220 NUTRITIONAL PHYSIOLOGY 



Vegetarianism has sometimes been advocated upon 

 humanitarian grounds and sometimes because of its sup- 

 posed favorable effect upon health. The idea that the 

 destruction of animal life for human nutrition is morally 

 wrong cannot be discussed here. It is true that not many 

 people would kill animals for their own use if there were no 

 other way to obtain meat. It is equally true that so many 

 of the noblest and gentlest people that ever lived have 

 enjoyed meat and fish that we cannot well credit the claim 

 that flesh foods cause deterioration of character. 



A diet containing much meat is naturally a high protein 

 diet, and is, accordingly, subject to the drawbacks already 

 mentioned in this connection. These have been seen to 

 include an unprofitable spurring of the metabolism more 

 particularly objectionable in warm weather and the 

 menace of auto-intoxication. The typical proteins of meat 

 are probably not better nor worse than other proteins in 

 these relations. There is, however, greater, likelihood of 

 overconsumption of proteins when meat is the source be- 

 cause of its very attractiveness. Men, especially those who 

 spend money freely, are certainly prone to such indiscre- 

 tions, while women set an example of temperance in this as 

 in so many other practice's. So far as the proteins eaten 

 are destined to be reconstructed into those of the blood 

 and tissues, it may be asserted that meat proteins are pecu- 

 liarly well suited to the purpose. Their molecular corre- 

 spondence with the pattern to be imitated is close. But 

 the demand for amino-acids for this use seems to be 

 small. 



The real individuality of meat is owing to the presence 

 in it of the secondary substance which we call extractives. 

 These give it its odor and, in conjunction with mineral 

 salts, its flavor. Their absolute amount is not large, but 

 they are of much interest. They have been described by 

 writers holding meat in disfavor as waste-products of 

 animal life. The characterization seems broadly to be a 

 justifiable one, though our disgust at the notion is not 

 necessarily well founded. The extractives of meat cer- 



