CHAP, v.] NUTRITION. 671 



tion. In preparing the body for some coming arduous labour 

 in "training" as it is called, an increase of proteid food, for 

 the purpose of hurrying on the general metabolism of the body, 

 and thus of making ' new flesh ' and renovating the body, so to 

 speak, in view of the strain to be put upon it, may perhaps 

 suggest itself ; but even this is doubtful. 



The principles of such a conclusion with regard to muscular 

 work may be applied with still greater confidence to nervous 

 or mental work. The actual expenditure of energy in nervous 

 work is relatively small, but the indirect influence on the 

 economy is very great. The closeness and intricacies of the 

 ties which bind all parts of the body together is very clearly 

 shewn by the well-known tendency of so-called brain work to 

 derange the digestive and metabolic activities of the body ; 

 and if there be any diet especially suited for intellectual labour 

 it is one directed not in any way towards the brain, but entirely 

 towards lightening the labours of and smoothing the way for 

 such parts of the body as the stomach and the liver. 



