the difference of the faeces of the dog when fed on flesh and on a nearly vegetable diet.  On a rich proteid diet, especially if it consists largely of flesh, the bacterial products in the intestines are greater than on a vegetable diet.  On the latter such a disease as appendicitis is rare.  Professor Elie Metchnikoff, of the Pasteur Institute, thinks that man’s voluminous and highly developed large intestine fulfils no useful purpose, and on account of its breeding a very copious and varied bacterial flora, could with advantage be dispensed with.  He also has said that man, who could support himself on food easily digestible, has a small intestine which is disproportionately fully developed.  Instead of having between 18 and 21 feet of small intestine, man might do with one-third of that length.  According to him, there is a disharmony of our food and our digestive system.  Referring to such views, and the desire of some surgeons to remove the vermiform appendix and portions of the intestines upon too little provocation, Sir W. Macewin, M.D., F.R.S. (B.  Medical Jrn., 1904, 2 p. 874) says:—­“Is this human body of ours so badly constructed that it contains so many useless parts and requires so much tinkering?  Possibly I may be out of fashion with the times, as I cannot find such imperfections in the normal human body as are alleged.  On the contrary, the more one looks into the human body and sees it work, the better one understands it and the more one is struck with the wondrous utility, beauty, and harmony of all its parts.”  Our food we can change, but not our organs-except by a dangerous surgical operations.  Our teeth with our complex and very long intestines are adapted for fibrous, bulky and solid food.  On such food mankind has lived for an immense period of time.  It is true that there are several theoretical advantages in cooked vegetable foods; but unfortunately there is a want of conformity with our digestive organs.  If a flesh diet is taken, the incongruity is greater.  Concentrated food causes constipation.  An active man, leading an out-of-door life, can take unsuitable food with little or no apparent inconvenience, the movements of his body favouring intestinal action; whilst the same food to a sedentary person will prove distinctly injurious.

Some persons have such a vigorous digestion that they can consume almost any food, even that which is obviously unsuitable; not only bad in kind but excessive in quantity.  Other persons have to be very careful.  Many have boasted that they can take of what they call the good things of life to their full, without bad effect.  We know of such men who have been much esteemed for their joviality and good nature, but who have broken down in what should have been a hearty and useful middle life.  There are others who were poorly equipped for the battle of life, with indifferent constitutions, never having had the buoyancy and overflowing of animal spirits; but who, by conserving