n reduced herself to a
skeleton. She led a pure, chaste life, and spent her time in the mental
recitation of Om. One seer of potatoes contains 3,600 grains of solid
residue, which is exactly 7 1/2 ounces troy.

The solid residue of one seer of potatoes consists of the following
ultimate ingredients:--

Carbon .............. 1587.6 grains
Hydrogen ............ 208.8 "
Nitrogen ............. 43.2 "
Oxygen .............. 1580.4 "
Salts .................180.0 "
--------
3600.0 "

I saw a Brahman (Brahmachari) who consumed daily one seer of milk, and
took no other food.

Analysis of One Seer of Cow's Milk by Boussingault.

Water ....................... 12,539.520 grains
Carbon ...................... 1,005.408 "
Hydrogen ...................... 164.736 "
Nitrogen ....................... 74.880 "
Oxygen ......................... 525.456 "
Salts ........................... 90.000 "
-----------
14,400.000 "

Now, one seer of cow's milk requires for combustion within the animal
economy 3278.88 grains of oxygen. The Brahmachari inhaled 2.27 grains
of oxygen per minute. This Brahmachari spent his life in the
contemplation of Om, and led a life of continence. The French adult, who
is a fair specimen of well-developed sensuality, inhaled from the
atmosphere 10.87 grains of oxygen every minute of his existence.

A retired, abstemious, and austere life is essentially necessary for the
pronunciation of Om, which promotes the love of rigid virtue and a
contempt of impermanent sensuality. Siva says "He who is free from
lust, anger, covetousness and ignorance is qualified to obtain
salvation, or moksha," or the Nirvana of the Buddhists. The solid
residue of one seer of cow's milk is 1860.48 grains. "In 1784 a student
of physic at Edinburgh confined himself for a long space of time to a
pint of milk and half a pound of white bread."

The diet of this student contained 1487.5 grains of carbon and 80.1875
grains of nitrogen. This food required 4,305 grains of oxygen for the
complete combustion of its elements. He inspired 2.92 grains of oxygen
per minute. In this instance the intense mental culture diminished the
quantity of oxygen inspired from the atmosphere. The early Christian
hermits, with a view to extinguish carnal desire and overcome sleep,
lived upon a daily