300 Royal Society : — 



higher than in Bread. In the estimated consumed portions of the 

 fat lamb, the fat sheep, and the fat pig, the proportion was more 

 than l-l- time as great as in Bread; and in those of the extra fat 

 sheep it was more than twice as great. Taking the average of 

 the 6 cases, there were nearly 10 parts of starch-equivalent to 1 of 

 nitrogenous compounds, against 6 '8 to 1 in Bread. In the half-fat 

 ox, and the half-fat old sheep, neither of which were in the condition 

 of fatness of such animals as usually killed, the relation of the starch- 

 equivalent to the nitrogenous compounds (assuming only the same 

 proportion of the total fat as before to be eaten), was in the former 

 considerably, and in the latter slightly lower than in Bread, namely, 

 as 3'83 to 1 in the half-fat ox, and as 6"28 to 1 in the half-fat old 

 sheep. 



It will perhaps be objected, that, when animals are so far fattened 

 as to attain the relations above stated, the feeder is simply inducing 

 disease in the animals themselves, and frustrating that which, it is 

 considered, should be the special advantage of a meat-diet, namely, 

 the increase in the relative supply of the flesh-forming constituents 

 in our food. It cannot be doubted, however, that in animals that 

 would be admitted, by both producer and consumer, to be in only a 

 proper condition of fatness, there would be a higher relation of non- 

 nitrogenous substance (so far as its respiratory and fat-forming capa- 

 city is concerned), to flesh-forming material, in their total consumed 

 portions, than in the average of our staple vegetable foods. It may 

 be true, that with the modern system of bringing animals very early 

 forward, the development of fat will be greater, and that of the muscles 

 and other nitrogenous parts less, than would otherwise be the case ; 

 but it is certain, that if meat is to be economically produced, so as to 

 be within the reach of the masses of the population, it can only be so 

 on the plan of early maturity. Nor will it be questioned, that the 

 admixture with their otherwise vegetable diet, of the meat so pro- 

 duced, is, in practice, of great advantage to the health and vigour of 

 those who consume it. 



It is true that individual joints or other parts, as sold, will fre- 

 quently have a less proportion of fat to flesh-forming matter than, 

 according to the above supposition, will be consumed. Some fat 

 will also be removed in the process of cooking. But this portion 

 will generally still be consumed in some form. And where fresh 

 meat is bought, so also are suet, lard, and butter, which either add 

 to the fatness of the cooked meats, or are used further to reduce the 

 relative flesh-forming capacity of the collaterally consumed vegetable 

 foods. 



It would, indeed, appear to be unquestionable, that the influence, 

 on the large scale, of the introduction of animal food to supplement 

 our otherwise mainly farinaceous diet, is to reduce, and not to in- 

 crease, the relation of the nitrogenous or peculiarly flesh-forming, to 

 the non-nitrogenous constituents (reckoned in their respiratory and 

 fat-forming capacity), of the food consumed. 



That, nevertheless, a diet containing a due proportion of animal 

 food is, for some reason or other, generally better adapted to meet 



