ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 43 



above, as they are prominent and more likely to be observed by the casual 

 observer. 



In regard to diseases of the kidneys, I may be allowed to say, they are 

 very largely on the increase. Some people are disposed to attribute this increase 

 to the lime in the water. Did not the water fifty years ago carry the same amount 

 of lime as to-day, and did not the system require as much then to build up 

 and repair it as now, and no more? Then why, if this be the remote or excit- 

 ing cause, have these diseases increased so rapidly within the last half century? 

 Allow me to say that the adulteration of food was not as common fifty years 

 ago as now ; neither was albuminuria or any other disease of the kidney. From 

 this you are at liberty to draw your own conclusions. 



If I mistake not, Professor Beal informs us that bioplasm is living or ger- 

 minal matter, and yields first, fibrin ; second, albumen ; third, fatty matter ; 

 fourth, salts ; fifth, water. 



He also informs us that this bioplasm is nourished by the pabulum, and, if 

 too rich in certain materials of nutritive quality, it may result in inflammation. 



He makes mention of three kinds of morbid bioplasm — pus, contagion, 

 tubercle. Each of these morbid conditions may be the result on the vital living 

 material or bioplasm of a pabulum containing other than pure nutritious matter. 

 Suppose, for instance, we give a person mercury with his pabulum, the result, 

 in a short time, would be seen on the glandular system. Then, again, we feed 

 him nitrate of silver, and ere long his skin begins to blacken ; or, if it be bella- 

 donna, the pupils of the eyes begin to dilate ; if it be opium, they contract. 



In conclusion, please allow me to say that if I have advanced one idea by 

 which you may profit I shall feel myself amply paid, but, be that as it may, 

 I can but hope and trust you will turn your attention to the counterfeiting of 

 food and medicine, and strive, with all the powers that you can bring to bear, to 

 do away with this nefarious business, which is a thousand times worse than the 

 counterfeiting of money, which only affects the pocket, while the counterfeiting 

 of food and medicine may cause a person who is so unlucky as to have to use 

 it to drag out a miserable existence for a lifetime, while dollars and cents 

 would only affect the pocket for a time, and would hold no comparison to that 

 of good health. It will require all the energies of the farming community to 

 bring about a change, which they can unitedly do if they choose. They have 

 the power if they choose to use it. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Boyd : Doctor, did you ever analyze any of this butterine that is made 

 in the West? 



Dr. Tefft: A few days ago I was in Chicago at the Fat Stock Show; 

 there was butter and butterine there. Passing through the butterine room, 

 they gave me a sample of butterine. They said it was 50 per cent, lard, and 

 50 per cent, creamery butter. I took it home and made an examination, and I 

 should judge it contained about 10 per cent, of butter and the balance was 

 hog lard and perhaps some tallow. My process is very simple. I take test 

 tubes and set them in lukewarm water, and when they get warm I put my 

 butter and butterine into the tubes. After they are melted, if it is pure butter, 

 it will be a pure transparent oil on top, and below will be the caseine, while the 



