which they are used, and give rise to various stomach troubles, but
also cause rheumatism and gout, and often are the primary cause of
stone in the kidney and bladder. Another danger lies in the fact that
these chemicals are too dear to be supplied pure to the public, which
always demands cheap goods, and the result is that many of the
chemicals in the market are mixed with other still worse poisons, like
arsenic, for instance. Self-raising flour, which is liked by so many
on account of its convenience, is nothing but ordinary flour mixed
with some sort of baking powder; in the same way egg powders are
simply starch powders, coloured and flavoured, mixed with baking
powder. Tartaric acid and citric acid also belong to the class of
injurious chemicals. They are often used in the making of acid drinks,
when lemons are not handy. They irritate the stomach violently, and
often cause acute dyspepsia. These few remarks will, I hope, convince
the readers that all these chemicals are best avoided in culinary
preparations. Even salt and spices are best used in great moderation;
if our dishes could be prepared without them it would be far the best;
but it takes a long time to wean people entirely from the use of
condiments; the first step towards it is to use them as sparingly as
possible.

I have tried to make this a hygienic cookery book; but there are a
number of dishes introduced which can hardly claim to be hygienic; it
has to be left to the good judgment of the readers to use them on rare
occasions only, and it will be better for the health of each
individual if the plainer dishes only are prepared for the daily
table. I wish here to impress on vegetarians, and those who wish to
give the diet a trial, not to eat much pulse; this is the rock on
which many "would-be vegetarians" come to grief. They take these very
concentrated, nitrogenous foods in rather large quantities, because
they have an idea that only they will support them when the use of
meat is abandoned. They are foods which, to be beneficial to the
system of the consumer, require a great deal of muscular exertion on
his part. The results to persons of sedentary habits of eating pulse
foods often are indigestion, heavy and dull feelings, and general
discomfort. In my own household butter beans, the most concentrated
of all foods, come on the table perhaps once a month, lentils or peas
perhaps once a week. None but those persons who have strong digestive
organs s