n8 THE SPIRIT OF THE SOIL 



conclusion. If further experiments were to prove 

 that either auximones themselves, or auximones sub- 

 jected to some further treatment, were able to act 

 similarly to Hopkins's accessory food bodies, or to 

 Funk's vit amines, it would no longer be necessary 

 to say as I did, quoting Dr. Watson- Wemyss at the 

 outset of the chapter: " The difficulty of obtaining 

 isolated vitamines, together with its expense, make 

 its general use at present impossible." 



The subject is one of proved general interest, as 

 was shown by the public notice that was taken of the 

 recent agitation on the subject of standard bread. 

 As in most public agitations, there were occasions 

 when the truth was lost sight of, when a proved fact 

 was applied more widely than was scientifically 

 justified, but the fact stood behind the exaggerations 

 that at times threatened to conceal it, and has 

 become part of the stock of common knowledge. 

 Such harm as resulted was trivial, and only good 

 can come of the general recognition of the fact that 

 without vitamines and without accessory food bodies 

 it is impossible for either plant or animal to be 

 satisfactorily nourished. 



