ment. The doctors, owing
perhaps to some prescience in the air, some psychical foreboding, are
recommending that less meat be eaten. But whatever the future has in
store, there is nothing more certain than this--that in the adoption of
the vegetable regimen is to be found, if not a complete panacea, at
least a partial remedy, for the political and social ills that our
nation at the present time is afflicted with, and that those of us who
would be true patriots are in duty bound to practise and preach
vegetarianism wheresoever and whensoever we can.

VI

THE EXCLUSION OF DAIRY PRODUCE

It is unfortunate that many flesh-abstainers who agree with the general
trend of the foregoing arguments do not realise that these same
arguments also apply to abstinence from those animal foods known as
dairy produce. In considering this further aspect it is necessary for
reasons already given, to place hygienic considerations first.

Is it reasonable to suppose that Nature ever intended the milk of the
cow or the egg of the fowl for the use of man as food? Can anyone deny
that Nature intended the cow's milk for the nourishment of her calf and
the hen's egg for the propagation of her species? It is begging the
question to say that the cow furnishes more milk than her calf requires,
or that it does not injure the hen to steal her eggs. Besides, it is not
true.

Regarding the dietetic value of milk and eggs, which is the question of
first importance, are we correct in drawing the inference that as Nature
did not intend these foods for man, therefore they are not suitable for
him? As far as the chemical constituents of these foods are concerned,
it is true they contain compounds essential to the nourishment of the
human body, and if this is going to be set up as an argument in favor of
their consumption, let it be remembered that flesh food also contains
compounds essential to nourishment. But the point is this: not what
valuable nutritive compounds does any food-substance contain, but what
value, _taking into consideration its total effects_, has the food in
question as a wholesome article of diet?

It seems to be quite generally acknowledged by the medical profession
that raw milk is a dangerous food on account of the fact that it is
liable from various causes, sometimes inevitable, to contain impurities.
Dr. Kellogg writes: Typhoid fever, cholera infantum, tuberculosis and
tubercular consumption--three of the most deadly di