a horse an abundance of oats, the 

 result will be the same as when a carnivorous animal is given animal 

 food. 



The action of meat-extract on the animal economy is, therefore, 

 simply that of a condiment. Liebig attributes to it no other action, 

 though the matter has frequently been involved in confusion. This 

 action is, however, very important and beneficial. It is also possessed 

 by certain vegetable extracts. Thus soups of high flavor and very 

 strengthening may be made with the extract of the tomato, which has 

 an acid reaction. 



The foregoing remarks give only a partial view of the important 

 function of condiments in promoting nutrition. Neither man nor ani- 

 mals take their food without some condiment. The simplest food 

 always possesses some quality which serves as its condiment. It is 

 only in virtue of this that vegetables gratify the palate. Thus in 

 fruits for example, there are acids, volatile oils, etc. Most of the con- 

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