8S0 Messrs. Schlossberger and Kemp 07i the Proportion of 



nearly so nourishing as it is generally reputed to he by com- 

 mon opinion, although it is possible that the proteine com- 

 pounds in the lower classes of animals may be found to be 

 much richer in phosphorus, in sulphur, and in phosphates 

 than in the higher. Should this prove to be the case, we can 

 see, that although the proportion of nitrogen may not be so 

 great, nevertheless that they might act more powerfully as 

 stimulants, which, as regards the oyster, is believed by some 

 of our best physicians. We intend in a future series of expe- 

 riments to direct our attention to this part of the subject. 



In order that our views on this subject should not be mis- 

 understood, it is necessary for us to state, that we do not con- 

 sider the proportion of nitrogen, taken alone, to be an absolute 

 measure of the nutritive power of our aliments; but as there 

 is a total want of any positive data in regard to this subject, 

 and as so many different and contradictory opinions are given 

 in the works on dietetics "'=', it must be granted that any at- 

 tempt to fix a standard for comparison is not without interest. 

 With respect to the capability for nutrition, we are far from 

 denying that the physical condition, the state of admixture, 

 the peculiar kind of proteine compound, the amount of water 

 and other inorganic matters, of fat, and lastly, the effects of 

 cookery, must necessarily have a very great influence on the 

 physiological effects of our aliments. 



There is one consideration in particular which requires to 

 be noticed, namely the distinction between the absolute amount 

 of nutritive matter and that portion of it which is in such a 

 state as to be easily digested and assimilated by the system, 

 in the same way as a soil produced from minerals abounding 

 in alkaline salts is not always the most fertile as regards plants 

 with a predominance of alkaline bases, but the fertility of 

 which depends on the amount of these bodies contained in a 

 state in which they can be taken up and made use of by the 

 plant. Thus an aliment abounding in nutritive matter may 

 be inferior to one with a much smaller quantity as regards the 

 nourishing effects produced by it; if in the first of these cases 

 only a part, in the second the whole may be easily absorbed 

 and assimilated. Here we must rely upon the experiments 

 of the physiologist as to the degree of digestibility of different 

 substances ; and there already exists an excellent basis in the 

 researches of Beaumont and of Blondlot. This is one of the 

 questions, in which, by the co-operation alone of the physio- 

 logist and chemist, any progress can be expected to be made 



* See all works from t*lenk's Bromatologia to the latest, as Paris's Trea- 

 tise on Diet, as well as our standard works on Materia Medical' and we 

 think it will be allowed that we have not asserted too much. 



