NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CONDIMENTS 115 



and mineral matter, the latter containing phosphates and 

 chlorides. Other things being equal, it may be considered 

 that the comparative nutrient value of two articles is in pro- 

 portion to the amounts of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphoric 

 acid they contain. 



"The food of man also contains certain substances known 

 under the name of condiments. Since these bodies perform 

 their functions outside the real body, though within the ali- 

 mentary canal, they have no better reason to be considered 

 as food than has hunger, optimum condimentum" 1 Such is 

 the positively expressed opinion of Foster, the author of the 

 article on Nutrition, in Watts's "Dictionary of Chemistry." 

 With a view of determining how far the common condiments 

 deserve this summary dismissal, a number of analyses have 

 been made in the laboratory of the Philadelphia Polyclinic. 

 My examinations were especially directed to the mineral 

 matter, phosphoric acid and nitrogen. The following table 

 shows the result of the analyses : 



The articles were examined in the condition in which they 

 were obtained in the market, without any preliminary drying, 

 selecting, or preparation. The ash was obtained by burning 

 in a platinum crucible, at as low a temperature as possible, 

 dissolving in hydrochloric acid the phosphoric acid separated 



1 Dictionary of Chemistry, vol. iv, p. 149. 



