112 STATES OF THE KIVER PLATE. 



with all classes, not only from habit, but also from an 

 absolute want, to sustain the extraordinary wear and tear 

 to which the system is subjected by quickened thought 

 and accelerated movement, and they decline to avail 

 themselves of that which is urged upon them as ' the 

 thing ' which they require ; as ' the wholesome beef of 

 the untainted (by artificial feeding) herds that feed on the 

 virgin pastures' it may suggest itself to thoughtful minds, 

 that there may be a cause for its rejection. Is it really 

 what it is represented to be? Does the fact that the 

 cattle roam almost in their naturally wild state over 

 plains vast in the extreme, suffice to make the beef es- 

 pecially good, or even good at all ? And is the expecta- 

 tion well-founded that this beef can, by any and many 

 processes, be preserved good and wholesome ? 



In another paper, I have described the habits and 

 treatment of these cattle, as also the lands and pasturage 

 on which they feed, and the customary manner of their 

 slaughter. 



During several years my attention has been more or 

 less directed to this subject, as a matter of general in- 

 terest rather than with any immediate purpose ; never- 

 theless with the idea that information obtained on so 

 manifestly important a matter would prove available and 

 practically useful. 



Under this impression, in the course of recreative study, 

 I have sought and noted matter bearing on the subject in 

 the works of authorities of the highest standing, more 

 especially in those of Dr. Carpenter (Carpenter's ' Physio- 

 logy ') and Baron Liebig's ' Letters on Chemistry, Physio- 

 logy, Dietetics,' &c. ; the latter work being but recently 

 published (1859), when the subject presented itself to my 

 consideration, 



It became evident to me on studying these and other 



