expressed as proteid. The amount of nitrogen in a form useless for the
purpose of nutrition is about a third of the whole. Of the remainder or
proteid nitrogen, it is said much is not assimilated, sometimes quite
half, owing to the somewhat indigestible character of the fungi. An
analysis of the common mushroom gave proteids 2.2 per cent., amides
(useless nitrogenous compounds) 1.3 per cent., and water 93.7 per cent.
The fungi are of inferior nutritive value to many fresh vegetables and are
much more expensive. Their chief value is as a flavouring.

Milk and Eggs are permissible in a vegetarian dietary, and as a rule,
vegetarians use them. Eggs, with the exception of such as are unfertile,
are of course alive; but they have no conscious existence, and cannot be
said to suffer any pain on being killed and eaten. An objection to their
use as food is, that on an egg and poultry farm, the superfluous male
birds are killed, and as the hens become unprofitable layers they are also
killed. A similar humane objection applies to the use of cow's milk by
man. The calves are deprived of part of their natural food, the deficiency
being perhaps made up by unnatural farinaceous milk substitutes. Many of
the calves, especially the bull calves, are killed, thus leaving all the
milk for human use. When cows cease to yield sufficient milk they too are
slaughtered. Milch cows are commonly kept in unhealthy houses, deprived
of exercise and pure air, crowded together, with filthy evil smelling
floors reeking with their excrements, tended by uncleanly people. With no
exercise and a rich stimulating diet they produce more milk; but it is no
matter for surprise that tuberculosis is common amongst them. When the
lesions of tubercle (consumption) are localised and not excessive, the
rest of the carcase is passed by veterinary surgeons as fit for food; were
it otherwise, enormous quantities of meat would be destroyed. As butcher's
meat is seldom officially inspected, but a very small part is judged by
the butchers as too bad for food. In mitigation it may be said that