TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 141 



ill the blood, and yield tlieui in the proper proportions to muscular tissue for its 

 nutrition ; but this subject requires further investigation. 



G. The nutrition of pulmonary tissue in health difi'ers from that of muscular 

 tissue, inasmuch as the proportion of phosphoric acid to the albumen in the tissue 

 proper, and consequently also in the nutritive material, is much higher in the lungs 

 than in flesh, and that of the potash in the effete material is much higher propor- 

 tionally to phosphoric acid in pulmonary than in muscular tissue. This excess of 

 potash is apparently eliminated under the form of carbonate. 



7. The nature of the chemical changes which take place within muscles in con- 

 sumption is the same as in health ; but these changes are lessened in degi-ee, the 

 amount of nutritive material supplied being diminished. Moreover, there appears 

 to be in muscular tissue in phthisis a beginning of that separation of water from 

 the solids which, imder other circumstances, only occurs some time after death. 



8. Muscular tissue in consumption contains more soda and chlorine than in a 

 state of health, in the mean proportion of 0117 of chlorine, and 0-239 of soda in 

 health, to 0-385 of chlorine and 0-446 of soda in consumption for 200 grammes of 

 flesh, showing apparently that the physical power of diffusion, which had been 

 kept in abeyance in health, begins to act in phthisis. 



9. The pulmonary organ in phthisis, when consolidated and softening, still 

 undergoes a process of nutrition ; but this phenomenon is different from that which 

 occurs in health, and becomes remarkably like the nutrition of muscular tissue. 



10. The pulpy state of the pulmonary tissue in the cheesy or softening condition, 

 appears to be due to an altered relation between the water and solids, the colloid 

 condition of the tissue being either lost or considerably diminished. The diseased 

 orgiin, moreovei", contains less colloid and more effete or crystalloid material than 

 it does in health, these several phenomena showing, as in the case of muscles, a 

 commencement of physical change. 



11. Finallj', death from consumption, when not due to asphyxia from deficient 

 action of the organs of respiration, is apparently owing to the physical power of 

 matter overcoming the phenomena of life, the nature of which is still a mystery, 

 physical changes actually commencing- before life is extinct. 



A Model of the Circulation of the Blood; by Professor RutheepouD; was 

 exhibited, 



Dietaries in tJie WorkJiouses of England and Wales. 

 By Dr. Edward Smith, F.R.S., Medical Officer of the Poor-law Board. 



The author referred to the fact that schemes of dietary are agreed upon by the 

 combined action of the local authorities, viz. the guardians of the poor, and the 

 centi-al authority ; and showed that, as the dietary should correspond with that of 

 the labouring classes, it must vary in different localities, and be based upon local 

 knowledge. The dietary is thus prepared by the guardians and examined and 

 sanctioned by the Poor-law Board. He explained the steps wliich have recently 

 been taken by the latter to give advice to the former and to establish greatly im- 

 proved dietaries. This was initiated by the Rt. Hon. 0. P. Villiers, who first made 

 the appointment of medical officer to the Board, and carried into effect by the Earl 

 of Devon and his successors as Presidents of the Poor-law Board. It is now laid 

 down by that authority that the foods to be selected shall be those in ordinary use 

 in the several localities, and that the kind and quantity of food shall be adapted to 

 the wants of the several classes of inmates. The chief differences of food are found 

 in the quantity of meat supplied and the mode in which it is served, and in the use 

 of oatmeal, cheese, milk, and puddings. On many of these points the dietaries 

 in Dorset and "S^'^estmoreland were contrasted. Thus he showed, from inquiries 

 made hj him for the Government some years ago, that the quantities of food ob- 

 tained by the working classes per adult weekh^ were, in Dorset — bread stuffs, 13 lb. ; 

 sugars, 3| oz. ; fats, 4^ oz. ; meat, 7^ oz. ; milk, 12 oz. ; and cheese, 12^ oz. ; while 

 in Westmoreland the quantities were, — bread stufls, 12^ lb. ; sugars, lOf oz. ; 

 fats, 6| oz. ; meat, 21^ oz. ; milk, 120 oz. ; and cheese, 2 oz. lie then showed 

 what is the typical diet of children at various ages, and for able-bodied and aged 



