Chap. VIIIJ BOOK ON DEBILITY. 



CHAPTEE VIII. 



1859 TO 1863. 



Sixth book, on 'Debility and Defective Nutrition' — Switzerland — Making of 

 garden at Wallington — Hot-water pipes^ — Ci-oydon Local Board — Injunctions 

 against — Pre-existing sewage — Spoliation of Pinsbury Circus — Trees on the 

 Embankment — Comet, July 1st, 1861 — Pisciculture — Anonymous pamphlet, 

 entitled ' Tteasons for not hanging Garrotters and Burglars ' — Oratorians 

 — Extortion and intimidation of the superior Law Courts. 



The oration of the Hunterian Society was delivered on the 

 9th of February, 1859, by Alfred Smee, one of the fellows of that 

 society. The subject chosen by him was ' Debility and Defective 

 Nutrition : their Causes, Consequences, and Treatment.' The 

 oration was published in a small volume consisting of about ninety 

 pages, which are divided into six chapters. In the first chapter 

 his views on the structure of man, and the proper nutrition 

 required for the use of the body, are detailed. In the second the 

 varieties and symptoms of debility are given. He shows that de- 

 bility is often mistaken for disease or incubation of disease, and 

 he dwells on capricious appetite, by which a person in affluence 

 may, amidst the greatest delicacies which a skilful cook can pre- 

 pare, yet not take sufficient food to sustain nature. He then 

 shows the various causes of debility. He also treats of excess in 

 drink, and shows how the frame of the drunkard is debilitated 

 throughout, until he is prematurely cut off by one or other of 

 the maladies attendant on debility. " If the career of a drunkard 

 be watched, it is astonishing how soon he passes away, as if the 

 voice of Nature exclaimed, 'Cut it down; why cumbers it the 

 ground ? ' " 



My father was always an extremely sober man, and had a 

 great horror of, and indeed disgust for, spirit-drinkers. He never 

 took spirits himself, and even within a few days of his death 



