ths
previous to the beginning of the experiment, I had drank nothing but
water.

8. Rather less. But here, again, I fear I am in danger of attributing to
one cause what is the effect of another. My neglect of exercise may be
more in fault than the rice and bread and milk which I use. Still I must
think that vegetable food is, in my own case, less aperient than animal.

9. In regard to students, my reply is, Yes, most certainly. So I think
in regard to laborers, were they trained to it. But how far _early
habits_ may create a demand for the continuance of animal food through
life, I am quite at a loss for an opinion. Were I a hard laborer, I
should use no animal food. When I travel on foot forty or fifty miles a
day, I use vegetable food, and in less than the usual quantity. This I
used to do before I commenced my experiment.

10. I use bread made of unbolted wheat meal, in moderate quantity, when
I can get it; plain Indian cakes once a day; milk once a day; rice once
a day. My plan is to use as few things as possible at the same meal, but
to have considerable variety at different meals. I use no new bread or
pastry, no cheese, and but little butter; and very little fruit, except
apples in moderate quantity.

11. The answer to this question, though I think it would be important
and interesting, with many other particulars, I must defer for the
present. The experiments of Dr. F., a young man in this neighborhood,
and of several other individuals, would, I know be in point; but I have
not at my command the time necessary to present them.

LETTER III.--FROM DR. D. S. WRIGHT.

WHITEHALL, Washington Co., N. Y., March 17, 1835.

DEAR SIR,--I noticed a communication from you in the Boston Medical and
Surgical Journal of the 5th instant, in which you signify a wish to
collect facts in relation to the effects of a vegetable diet upon the
human system, etc. I submit for your consideration my own experience;
premising, however, that I am a practicing physician in this place--am
thirty-three years old--of a sanguine, bilious temperament--have from
youth up usually enjoyed good health--am not generally subject to
fevers, etc.

I made a radical change in my diet three years ago this present month,
from a mixed course of animal and vegetable food, to a strictly
vegetable diet, on which I subsisted pretty uniformly for the most part
of one year. I renewed it again about ten moths ago.

My reasons for adopting it were: 1