A treatise on food and dietetics, physiologically, and therapeutically considered

Front matter

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OF HOME ECONOMICS CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NEW YORK

Gift Of Dr. Clive M. McCay

Preface To The Second Edition

A large impression having become exhausted in less than a year, 1 feel myself warranted in concluding that I was not mistaken in judging that a work of the kind produced was wanted, and at the same time am emboldened to cherish the idea that the labor bestowed has not proved fruitless in usefulness to others.

The favorable reception accorded to the first edition has served alike as a source of gratification to me and a stimulus to renewed exertions to render the work worthy of approbation. "Without presuming to think that there does not still exist much room for improvement, I hope that something in that direction has been effected by the revision which has been carried out. Wherever it has appeared to be required, the wording has been altered to render the meaning clearer ; various modifications (in part suggested by the valued hints of reviewers) have been introduced ; and a considerable amount of new matter added— notably, attention may be directed to the preliminary part of the section on Wine as having undergone extensive amplification.

I am glad to avail myself of the opportunity here afforded of expressing my thanks to those who, since the appearance of this work, have supplied me with information drawn from scattered sources upon the subject of Food.

35 Gbosvenok Street,

Gbosvenor Square, London, June 1, 1875.

Preface To The Fiest Edition

In the Preface to the second edition of my work on " Digestion : Its Disorders, and their Treatment," I mentioned that I had originally intended to add a section on Food to the contents of that volume, but that for the reasons given I afterward determined to publish a separate treatise on the subject. Thus originated the present work, which, with the progress of time, and a large consumption of midnight oil, has grown to dimensions far exceeding those I had at first contemplated.

From the fact that the subject of Food is one of deep concern, both to the healthy and the sick — that the information which has been obtained during the last few years has completely revolutionized some of the cardinal scientific notions formerly entertained — and that no modern systematic treatise of the kind here presented exists in the English language, I have been encouraged to think that the task I have undertaken may not be deemed superfluous. Whatever the results obtained, I have steadily striven, sparing no pains for the purpose, to render the work produced instructive and useful.

On account of the change recently introduced in chemical notation, I have given both old and new formulae, placing the latter within square brackets after the former.

35 GrROSVENOR STREET,

Grosvenor Square, London, March, 1874.