426 VEGETABLE FOODS. 



meat-broth; they can, however, be advantageously employed in conjunction 

 with v. Liebig's meat-extract. In boiling, meat loses weight, principally through 

 loss of water, as follows: beef 15 per cent., mutton _io per cent., chicken 13.5 

 per cent. In roasting the same kinds of meat the loss is respectively 19 per cent., 

 24 per cent., 24 per cent. 



J. v. Liebig's " Infusum carnis jrigide paratum" is prepared by mixing finely 

 chopped meat with i : 1000 hydrochloric acid (3 cu. cm. of fuming hydrochloric 

 acid to 1000 cu. cm. of water), stirring frequently and expressing after some 

 hours. The almost tasteless fluid, which, in addition to the constituents of 

 the broth, is also rich in albumin, is often useful in cases with enfeeble digestion. 

 Albumin is, however, precipitated by the addition of sodium chlorid or by 

 boiling. Leube and J. Rosenthal reduced such a mixture of hydrochloric acid 

 and meat to a gelatinous spongy condition (containing but little peptone) by 

 heating under high pressure in hermetically sealed vessels. The meat-solution 

 thus obtained is employed advantageously in cases of weak stomach. 



Of other methods of preservation there are yet to be mentioned: the canning 

 in its own juices of meat boiled at a temperature of 100; the drying of fat-free 

 meat cut into long narrow strips (the pemmican of the Indians) ; dried, powdered, 

 salted beef (carne pura). C. v. Voit discovered that the nutritive value of 

 meat is not impaired to any great degree in the process of pickling. He found in 

 pickled meat, in addition to increase in sodium chlorid, a loss of water of 10.4 

 per cent., of organic matters 2.1 per cent., of albumin i.i per cent., of extractives 

 13.5 per cent., of phosphoric acid 8.5 per cent. The practice of smoking is based 

 upon the antiseptic action of the smoke. 



Poor quality and decomposition of meat may result from the development 

 of the alkaloids of putrefaction (ptomains) , as well as from the action of bacteria. 

 Such a condition should always cause rejection of the meat. Although it is often 

 enough consumed without bad result, as the popularity of the "haut gout" or 

 "gamey taste" demonstrates. At least, the meat, before being eaten, should 

 always be thoroughly boiled. The decomposition of sausages and similarly pre- 

 pared meat at times results in the development of a peculiar and even fatal 

 poison, the sausage-poison. Occasionally the decomposition of meat, particu- 

 larly also of fish, gives rise to a peculiar actively phosphorescent light, due to 

 the development of lower organisms. The use of such meat, however, does 

 not seem to be directly injurious. A knowledge of the occurrence of the trichina 

 spiralis in pork is highly important; also of bladder-worms varying in size from a 

 pea to a bean in pork and beef, the development of which into tapeworms is dis- 

 cussed under Reproduction. The cysticercus of bothriocephalus latus is found in 

 the pike. 



VEGETABLE FOODS. 



The nitrogenous constituents of plants are less readily absorbed than those 

 of animal foods. Nevertheless the former may completely replace the animal 

 proteids, provided they contain an equal amount of nitrogen. Carbohydrates, 

 starch and sugar are quite completely absorbed and even some cellulose is digested. 

 The greater the amount of fat in vegetable food the less the carbohydrates are 

 digested and absorbed. 



Among the vegetable articles of food the cereals occupy the first place. They 

 contain proteids, starch, and salts, together with water to about 14 per cent. 

 The nitrogenous gluten is most abundant beneath the capsule, so that the use 

 of finely ground bran in coarse bread seems plausible for good digestive organs; 

 although the varieties of bread that contain a considerable amount of bran are 

 digested with appreciably greater difficulty, as the cellulose-membrane of the 

 gluten-layer is scarcely dissolved in the process of digestion. Rye-bread is assimi- 

 lated with greater difficulty than wheat-bread. For commercial bread a mixture 

 of both kinds of flour is advisable. Quantitative composition: 



ioo parts of dry flour contain: 100 parts of cereal ash contain: 



Albuminates. Starch. Red Wheat. White Wheat. 



Wheat 16.52% 56.25% 27.87 Potassium carbonate 33.84 



Rye 11.92 60.91 15-75 Sodium .... 



Barley 17.70 38.31 1.93 Calcium 3.09 



Corn 13-65 77-74 9.60 Magnesium 13. 54 



Rice 7.40 86.21 1.36 Iron oxid 0.31 



Buckwheat 6.8-10.5 65.05 49-36 Phosphoric acid 49.21 



0.15 Silica .... 



