34 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
a continuous state of slow combustion goes on within its economy, 
gradually, and for the most part gently, during which the organic 
acids of these potash salts become slowly consumed, whilst giving 
off their excess of carbonic acid, and water through the outlets 
of lungs, skin, and kidneys, but leaving behind their alkaline 
potash. This potash combines with the otherwise stony lithic 
acid (gouty material) just when, and where it begins to be 
harmfully formed, and neutralizes it into a soluble innocent 
combination. But no such happy decomposition is possible 
with free mineral acids in the blood, and tissues, to wit, sulphuric, 
nitric, or hydrochloric (if given medicinally), which are therefore 
poisonous to persons of a gouty, lithic acid disposition. Neither 
does the acid of vinegar—acetic, produced by fermentation— 
become changed so as to yield an alkali against gouty deposits ; 
but, as already stated, lemons, and grapes contain the fruit salts 
of potash most abundantly. Persons who cannot afford to buy 
these fruits as daily food may use cream of tartar, which, when 
genuine, is the natural salt of the grape. 
Again, we shamefully neglect the best of all food by failing 
to partake more freely of fruit when ripe and sound. Ii it must 
be had cooked, then what we have to say is, “Jam for the 
million, jelly for the luxurious, but fruit-juice in some form for 
all.” The desire among boys for fruit, which sometimes tempts 
them to rob the orchard, is due to the craving of nature at this 
time of life for vegetable acids, a craving which it is needful to 
gratify, and wrong to deny. 
The chief mineral substances necessary in food are soda, 
potash, lime, magnesia, and iron, together with phosphorus, 
chlorine, sulphur, and traces of such matters as silica, fluorine, 
and iodine. These constituents are of vital importance as 
structure-builders, and renovators. Lime and phosphorus are 
organically combined in milk; iron in yolk of eggs, meat, and 
artichokes ; sulphur in all vegetable nitrogenous foods. Of 
dietetic articles the richest in lime is milk, next eggs, then the 
cereal grains, especially rice. Iron is present (as to order of 
richness) in spinach, yolk of egg, beef, apples, lentils, strawberries, 
white beans, peas, potatoes, and wheat, Milk, and its derivatives, 
such as cheese, are very poor in iron. Of vegetable foods, 
oatmeal, and Egyptian lentils are amongst the richest in iron, 
but bread, rice, artichokes, potatoes, and spinach also contain 
a good proportion. 
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