700 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
hands are washed the stuff comes off by degrees, dyeing the 
water a bright yellow colour, and quite four washings are needed 
before this matter can be all removed. Our American cousins 
persuade themselves that they are never in such perfect health 
as during the Tomato season; and with ourselves this com- 
paratively modern vegetable has become valued, not simply 
as a refreshing, cooling salad, or when appetizingly stewed, but 
essentially as a reputed antibilious article of salutary nutriment. 
As to any risk of contracting cancerous disease from a free, or 
habitual indulgence in Tomatoes, the staff of the Cancer Hospitals 
altogether repudiate the supposition, “seeing no ground 
whatever for entertaining any such charge.” Possibly on the 
old doctrine of signatures it may have first been suggested as 
an accusation against the Tomato that its frequent use for food 
will engender cancerous disease ; since it is manifest that the 
fruit bears a nodulated, tumour-like aspect, whilst showing, 
when cut into, an appearance of red, raw, morbid, fleshy structure 
which strongly resembles cancerous diseased flesh, or tumour 
growth in the human subject. As far as scientific research into 
the nature, causes, and possible cure of cancer yet pronounces, 
a certain cellular, and molecular perversion constitutes the dire 
disease, rather than any toxic, or destructive special work of 
microbes ; so that drugs, or food principles would seem beyond 
the mark with curative aims. A very remarkable, and highly 
suggestive fact which bears on this vital question is that the 
cells of malignant growths have only half that number within 
themselves of “‘ chromosomes,” which is found to be absolutely 
entire in the normal healthy cells of all the higher animals, 
and plants. The “chromosomes” are minute, rod-shaped 
bodies, which under experiment take up the stain of various 
aniline dyes. This discovery has been placed before the Royal 
Society by three exponents. Also a further announcement is 
now made, on the highest authority, that cancer has been 
detected in fishes, precisely similar to the cancer which invades 
human beings ; which fact opens a new field of research under 
quite distinct conditions, and promises an important extension 
of knowledge about the disease. 
Chemically, also, in addition to the acids already named, the 
Tomato contains a volatile oil, with a brown, resinous, extractive 
matter which is very fragrant, a vegeto-mineral matter, muco- 
saccharin, some mineral salts, and in all probability an alkaloid. 
