were intended
to be put to those who had excluded animal food from their diet for a
year or more.

But, let us take a general view of the replies to the inquiries of Dr.
North. The sum of his first three questions, was,--What were the effects
of excluding animal food from your diet on your bodily strength, your
mental faculties, and your appetite and animal spirits?

The answers to the three questions, of which this is the same, are, as
will be seen, remarkable. In almost every instance the reply indicates
that bodily and mental labor was endured with less fatigue than before,
and that an increased activity of mind and body was accompanied with
increased cheerfulness and animal enjoyment. In nearly every instance,
strength of body was actually increased; especially after the first
month. A result so uniformly in favor of the vegetable system is
certainly more than could have been expected.

One physician who made the experiment, indeed, says, that though his
mind was clearer than before, he could not endure, so long, a laborious
investigation. Another individual says, he perceived no difference in
this respect. A third says, she found her bodily strength and powers of
investigation somewhat diminished, though her disease was removed. With
these exceptions, the testimony on this point is, as I have already
said, most decidedly--I might say most overwhelmingly--in favor of the
disuse of animal food.

To the question, whether any constitutional infirmities were aggravated
or removed by the new course of regimen, the replies are almost equally
favorable to the vegetable system. It is true that one of the
physicians, Dr. Parmly, thinks the beneficial effects which appeared in
the circle of his observation were the results of a simultaneous
discontinuance of fermented drinks, tea and coffee, and condiments. But
I believe every one who reads his letter will be surprised at his
conclusions. No matter, however; we have his facts, and we are quite
willing they should be carefully considered. The singular case of Dr.
Preston, I now leave wholly out of the account. It was, as I have since
learned, the story of a _very singular man_.

Among the diseases and difficulties which were removed, or supposed to
be removed, by the new diet, were dyspepsia, with the constipation which
usually attends it, general lassitude, rheumatism, periodical headache,
palpitations, irritation of the first passages, eruptive diseases of the
skin, sc