FOOD FOR THE BRAIN. 129 



man, if he would keep his brain in a proper condition. Now, 

 of all the substances which can be appropriated by man, digested 

 by the human organs, and made part of our system, there is 

 none which contains so large a quantity of these phosphates, 

 and in a form so easily appropriated, as fish. It is for that 

 reason that a fish diet is to be recommended. A community in 

 which there is a vast amount of intellectual activity — and I 

 know of none in which there is more than in this — ought to be 

 accustomed to a fish diet ; ought to take every means of in- 

 creasing that article of food, of making it easily accessible and 

 cheap, and of introducing it largely among the articles of daily 

 food. These facts have been ascertained so well, that I need 

 not dwell upon them more fully. And yet it is not long since 

 it has been known. It is only some thirty odd years since it 

 became known to what an extent a fish diet was adapted to re- 

 pair the losses and waste of our cerebral system. I need not, 

 therefore, say anything more as a recommendation of that new 

 industry which is attempted to be established among us. But I 

 would say a few words concerning the supply of food generally, 

 that it may be understood why fish must be raised artificially, if 

 we would have a sufficient supply. 



In order to show it, I need only allude to the unquestionable 

 fact, that the whole population of the United States, amounting 

 now to forty millions, lives upon food which is for the greater 

 part foreign to this continent. That population could not be 

 sustained were it not that its food is artificially produced. Our 

 domestic animals, also, are kept on food which is foreign to this 

 continent. If we did not grow that food, we could not raise 

 those large herds ; we could not supply the farm with those 

 horses which are so indispensable for all agricultural purposes. 

 The whole is an artificial product, and civilization progresses in 

 proportion as the conditions are favorable to increasing and en- 

 larging this produce from the land. If you compare the savage 

 nations with civilized nations, you will at once understand, after 

 these remarks, why they are so sparsely scattered over the sur- 

 face of the earth. You will understand that the wild animals 

 do not multiply so as to increase in numbers. It is not only 

 because man hunts them down, but it is because they are de- 

 pendent for their living upon food which grows naturally, which 

 is nowhere multiplied for their increase, which they are inca- 

 17 



