892 RATIO OF CARBON AND HYDROGEN 



From the above table we perceive that the 

 proportions of carbon and hydrogen in the vege- 

 table acids and grape sugar, vary from 40 to 46 

 per cent. ; in cane sugar, gum, and sugar of milk, 

 from 46 to 48 ; while in the starch of grain and 

 other vegetables, they amount to 50 per cent : 

 but that the fibrin, albumen, and caseine, of both 

 animal and vegetable matter, contain about 60 

 per cent, and the various species of oil or fat 

 about 90 per cent, of carbon and hydrogen, or 30 

 per cent, more than lean meat, and from 40 to 

 50 per cent, more than pure farinaceous food, 

 sugar, gum, and the sub acid fruits. 



It is therefore evident, that the latter are espe- 

 cially adapted to tropical and warm climates, 

 where a smaller amount of animal heat is required 

 than in the higher latitudes, where the articles 

 contained in the second division of the table are 

 more appropriate ; and that in the polar regions, 

 where animal heat is rapidly abstracted by the 

 surrounding air during winter, oily food is pecu- 

 liarly adapted for supplying its loss, by support- 

 ing a rapid combustion in the lungs. Hence it 

 is that the Esquimaux, Samoieds, and Tungouses 

 prefer blubber and train oil to any other descrip- 

 tion of aliment, but have no relish for vegetable 

 food, that they often consume 10 Ibs. or more 

 of animal and oily food per day, according to 

 the reports of numerous travellers ; who also in- 

 form us, that, while wintering in those desolate 



