22 CHEMISTRY AND USES OF THE POTATOE. 



merits with fowls upon the value of various foods for nutri- 

 tion, but in the instance of the potatoe could obtain no 

 result. The fowls ate the boiled potatoes ravenously for a 

 few days, and then absolutely refused them. 10 Ib. of 

 potatoes appeared to go as far as one quart of wheat. 



(76.) Potatoes also contain a large quantity of phosphorus, 

 which is supposed to act as a stimulus to the nervous sys- 

 tem. The following table from Pereira shows the relative 

 quantities contained by the potatoe and some other sub- 

 stances : 



Potatoe .... 2'5 



Wheat .... 0-792 to 1'98 



Barley .... 022 to 1'32 



Oats .... 0-352 to 1-32 



Rice .... 0-286 to 0'88 



(77.) Burnet mentions that the potatoe is remarkable for 

 becoming phosphorescent during putrefaction, affording 

 even light sufficient to read by. An instance in point is 

 mentioned in the " Edinburgh Philosophical Journal," in 

 which it is related, that an officer on guard at Strasburg 

 thought the barracks were on fire, so great was the light 

 emitted from a cellar filled with potatoes which were in an 

 incipient state of decomposition. 



(78.) It appears that Clusius had the potatoe from the 

 Pope's garden, the Pope having received it from South 

 America. In those times it had a great reputation for its 

 aphrodisiac properties, and therefore it is especially to be 

 avoided by monks, nuns, popish priests, and others who 

 think fit to make vows of celibacy. 



(79.) Iron also is contained in the potatoe, and adds 

 materially to its value as an article of food, that metal 

 being always required as a constituent of the blood. 



