FOOD AND FEEDING. 385 



Among articulated animals are the lobsters, crabs, and shrimps. 

 Among mollusks, the oyster and all the shellfish, which, as well as the 

 preceding animals, in chemical composition closely resemble that of 

 fish properly so called. 



I shall not enter on a discussion of the question, Is man designed 

 to be a vegetable feeder, or a flesh-eating or an omnivorous animal ? 

 Nor shall his teeth or other organs be examined in reference thereto. 

 Any evidence to be found by anatomical investigation can only be 

 safely regarded as showing what man is and has been. That he has 

 been and is omnivorous to the extent of his means, there can exist no 

 doubt. Whether he has been generally prudent or happy in his choice 

 of food and drink is highly improbable, seeing that until very recently 

 he has possessed no certain knowledge touching the relations which 

 matters used as food hold with respect to the structure and wants of 

 his body, and that such recent knowledge has been confined to a very 

 few individuals. Whatever sound practice he may have attained, and 

 it is not inconsiderable, in his choice and treatment of food, is the 

 result of many centuries of empirical observation, the process of which 

 has been attended with much disastrous failure and some damage to 

 the experimenters. No doubt, much unsound constitution and procliv- 

 ity to certain diseases result from the persistent use through many gen- 

 erations of improper food and drink. 



Speaking in general terms, man seems, at the present time, prone 

 to choose foods which are unnecessarily concentrated and too rich in 

 nitrogenous or flesh-forming material, and to consume more in quantity 

 than is necessary for the healthy performance of the animal functions. 

 He is apt to leave out of sight the great difference, in relation to both 

 quantity and quality of food, which different habits of life demand, 

 e. g., between the habits of those who are chiefly sedentary and brain- 

 workers and of those who are active and exercise muscle more than 

 brain. He makes very small account of the different requirements by 

 the child, the mature adult, and the declining or aged person. And 

 he seems to be still less aware of the frequent existence of notable 

 individual peculiarities in relation to the tolerance of certain aliments 

 and drinks. As a rule, man has little knowledge of, or interest in, the 

 processes by which food is prepared for the table, or the conditions 

 necessary to the healthy digestion of it by himself. Until a tolerably 

 high standard of civilization is reached, he cares more for quantity 

 than quality, desires little variety, and regards as impertinent an inno- 

 vation in the shape of a new aliment, expecting the same food at the 

 same hour daily, his enjoyment of which apparently greatly depends 

 on his ability to swallow the portion with extreme rapidity, that he 

 may apply himself to some other and more important occupation with- 

 out delay. Eating is treated, in fact, by multitudes much as they are 

 disposed to treat religious duty which eating assuredly is that is, as 

 a duty which is generally irksome, but unfortunately necessary to be 



VOL. XT. 25 



