1 62 ALIMENTATION 



which is composed of a number of different alimentary substances 

 Among the conclusions arrived at by this commission, which bear par- 

 ticularly on the questions under consideration, were the following : 



" Gelatin, albumin, fibrin, taken separately, do not nourish animals 

 except for a very limited period and in a very incomplete manner. In 

 general, these substances soon excite an insurmountable disgust, to the 

 point that animals prefer to die of hunger rather than touch them. 



" The same substances artificially combined and rendered agreeably 

 sapid by seasoning are accepted more readily and longer than if they 

 were isolated, but ultimately they have no better influence on nutrition, 

 for animals that take them, even in considerable quantity, finally die 

 with all the signs of complete inanition. 



" Muscular flesh, in which gelatin, albumin and fibrin are united 

 according to the laws of organic nature, and when they are associated 

 with other matters, such as fat, salts etc., suffices, even in very small 

 quantity, for complete and prolonged nutrition " (Paris, 1841). 



In 1769 Dr. Stark, a young English physiologist, fell a victim at an 

 early age to experiments on his own person on the physiological effects 

 of different kinds of food. He lived for forty-four days on bread and 

 water, for twenty-nine days on bread, sugar and water, and for twenty- 

 four days on bread, water and olive-oil. He finally died from the effects 

 of his experiments. 



