54 PLANT DISEASE 



This is confirmed by the well-known fact 

 that there is a calcareous deposit in the lungs 

 of consumptives, a degeneration mentioned 

 under protoplasm. According to chemistry, 

 I fail to see how this calcareous deposit could 

 take place if there were anything like a normal 

 percentage of lecithin in the lungs, which gives 

 under normal conditions an acid reaction 

 owing to an excess of phosphoric acid present 

 in the lecithin found in the lungs, for such an 

 acid would dissolve any such calcareous 

 deposit. This deficiency of phosphoric acid 

 is further confirmed by the fact that insanity 

 and consumption are closely allied, and the 

 bones of the insane are known to be very 

 brittle, due to a deficiency of phosphoric acid 

 in them. 



The following quotations may be taken as 

 evidence that phosphoric acid hardens bone. 



The Text Book of Pharmacology, by J. 

 Lauder Brunton, on pages 627 and 710, says 

 " Phosphate of sodium is given to children 

 who have rickets, in order to supply phos. acid 

 to the bones." The same work says " When 

 phosphorus is given to growing animals the 

 bone is denser than usual." 



