miseries or appreciate the merits of a system so admirably adapted to its relief.

My earnest, and indeed my only desire throughout has been to ventilate this question in the interest of humanity, and to ascertain not only the advantages of the system now called “Banting,” but also any possible mischief in its application, and I am bound to say, that I have not met with any case where harm has ensued from its practice under medical authority and supervision. Two or three unfavourable results having been reported in the public papers, I instantly set to work to trace them, and proved them to have no better foundation than the frequent reports of my death. I may admit that about a month after the issue of the third edition, I received an abusive letter on the subject from an anony­mous correspondent, who may flatter himself that he has preserved his incognito, but I venture to assure him that he has not, and that his abuse is no argument against the system, but simply a proof of his own want of manners and common sense.

In my desire to get at the whole truth, I sent a copy of my pamphlet to some of the leading professional men of the day, and I have received several kind and practical replies. A few of these will be found among the evidences I offer. One of these testimonies I cannot resist quoting here as well:

“The rules of diet you found so beneficial have long been “forced upon men who are under training for running, or “prize fights; apparently, however, their especial efficacy 
"was overlooked, because other rules relating to exercise, “sweating, &c., were mixed up with them.”

This plain, simple statement, in my opinion, unlocks the whole mystery, and solves the problem which had long slumbered, until my perseverance under Mr. Harvey’s treat­ment happily brought it under complete examination.

No doubt the system was known, and had been practised, but only to promote muscular vigour in healthy people, for special objects, yet had never been applied to the unhealthy

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