20 .1 Manual of Veterinary Physiology. 



table food in sodium salts, Bunge believes that the admini- 

 stration of common salt with the food of herbivora is a 

 necessity. As I hold different views on this important 

 practical point, it is necessary that I should put forward his 

 arguments in the matter, which I have here summarized. 



In spite of the many inorganic salts found in the food, 

 one only, viz., sodium chloride, is taken separately by the 

 human subject, and in addition to that already existing in 

 the food. But carnivora avoid salted food, as sufficient 

 sodium chloride exists in the blood and tissues in the raw- 

 state in which these are consumed by them. Eerbivora, od 

 the other hand, have been known to travel considerable dis- 

 tances to obtain salt. Bunge explains this by saying that 

 though the difference in the amount of common salt con- 

 sumed by carnivora and herbivora is not very great, yel 

 that herbivora consume three or four times as much potas- 

 sium as carnivora, and he considers this latter fact accounts 

 for the anxiety shown by them to obtain salt, for a reason 

 to be presently explained. 



In 1,000 parts of dried material, the following are the 

 proportions of potassium and sodium found in certain 

 articles of diet : 



For one equivalent of sodium the equivalents of potas- 

 sium are : 



