The Medico-chirurgical Review, and Journal of Practical Medicine

A Treatise on Diet: with a view to establish, on practical Grounds, a System of Rules for the Prevention and Cure of the Diseases incident to a Disordered State of the Digestive Functions. By J. A. PARIS, M.D. F.R.S. Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, &c. &c. One vol. 8vo. pp. 307, closely printed. London, Underwood and Co. 1826.

"Some physiologists will have it that the stomach is a mill;-others, that it is a fermenting vat;-others, again, that it is a stew-pan;-but in my view of the matter, it is neither a mill, a fermenting vat, nor a stew-pan --but a stomach, Gentlemen, a stomach."-Manuscript Note from Hunter's Lectures.

THE labours of Dr. Paris are well known, and justly appreciated. During the last thirteen years he has published three important works. The first, or Pharmacologia, was novel in its kind and happy in its execution, and the number of editions which it has reached renders praise useless and censure pointless. The second, or on Medical Jurisprudence, has not received the patronage that it deserved, and this may be attributed to its having been a joint production, and to certain obvious partialities and imperfections. It is, in truth, the least perfect, and most objectionable, of all this author's performances; being too little to comprise the whole of the materials for a complete work, and too large for common and practical VOL VI. No. 11.

purposes. In many respects, indeed, the production is faulty, and loaded with vapid and uninteresting matter; yet still it is ingenious, learned, and scientific; enlarged in its views, comprehensive in its details, and acute in its conclusions; and decidedly without an equal in this, or in any other language. The third is that which is now before us, embracing the consideration of a subject indispensable to the human race, and expressing observations on the prevention, management, and removal of a disease from which few escape; and which, when rivetted in inveteracy, makes rank useless, riches valueless, and existence burthensome. Dr. Paris evidently has a taste, as well as talent, for chemico-medical and popular pursuits; and being, by nature and education, shrewd, penetrating, and industrious, his labours are generally successful, since they exhibit the stamp of a cautious and philosophic mind, which never disregards the dictates of common sense.

It is our intention to analyze the present work at considerable length, for it is written on matters which, in the language of Bacon, "come home to men's business and bosoms." Strong as is our desire to convey valuable information, yet we cannot presume to attempt impossibilities ;-we can only do our best, since inclination and design are always imperiously controlled by power and space; and even if our ability of compression were nearly miraculous, we could not hope to comprise within forty pages, that matter, which, in its original shape, occupies three hundred and seven. All we can do is to imitate the epicure, who, because he cannot partake of every dish, and of every wine, at a sumptuous table, contents himself with selecting the rarest and finest. The text shall be devoted to the opinions and doctrines of Dr. Paris; and our own will be expressed, first, in the form of notes, and, secondly, at the conclusion of the analysis. This will be more just to the author, more lucid to the reader, and more convenient to ourselves.

The Treatise of Dr. Paris consists of three parts:-I. Anatomical View of the Alimentary Canal, also of its various glands and vessels for nutrition-the lungs, kidneys, and skin; the physiological history of digestion; the relations of the digestive functions with our sensations-hunger, thirst, and instinctive desire for exercise. II. The Materia Alimentaria, containing every thing appertaining to animal and vegetable food, cookery, condiments, drinks, fermented liquors, wines, milk, fish, birds, different varieties of bread, pulses, periods for meals, quantity of food, &c. III. Of Indigestion. Imperfect chymification; imperfect digestion in the duodenum. Headachs. Biliary derangement. A tabular scheme, and commentary on it. Cure

of indigestion. Practical rules for dyspeptic patients. Acidity of stomach, flatulence, &c. Recapitulation; diet for patients suffering under tabes mesenterica, &c.; conclusion, and illustrative cases.

Correct and well executed as the first part undoubtedly is, we must take leave to pass it over. The anatomy and physiology of the digestive, as well as of the collateral organs, ought to be already well known by every medical reader, and, to the general reader, such knowledge is worse than useless-consequently, it is on the second and third parts of the work, beyond all doubt the most useful and interesting, that our attention and labours shall be concentrated.

PART II.-Materia Alimentaria.

Chemistry has demonstrated the nature of those proximate principles of organic matter, upon the presence of which the nutritive qualities depend, viz. fibrin, albumen, gelatin, oil and fat, gluten, fecula, or starch, mucilage, sugar, acids, &c. Assuming that the variety observable in the nutritive value of different substances arises from the predominance of one or more of such principles, the nutrientia may conveniently be distributed into the following nine classes:

CL. I.—Fibrinous Aliments. Comprehending the flesh and blood of various animals, especially such as have reached puberty venison, beef, mutton, hare.

CL. II.-Albuminous. Eggs; certain animal matter.

CL. III.-Gelatinous Aliments. The flesh of young animals: veal, chickens, calf's foot, certain fish.

CL. IV.-Fatty and Oily Aliments. Animal fats, oils, and butter; cocoa, &c.; ducks, pork, geese, eels, &c.

CL. V.-Caseous Aliments. The different kinds of milk, cheese, &c.

CL. VI. Farinaceous Aliments. Wheat, barley, oats, rice, rye, potatoe; sago, arrow-root, &c.

CL. VII. Mucilaginous Aliments. Carrots, turnips, asparagus, cabbage, &c.

CL. VIII.-Sweet Aliments. The different kinds of sugar, figs, dates, &c.; carrots.

CL. IX.-Acidulous Aliments. Oranges, apples, and other arescent fruits.

To these, Condiments may be added; such as salt, the varirieties of pepper, mustard, horse-radish, vinegar, &c.

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