134 ON THE APPLICATION OF DISEASED POTATOES. 



(522.) Even now we do not know whether the injury is 

 not rapidly on its increase, and what man can say that we 

 may not have an absolute famine next year ? Under these 

 circumstances, it behoves us all to be up and stirring ; 

 philosophers to investigate, politicians to regulate, the peo- 

 ple to carry out their laws : and having tried our utmost 

 to avert the calamity, to trust that the Almighty " may re- 

 move far from us his great army which he sent amongst 

 us, that our floors may be full of wheat, and that we may 

 eat in plenty and be satisfied." * 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



ON THE APPLICATION OF DISEASED POTATOES. 



Diseased potatoes as food (523). Thompson's lectures : damaged 

 wheat (524) ; effects of (525) ; difficulty of experimenting on 

 animals (526). Effects of mouldy food (527). Probable effects 

 of diseased potatoes on man (528 529) ; on animals (530 531) ; 

 for fattening bullocks, feeding milch cows (532). Used by bakers 

 (533). Vitiated food generally (534 535). Starch (536539). 



(523.) IT is difficult to foretell what may be the influ- 

 ence of large quantities of vitiated vegetable food on the 

 human frame. By cooking we lessen the deleterious pro- 

 perties of 'the damaged portion; nevertheless, having the 

 experience of the baneful effect of spurred rye, and other 

 damaged grain, when used for food, we may infer from 



* Joel, chap. ii. 



