manner stimulates the living protoplasm of the nerve cells in its immediate neighbourhood to a higher state of activity.  These views are given by Dr. Hutchison in his book on “Food,” but there are no substantial grounds for them.  It is only prompted by a wish to excuse a cherished habit.  Sir William Roberts, M.D., in “Dietetics and Dyspepsia,” p. 16 says that “high feeding consists mainly in a liberal allowance of meat, and in the systematic use of alcoholic beverages, and that low-feeding consists in a diet which is mainly vegetarian and non-alcoholic,” and he proceeds to say that the high-fed classes and races display, on the whole, a richer vitality and a greater brain-power than their low-fed brethren.  That “it is remarkable how often we hear of eminent men being troubled with gout, and gout is usually produced either by personal or ancestral high-feeding.”  We can only spare room for a few remarks on this subject.  Intellectual and business ability brings wealth, wealth frequently leads to the pleasures of the table, but such habits are detrimental to sustained effort and clearness of mind.  The children and grandchildren of such high livers are usually common-place, intellectually, and of deteriorated physique.  The aristocracy who are generally high livers, notwithstanding their great advantages of education, travel and leisure, are not as a rule famed for their intellectual gifts.  In the recent war the frugal living Japanese soldier has proved himself the most enduring and bravest in history; whilst the Japanese officers are more resourceful and tactful than the wealthier, high-fed Russian officers, with their aristocratic lineage.  What is called high-feeding, is of the greatest benefit to the doctors and the proprietors of remedies for digestive and nervous disorders.

Food Adjuncts and Drugs.—­In addition to the nutrients and the small quantity of indigestible fibre of which we have already written, food generally contains small quantities of substances which are difficult to classify, and whose action on the body is but imperfectly understood.  Many of these possess pungent or strong odours and flavours.  To them, various fruits, meats, etc., owe much of their characteristic differences of taste.  When pure the proteids and starches are devoid of taste.  Such oils and fats as are generally eaten have also but little flavour, providing they are free from rancidity and of good quality.  The sugars differ from the other nutrients in possessing a more or less decided taste.  The free vegetable acids also strongly affect the sense of taste, but they are only consumed in small quantities.