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exhibition ; also that the action of food is in two degrees ; viz. that 

 which sustains the respiratory changes to the minimum line (or 

 that which occurs with complete abstinence), and that which is 

 observed as the maximum point to which the respiratory function 

 is increased after ordinary meals. His aim in this communication 

 was to show the variations in the influence of food between these 

 two lines. His method of inquiry was to take a moderate quan- 

 tity of a single article of food alone, before breakfast, whilst the 

 body was at rest and in the sitting posture, and to determine the 

 influence every ten or fifteen minutes during a period of about 

 two hours. He noted the amount of carbonic acid exhaled and 

 of air inhaled, with the rate of respiration and pulsation, and also 

 the temperature and the barometric pressure of the atmosphere. 

 The apparatus employed was that described in his former Paper, 

 and the gentlemen who submitted themselves to the investigation 

 were chiefly the author and Mr. Moul, with Professor Frankland, 

 F.R.S., Mr. Hoffman, and Mr. Reid, who engaged in a few experi- 

 ments. 



The following foods were subjected to inquiry : 



1. The starch series, viz. arrowroot, arrowroot and butter, arrow- 

 root and sugar, commercial starch, wheat starch, gluten, bread, oat- 

 meal, rice, rice and butter, potato. 



2. The fat series, viz. butter, olive oil, cod-liver oil. 



3. Sugars, viz. cane sugar, cane sugar and butter, cane sugar with 

 acids and alkalies, grape sugar, sugar of milk. 



4. The milk series (cows' milk), viz. new milk, skimmed milk, 

 casein, casein and lactic acid, lactic acid, sugar of milk and lactic 

 acid, cream. 



5. Alcohols, viz. alcohol, brandy, whisky, gin, rum, sherry wine, 

 port wine, stout, and ale. 



6. The tea series, viz. tea, green and black, hot and cold, in 

 various quantities, and with acids and alkalies ; coffee, coffee-leaves, 

 chichory, and cocoa. 



7. Some other nitrogenous substances, viz. gelatin, albumen, 

 fibrine, almond-emulsion. 



The author found that pure starch scarcely increased the amount 

 of carbonic acid evolved, but the combination of starch with gluten 

 and sugar in the cereals caused an increase of about 2 grains per 



