HEALTH AND THE LAWS OF MECHANICS 135 



either case the formula N is typical, as are all 

 natural laws, and composed of various elements 

 (A, B, C, D). This formula of a sound individual 

 has a dynamic value perfectly balanced ; so that, 

 supposing it to be a mechanical work equivalent to 

 100, distributed so as to transform a quantity of 

 potential energy (nourishment) into living energy 

 of a useful output of 75, and 25 of residue, the 

 result will be that so long as he is in this true 

 balance, man will preserve his health. All this 

 must follow a regular routine, whilst the animal or 

 the man lives in a normal medium that is, one 

 in which solid and liquid nourishment have the 

 required consistency, and in pure air, and in which 

 the human machine does not do violence to its 

 system of forces ; in this way only will equilibrium 

 be maintained in formula N. 



Bearing in mind that the chemical formula N 

 aims at transforming potential energy into living 

 energy, it will be easily understood that if the 

 solid, liquid, and gaseous aliments, that is to say, 

 the potential force, change, formula N will perforce 

 have to be modified, and its mechanical equivalent, 

 instead of 75, will be 60 (for example), and the 

 residues 40; and consequently there will be an 

 alteration in the normal formula, which will come 

 to be N' (A', B', C', D'), having a less output in 

 useful force and an increase in the residues. 



