FOOD AND FEEDING. *8i 



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understanding of our subject, a brief sketch must be presented. Let 

 it suffice to say that carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the three all- 

 pervading elements of the vegetable world, enter largely into the 

 composition of the animal body; and that the two former especially 

 constitute a fuel the oxidization of which produces animal heat, and 

 develops the force in its varied forms, physical and mental, which 

 the body is capable of exerting. Besides these, nitrogen, obtainable 

 from certain vegetable products, not from all, but forming definite 

 combinations with the three elements just named, is essential to the 

 repair and reproduction of the body itself, being one of its most 

 important constituents. Lastly must be named several other elements 

 which, in small proportions, are also essential constituents of the body, 

 such as sulphur, phosphorus, salts of lime, magnesia, potash, etc., with 

 traces of iron and other metals. All these must be present in the food 

 supplied, otherwise animal existence can not be supported; and all are 

 found in the vegetable kingdom, and may be obtained directly there- 

 from by man in feeding on vegetables alone.* But the process of 

 obtaining and combining these simple elements into the more complex 

 forms which constitute the bases of animal tissues definite compounds 

 of nitrogen with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen is also accomplished 

 by the lower animals, which are exclusively vegetable feeders. These 

 animals we can consume as food, and thus procure, if we please, ready 

 prepared for our purpose, the materials of flesh, sinew, and bone for 

 immediate use. We obtain also from the animal milk and the egg, 

 already said to be " perfect " foods ; and they are so because they 

 contain the nitrogenous compounds referred to, fatty matter abun- 

 dantly, and the various saline or mineral matters requisite. But com- 

 pounds simpler in form than the preceding, of a non-nitrogenous kind, 

 that is, of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only, are necessary as food 

 for the production of animal heat and force. These consist, first, of 

 the fat of animals of various kinds, and of butter; and from the vege- 

 table kingdom, of the fatty matter which exists in grain and legumes, 

 and largely in the olive and in many seeds ; secondly, of the starchy 

 matters, all derived from vegetables, such as a large part of wheaten 

 and other flour, rice, arrowroot, and potatoes, together with sugar, 

 gum, and other minor vegetable products of a similar kind. The fats 

 form the more important group of the two, both in relation to the 

 production of heat and force; and without a constant supply of fat as 

 food the body would cease to exist. The vegetable-eater, pure and 

 simple, can therefore extract from his food all the principles necessary 

 for the growth and support of the body as well as for the production 



The vegetable kingdom comprehends the cereals, legumes, roots, starches, sugar, 

 herbs, and fruits. Persons who style themselves vegetarians often consume milk, eggs, 

 butter, and lard, which are choice foods from the animal kingdom. There are other per- 

 sons, of course, who are strictly vegetable-eaters, and such alone have any right to the 

 title of vegetarians. 



