rom the purins, from their localisation in the system, and their
vitiated metabolism. The use of a moderate vegetable diet is the best
means of treatment in order to relieve, to ameliorate, even to cure,
arthritic diathesis.

IX

Such are the certain physiological advantages which the predominant
use of vegetable products are capable of offering. If one takes the
pure energy-producing point of view, the superiority of the vegetarian
diet becomes greater still. From the fine works of A. Chauveau, modern
physiology has shown us that muscle, in working, consumes sugary
materials. These are provided by ingestions of sugar in a natural
state, of dextrine or of starch; for a less important part, the
glycogen of the system may also arise from hydrocarbonated cords
existing in the molecule of certain albumins. Therefore it is only in
an infinitesimal part, due to the fibrine of meat, and to the small
proportions of glycogen which it contains, that flesh diet intervenes
in the direct production of kinetic energy.

The demonstrations which have been essayed, touching the muscular
superiority of vegetarians, appear superfluous to us. Such experiments
could only have a positive value if they were made on both series of
antagonistic subjects, with alimentary powers of energy-producing
equality.

It should be distinctly understood that the vegetarian does not profit
by any mysterious forces. The habit of preferring to nourish oneself
with vegetable foods, can, at most, or at least, favour the
physiological integrity of the subject, shield him against disease and
assure his revictualment with foods recognised as active and easily
measurable.

One cannot leave alcohol out of the list of advantageous vegetable
foods. In fact, provided one keeps to strictly limited doses, it may
be included among the alimentary foods, on a footing comparable to
that of sugar. If one knew how to use without misusing it, alcohol
might become a daily food.

X

Another order of ideas which one cannot pass by in silence at the
present time militates in favour of vegetable alimentation. Dietetics
cannot neglect economic problems. A flesh diet is very costly. In
large towns, like Paris, at a time when everything is increasing in
cost, one must be favoured by fortune to be able to indulge in the
real luxury of consuming the calories of meat. As we said in 1905,
with Prof. Landouzy and M. Labbe, in our inquiry into popular
Parisian alimentation, th