In Case 4 are examples of some of the principal Mineral Substances,
excepting water, in food. They are generally essential to proper
nutrition. In the body of a man, weighing 154 lbs., there are about 8
lbs. of mineral matter. Different parts of the body show peculiar
affection for particular ingredients to the exclusion of others. The
mineral salts contained in plants and animals are indestructible by heat,
hence they are called “ashes.”
It should be recollected, that in the boiling of food many of the mineral
substances are dissolved out of it, and where the liquid that they are
boiled in is not consumed such mineral matters are thrown away. This is
the case with boiled meat and vegetables, and a constant use of such food
may lead to injurious effects. The best corrective to such a diet is the
use of uncooked fruit and vegetables. In this way the eating of ripe
fruits, as apples, pears, gooseberries, &c., and salads, has a beneficial
effect on the system.