38 



26//z February ', il 



J. H. Greenhill, Esq., Mus. Bac, in the Chair. 



Dr. MacCormac gave a Lecture on 

 MAN'S FOOD AND DIETETICS. 



Dr. MacCormac said — The want of a little scientific know- 

 ledge of the composition of food and its action on the system 

 often leads to interference with the digestive and nutritive 

 functions, and, of necessity, to ill-health, disease, and death. 

 If apology, therefore, were necessary for drawing attention to 

 the subject he had taken for his lecture, this fact might, he 

 thought, be deemed a sufficient one. He proposed to deal with 

 the subject under five heads — first, the chemical composition of 

 man and his food ; secondly, the origin of food ; thirdly, the 

 alimentary production of the animal and vegetable kingdoms : 

 fourthly, beverages ; fifthly, principles of dietetics. 



After describing at length the chemical composition of 

 the human body, the lecturer proceeded to say that, the 

 human frame being largely composed of nitrogen, it is neces- 

 sary in order to complete its structure, and to repair the 

 daily waste, that heavy drafts must be made upon nature's 

 bank of nitrogen. Her stores are found in abundance in 

 flesh, milk, and eggs, and in smaller quantities in fruits 

 and vegetables ; and to these man goes that he may not 

 perish of exhaustion or pinching poverty. But heat has also 

 to be created in more or less abundant quantities, according 

 to the temperature by which he is surrounded. In a northern 

 climate like our own, a considerable proportion of the food 

 taken is thus consumed in keeping up this animal heat. The 



