340 Assembly 



ted of bodies, whieli are either deleterious to the system, or are- 

 not essential to its composition. If we refer to the analysis, how- 

 ever, we find that the bodies which compose it, are found in nutri- 

 tious healthy food, and are all quite harmless ; in fact, the most of 

 them go to build up and support the several tissues of the human 

 body, and are necessary to their healthy nutrition and growth. 

 We, hence must conclude that the iudigestibility of this fruit can- 

 not depend upon the kind of matter of which it is composed. 



Suppose now we examine the relative proportions in which 

 the several bodies unite to form this fruit, to see if there can be 

 anything in this direction which will throw light upon the mat- 

 ter. 



We find in the foregoing analysis, all the bodies in very 

 small proportions with the single exception of water. The 

 percentage of this in the fresh fruit is equal to about one 

 sixth per cent. May we not infer that this very large percentage 

 of water has something to do in retarding digestion. It is well 

 known that all of those fruits which contain a very large propor- 

 tion of water, such as the watermelon, green apples, currants, 

 cherries, &c., are very apt when taken in quantities, without ad- 

 mixture of other food, to produce like unpleasant symptoms, and 

 pass through the stomach and intestines without being acted upon 

 scarcely at all, by the powerful solvents of those organs. 



Water, however, does not seem to be the only body in food, 

 which when in great excess, may appear to retard digestion. 

 Other substances, as casein, albumen, fat, sugar &c., when in large 

 proportions, appear to produce like results. For instance, cheese, 

 which is composed principally ot casein, but contains also in small 

 quantity, quite all the constituents of the animal body, when 

 eaten alone and in quantities, produces symptoms somewhat simi- 

 lar to those produced'by the cucumber, and is voided in a simi- 

 lar undigested state. The same may be said of food composed 

 principally of either albumen, fat, sugar, &c. 



May we not then infer from the above, and numerous other ex- 

 amples, which readily will suggest themselves to every one who 



