New-York tribune., 1873-08-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

FOODS By EDWARD sxrrH NJ n p s. l2u@ pp $50 D.
Appleton 90.
The union of scientific and popular treatment
m the composition of this work Will afford attraction
90 many readers who wOuld have been indifferent
topurey theoretical details Perhaps the author has
rome 10 an extreme In his desire to produce volume OF
general and has OveTburdened his pages Win R
exposition Of facts relating TO points with which the inte
heent reader may be supposed TO be sufficiently fama
Still his work abounds IN information much OF wmoh Is
Of great value and part OF which could not easiy DC
sbtalned from other sources Its interest is deeldeuy
enhanced for students who demand both eearnesS anu
exsetness Of statement, by the prouson OF well exc
euted woodcuts diagrams and tables which accompany
The volume Not much can be said In behat Oh 'ne
antiquated recipes taken from rare old volume COLI
tanning copy OF ancient manuscript direouohs Io po
pairing various dishes by the chief cook OF kcharu Ill.,
which are merely literary curosies without any sceh
dc or practical interest. Dr. Smiths definition OF iood
Is simple and concise He describes 1t as substance
which when introduced into the body supplies material
which renews some structure or maintains some vital
process II distinguished from medicine by the act
that the latter mOdihes some vital action, Dut uOes
not supply the material which sustalns sueh ac-
ton. There are certain kinds of food which
increase vital action 10 degree far beyond
the amount of nutrment which they supply. In this
way their action is similar that Of certain medicines,
but as they also supply certain amount OF nutruve
material they should be classed as foods.-ComnG TO
some OF the practical details of the volume, notice
the correction Of prevalent the subject Of gel
Atine The nutrtye properties of that substance have
been unjlstly called in question account of expert
meuts made the feeding Of dogs with ground bones
which showed that 1t could not alone support life. But
they proved only life could be sustained by one
kind OF food alone not that gelane when properly COM
bined with other foods, is not valuable aid TO nuri-
ton The experiments of the author, well as Others
have proved that is important source of nutriment,
IN the same direction, II not in the same degree as al
bumen LieDigs extract Of meat does not receive so
favorable estimate. During the process OF prepara-
On fat and much OF the gelatine and al0umen
as can be extracted are removed from the solution OF
nesh leaving only water, salts osmazome and the ex-
tracyes Of esh. the GavorinS matters and the salts
of meat little left in the extract TO nouIish
the body The most be said OF 1t s that 1t is
valuable addition other foods since 1t yields an agree
able flavor and when prepared with hot water gives
degree C cxhaTatOn which may be useful to the feeble
and is useful 10 the healthy tea and coffee But II
relied upon principal article of food for the slek 1t
will prove broken STAFF 1t is not, however, to be en-
tey removed the list OF foods and cased with con-
diments il should rather be placed with such nerY-
ous stimuants tea and coffee, which supply little or
no nutrment, yet modify assimilation and nutrition
Used alone for beefea it is delusiOn.-The Suggestions
Of the author the of tea and coffee. and OF the
various forms OF alcohol although perhaps not strictly
OF novel character highly instructive and form an
interesting portion Of the volume.