242 



Food and its Digestion. 



thereto, and the public would have spared their injudi- 

 cious indulgence in remarks, and sneers most painful, hav- 

 ing upon the strongest minds even a most unhappy 

 tendency." 



Though a man of evident sagacity and much common 

 sense, Mr. Banting felt that for any valuable or practical 

 information upon this subject which so deeply interested 

 him, he must apply to those who had made it a study of 

 life. With this view he sought the advice of several 

 eminent medical men, " many high orthodox authorities, 

 never any inferior adviser; but all in vain." Most of 

 them recommended great care about excessive eating and 

 drinking, above all things insisting upon increased bodily 

 exercise, which latter part of the advice he closely carried 

 out, and as he graphically states, " It is true I gained in 

 muscular vigor, but likewise in prodigious appetite, which 

 being absolutely compelled to indulge, I consequently 

 increased to such a degree in weight that I was necessi- 

 tated to discontinue the course." Finally almost dis- 

 couraged with his want of success, he applied to Dr. 

 Harvey of London, who without restricting him mate- 

 rially as regards the amount of his food, absolutely forbade 

 his using those articles of food which the chemists desig- 

 nate the carbo-hydrates and hydro-carbons, and which 

 the physiologists call fat-producers. 



When Mr. Banting commenced his system of training — 

 this reducing process — he was 66 years old, about 5 feet 

 5 inches in stature, and weighed 202 pounds. Adhering 

 rigorously to the regimen, he brought himself down to 

 167 lbs. and reduced the admeasurement of his waist 12J 

 inches. This diminution of weight was progressive at 

 the rate of one pound per week, " until finally " quoting 

 again his felicitous language, "he reached that happy 

 medium, for which, for the last thirty years he had labored 

 in vain, until thus it pleased Almighty Providence to 

 direct him in the right and proper channel of happy com- 

 fortable existence." 



