The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-26 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—A very large scientific meeting of the medical
faculty has been held this month in the University of Cam-
bridge, where there was an interesting scientific debate
amongst the doctors about Bantingism—the first time it has
been recognised by the facu!ty.
Dr Clarke, one of our ablest physicians, Dr Buchan, of
Truro, and Dr Radcliff all spoke, and agreed that
Bantingism (whether the best system of its kind or not) is
decidedly a great curative agency. There was a feeling,
however, that, too rigidly carried out, it did not introduce as
much carbon into the body as was necessary for the vital
operations; but that, carried out will a definite object in
view, and not over four or five months, its power of restor-
ing health to many persons of gouty, bilious, or heart
disease tendencies is something quite astonishing. The
medical book shops have pooh-poohed it, as the book was
not 'minted in orthodox fashion (when no one would ever
read it) ; but Bintingism is now recognised as great a fact
as the balloon of Moutgolfier or the penny postage stamp
of Rowland Hill.

I see the Banting pamphlet now advertised all over
America, while in France it has been read, and may or may
not be a clearing up of the mysteries of " Who is Lambert ?"
which is now as great a Fuzz le in Paris as Schleswig-
Holstein used to be agnates, cognates, and our great Parlia-
mentary division, by supposing Lambert (was his name
Daniel ?) is decidedly a second sonaebcdy come to judgment
of the Ban ing system I And other matters of aiet have
also been recently debated. The use of a fashionable beve-
rage in France termed absinthe, which is found to be in
reality a dangerous poison, though giving a factitious in-
crease of appetite.

There is not a man living with brain work—not a man,
on the ether hand, who wishes for activity as a volunteer,
oarsman, &c.—that will not do well to systematise his diet,
according as he wants brain activity, more muscle, or
simply fat.

It is worthy of temark, as elicited by Bantingism, that a
mixed diet is the best for everybody, the great evil of our
gaols, workhouses, barracks, &c., being uniformity in diet.
This is well shown in the Police of London and the Guards
—the latter have a routine minimum diet on which the
young recruits cannot exist, as their frames have been
built up on a mixed diet at home. The Guards live in
badly ventilated barrack rooms, the mortality is exactly
three times greater amongst them than the police, Seventy -
seven percent. of our soldiers operated on died in the
Crimea, 22 per cent would be a fair average, routine, same-
ness of diet, bad ventilation, tt3 , unfitting them for the
hardships of the Crimea. The pooh-pooh doctors think
nitrogen is stored up in the system by too much of Banting,
but this is a theory, perhaps, some of your readers could
give their experience of the system. Of course it may be
abused, or too ranch expected from it. Yet still it is some-
thing new to have it looked at and examined by the
faculty.—Yours,

C, K.

S,ckville•street, Aug, 19.

P.S.—Whatever other sins it has to answer for it was
admitted that a cigar atter dinner assists in lessening fat.
Tobacco acts on the gestatory sense like eating food, with-
out food, or its digestion, and so makes smokers satisfied
with less food. If the ancients had tobacco they would
probably not have required the classic vanctoria when they
threw up excess of food and then set about the indulgence
of the gestatory organs by eating again. There are some
further good remarks on Bantingism in the Saturday
_Review, which those interested should read and mark.