NEGLECTED POIIvTS IX STOCK FEEDING. 



605 



supply of chlorine is evident, in the craving -which every human being 

 (and many of the lower animals) exhibits for common salt, but lack 

 of other substances, required perhaps in smaller quantity, but 

 probably quite as essential as chlorine {e.g., iodine for the secretion 

 of the thyroid gland, fluorine in bone and teeth formation) is not 

 rendered evident by the appetite, and is diflicult to detect. 



The preparation alluded to has been given to several human 

 beings with beneficial results. 



To the medical man the suggestion of a "mineral food," such 

 as has been mentioned, may appear too materialistic, and indicative 

 of a desire to regard the animal economy as a machine. 



The writer, while admitting that it cannot bo maintained that 

 the body will be able to utilise all the elements presented to it in 

 the simple inorganic combinations suggested as readily as if they 

 formed part of complex org"anic compoimds, such as exist in food 

 stufl's, claims that it is possible that such utilisation may occur, while 

 when the food is devoid of certain mineral constituents no assimila- 

 tion of these materials is possible and the secretions consequently 

 suffer. 



In any case actual experience has clearly demonstrated the 

 beneficial effect of the preparation with horses, cattle, poultiy, and 

 children, and at present experiments on a large scale, with control 

 animals, are being tried. 



In conclusion, it may be of interest to have the results of 

 analyses of a considerable number of South African-growai food stuffs, 

 as determined in the writer's laboratorv. 



