On The Necessity for Proper Foodstuffs, 319 
Soda ... ... ... ... 9 6 - 6 
Lime ... ... ... ... 21-34 
Magnesia ... ... ... ... 2*20 
Chloride of Soda ... ... ... 474 
Oxide of Iron ... ... ... *47 
Phosphoric Acid ... ... ... 38*04 
Sulphuric Acid ... ... ... '05 
Silica ... ... ... , .. # o6 
Carbonic Acid ... ... ... 2*05 
These salts except the iron, which has the special function 
of helping to carry the oxygen to the tissues, merely 
maintain their proper proportion in the tissue — merely 
replacing the daily waste. The common table salt which 
is used so much is chloride of sodium, and not being 
found in sufficient quantity in food materials naturally 
requires to be added to make up the dietary. 
In addition to these substances various seasonings, pro- 
perly called condiments, are used with foods such as 
peppers, various spices, mustard, curry powders, vinegars, 
and so on. These have all more or less the power of 
promoting or aiding the flow of the various digestive 
fluids and hence are used widely. 
Food should be taken at definite times, the same 
period of the day being highly desirable from the fa6l of 
the organs of the body learning to accommodate them- 
selves to alternate intervals of rest and work and being 
therefore able to perform these functions more satis- 
factorily. Many suggestions have from time to time 
been made as to the proper hours for taking food, per- 
haps the best being the following. A light meal, break- 
fast, should be taken in the early part of the day. The 
breakfast in this colony is taken much too late. The 
RR2 
