New-York tribune., 1874-07-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

n rNrIsR on FOOD AND DIBTBTICs By p W PAW M d.
FRS $40. pP b74. Henry T. IeA.
An exact chemical analysis of the various
Artcles OF human food presented IN 'u's ,Vu'' w
ether with exposition of the principles oi uio".'S
ms viewed in the light OF modern ply science Ihe
with the proposition that, far as II Is cog
vah,a nv ne nj the present tme matter can be neither
roated nor destroyed. However combined or modified,
Ar remains the in essence and unaered In amount
Ip ike manner has been recently admitted by scien-
sso inourers that force Is subjected to the same con-
.aons and can be neither created nor destroyed But
while the matter composing the earth remains liked ls
amount. force is constantly transmitted to us from the
sun under the form OF light and heat 1t Is from 'he
yorce thus derived that life earth Is originated ana
sustained The various forms OF force which we see III
operation derived in the first instance from the sun
When weight lifted By the hand we can trace 10 the
Hun the muscular force employed in the act Ihs may
seem a long Journey. and at first blush may be deemed
impossible But the explanation is simple. In the hrst
place force evolved in muscular action has It's origin
IN the food But all food comes primarily from the Vege
liable kingdom. Now, vegetable products are oui' w
through the agency Of the suns rays The energy CON-
Stained In those rays. which has been employed III Pro
Siucinc the vegetable compound, is fixed or rendered
latent within that compound. Just as when crossoow
4, bent the force derived from the muscular action en-
Moved in bending stored up IN the bow ready TO be
liberated when the trigger is pulled whether at once OF
hundred years hence The force given to the arrow when
81 rs launched s precisely equivalent 10 tnat Vi 'no
eular action employed in bending the bow 1t
A. the same with vegetable products. Their
formation involves the dsengagement OF oxygen and
the development OF cOmbustble compounds The oper-
alton Of necessary for this disengagement The
force employed has Its in the light and heat or
the sun When used for the purpose becomes stored
up In the product, existing in latent condition. ana
ready 10 be liberated exposure to conditions favor
abe TO oxidation But whenever liberated it is no more
and than the exact equivalent OF the force en-
poyed in the formation OF the product. Our coal fields
represent a vast magazine of force drawn ages ago
from the suns rays and capable at any moment OF
being by the act Of oxidation Thus all vegea-
bic products contain store OF reserved force accumu
lated from the suns rays. But animals subsist upon
these vegetable products, and supplied by
them with accumulated force The force is set
free by oxidation. and constitutes the eQuiVa-
lent OF the original solar force. Ihus III Is
various forms of force exhibited in the actions
of animal life their origin to that emitted from the
sun. The animal body then, may be compared to ma
chine in which a transmutatOn OF chemical force into
other forms Of force is taking place Food on the one
hand supplying combustible material and air. on the
other supplying oxygen are the factors Of the chem
cal action The main requisite Of food. accordingly Is
matter susceptible OF change in the system under the
Influence OF oxygen In the production of food by the
vegetable kingdom for animal subsistence is evident
that animals and plants are In direct an
tagonism with each other Plants draw their food from
Animals find their food IN these organic compounds and
applying them TO the purposes OF life veconvert them
into organic principles In the appropriation OF inor
Rauc matter food plants absorb carDOnic acid, and
set free oxygen Animals in their consumption o
organic matter absorb oxygen and give out carbonic
Acid Animal life and vegetable lite thus the com
plements Of each other. They neutralze each other;
effects upon surrounding matter, and thus maintain q
state OF uniformy.-The practical portions OF th
volume which presented as the legitimate dedoc
tiOns from It's theoretical principles, are copous and
Instructive Since the frequent discussion of the sub
ject within recent period, they cannot, OF conrse
claim the OF absolute novelty, bat they exhibit
the OF the latest research connected form
and offer many valuable suggestions in regard 10 the
Conclusions Of previous writers.