112 PLANT DISEASE 



quires to be combined with fatty and nitro- 

 genous substances, such as milk or meat 

 gravy, to satisfy the requirements of the 

 system." 



From the foregoing evidence it is clear that 

 leprosy is a disease due to an impoverished 

 state of the system, and that the impoverish- 

 ment is brought about by living largely on 

 rice, fish, and possibly other cereals that are 

 wanting in iron, nitrogen, phosphates and the 

 surrounding carbon compounds which are 

 governed by these foregoing mineral con- 

 stituents. 



I have pointed out that it is through the 

 mineral matter of the plant, especially the 

 iron, \that the sugars and fats are produced 

 in the said plant, so that cereals like rice, 

 wheat, etc., containing little or no iron, 

 would be more or less deficient in fats and 

 sugars. 



It appears to be fair presumption that the 

 prevention of leprosy, one of the food diseases, 

 can be obtained by improving the natural 

 food of the people. For if the mineral matter 

 usually found in plants, together with the 



