o supply the needs of
the body. They have a place as adjuvants to other foods, permitting the
introduction of more food than the patient could otherwise be induced
to take. Aside from the special diabetes foods and cod-liver oil, their
value is largely psychic.

_Predigested Foods_. The value of these is doubtful, for digestive
disturbances involve the motor functions and absorption more commonly
than the chemical functions. Their continued use often produces
irritation.

_Liquid Predigested Foods_. As sold, these are flavoured solutions
containing small amounts (1/2-6 per cent) of predigested proteins, 1/2-15
per cent of sugars and other carbohydrates, with 12-19 per cent of
alcohol, and often with large quantities (up to 30 per cent) of
glycerin. Their protein content averages less than that of milk, and in
energy value they are vastly inferior. Their daily dose yields but
55-300 calories including their alcohol; this is only one-thirtieth to
one-fifth the minimum requirements of resting patients. To increase
their dose to that required to maintain nutrition would mean the
ingestion of an amount of alcohol equivalent to a pint of whisky per
day.

Of recent years very expensive preparations of real or alleged organic iron
compounds have had a large sale. Iron is a component of haemoglobin, a solid
constituent (13 per cent by weight) of the blood, which combines with the
oxygen in the lungs, and is carried (as oxyhaemoglobin) all over the body,
giving the oxygen up to the tissues. Haemoglobin is an exceedingly complex
substance, but it contains only one-third per cent by weight of iron in
organic form.

The liver is the storehouse of iron, its reserve being depleted when there
is an extraordinary demand for iron. The minute amounts of iron in ordinary
food are amply sufficient for all our needs; any excess is simply stored,
and, later excreted, and has no effect whatever on the circulating
haemoglobin.

Iron is only of value in certain forms of anaemia, and the many patent
medicines purporting to contain haemoglobin or organic iron are therefore
useless to neuropaths. The Roman plan of drinking water in which swords had
been rusted, is quite as valuable as drinking expensive proprietary
compounds. When iron is indicated Blaud's Pills are perhaps the best
preparation.

Huge quantities of patent medicines containing phosphates in the form o