326 THE ANALYST. REVIEW, PHOSPHATES I N NUTRITION.* ALTHOUGE the review of strictly medical books is a matter outside our province, yet, when, as in the present case, we find an author honestly trying to apply the researches of analytical chemistry to the treatment of disease, it is a matter that strikes us as interesting t o our readers. *Pho,vprphates it& hTwtrition, and the Mineral Theory of Consumption and the Allied Diseases, by M.F. Anderson, L.R.C.P., Ed,, and M.R.C.S., Eng. London : Baillifre, Tindall & Cox. 1878.THE ANALYST. 327 Mr. Anderson's intentions and views as to the close relations of chemistry to medical science Rill be best seen by quoting his opening statements, in which he frays:- '' Chemistry has at all times, since men began to have any idea of this science, been of '' material help in the treatment of disease. '' I n the days of the old alchemists absurd expectations were held as to its future ' I probable influence on life, as the phenomena and chacges wrought under their hands (' were noticed, idcas were entertained that it would furnish means for prolonging or ' I perpetuating life in eternal youth, by the discovery of Eome new agent which would '' To this imaginary substance the term vital principle was applied, and men spent '' their lives searching after the phantom. Now that a knowledge of the laws of " chemistry and its sister science phjsiolugy, has taught us the fallacy of such views, we ' I Can pity the misdirected energy of these old students in their endeavours to discover " that which, according to thelaws of nature, could not exist.Our pity should, however, " be mingled with gratitude, for acting as the pioneers in a science which has conferred " great benefits on mankind, that have not yet reached their limit, as every year 1s " adding to our store of utility in its application. Although powerless to provide us " with perpetual youth, or prolong life beyond the allotted time by the means originally " sought after, chemistry may yet be made to minister in many wajs towards the main- '' tcnance of life, by lessening, remedying, or preventing disease, so that in course of '' time the old expectations formed as to its power may be to some extent realised, '' That up to the present time, chemistry has only acted an humble part in the " investigations aB to the cause and treatment of disease, is readily expluincd by the fact " that hitherto analytical chemistry has been acquired only by a few, who, as a rule, " pursued their work in a direction apart or distinct from phyeiology. Now that " chemistry is more generally taken up by the medical profession, and as more attention " is paid to quantitative analysis, and new and more perfect methods of analysis are " introduced, results will be obtained which in the past have been unattainable." Recent examinations of the inorganic materials in the soft tissues, and their " relative quantities, have led me to conclude that these substances exert a very important " influence in nutrition ; and their absence or presence in insufficient quantities, either '( from diminished supply or imperfect assimilation, is the origin of a class of' disease '' (organic) which have hitherto received no explanation as to cause.'' That my views, involving as they do doctrines entirely new, and carrying so (' large an issue as the curability of organic diseases, will be at once generally accepted, " is more than I can expect; but I am willing to trust to time and t o practical results in '' treatment to test their truth.Up to the present time treatment based on the conclusions " arrived at has in my hands met with remarkable success." The author then procceds to consider the inorganic constitution of thc various tissues of the body, the blood, and also nerve and brain matter. He illustrates his views by a large number of analyses, and shows that in all cases (except in the brain and nerves, which contain a slight excess of phosphoric acid), the mineral constituents are in such proportion as to form true tribasic phosphates-such compounds he regards as tissue phosphates, and gives inter ah's the following examples : Theoretical tissue phosphate, by his theory, should show in one grclrnme of mineral residue- arrest decay.Lime ... ... ... ... -214 Magnesia ... ... ... ... *074 Phosphoric Acid ... ... .I. 0338 Potash ... ... ... ... -208 Total Tissue Phosphate ... ... -634 Sodium, Chloride, &e. ... ... -166 1.000328 TEE ANALYST. Actual experiment gave him- Lime ... .I. ... ... 0214 Magnesia ... ... .. , . I . *074 Potash ... .." ... ... *208 Phosphoric Acid ...... ... a332 Total Tissue Phosphate ..* ... ,828 Sodium, Chloride, &c. ... ... -166 -994 Loss on Phosphoric Acid ... ... -006 1.000 So that his actual analysis comes within ,006 of his theory, that the phosphoric acid of the tissues is thus combined. Passing on to the contrast of the comparative effects of actual starvation and wasting aisease, the author asserts that while in the former the tissue phosphates do not decrease, in the latter the falling off is very marked.This is a point worth noting by chemists engaged in medico-legal investigatiohs. (' The external appearances and general condition of a body, when death has occurred I' from starvation, are so like those presented in cases of tubercular disease, as to afford an opportunity of adducing conflicting medical testimony in favour of one or other view f' as to cause of death.I n the late Penge case, for instance, analytical examination of ( 4 the tissues, and of their mineral constituents, would have materially helped in arriving [ ( at an opinion as to which of the two conditions caused death. In starvation the I' mineral constituents of tissue phosphate would not be materially lessened-from wasting 6 ' of the tissues, caused by the combustion of their organic matter, there would be an '( apparent increase in the percentage of mineral matter.On the other hand, in tubercular I' disease there would be a material decrease in t,he mineral matter as compared with the '6 general viasting." Coming to the actual treatment of disease, the author refers to the use of the hypo- phosphites, but argues that if any mineral food is supplied at all, the full constituents of the tissue phosphate must be contained in it.( ( From its chemical composition any hypophoephite can only partially be useful, if we allow that hypophosphorous acid is, at the right time and in the right way, con- (' verted into the requisite phosphoric acid-by no means a proven fact-a large L L proportion of the necessary bases must be deficient. My ideas of treatment extend l L beyond this; and I propose, by mpplying all the mineral ingredients of nutrition, to (' leave nothing to chance; so that if there be a fair amount of assimilation, all the The farmer who ( 6 calls in the aid of chemistry to enable him to ascertain the deficiencies oE his soil for (( any particular crop, does not, if he expects good results, limit himself to mpplying only (6 a portion of the ingredients wanted.He takes care that the manure he uses contains ( 6 all the mineral matter indicated to be wanted ; if he neglects to do this, his success can (' be but partial, and his crops will fall short for want of some one essential for their ( ( growth.The same rules apply to the growth and development of animal life as apply to the vegetable kingdom, as far as the necessity of certain chemical compounds for 6' their respective growth and dcveloprnent is concerned. '( Withont certain mineral constituents no plant can thrive, and without certain mineral matter no animal can live in health, the requirements of both are fixed and 4' definite, and chemistry can be used to point out their character and quantity.'' On the whole, without venturing to discuss the medical conclusions, we must say that the chemical investigations are both interesting and valuable. The book is the result, not only of much thought, but of continued practical work in the laboratory, and is very interesting reading from beginning to end. He says :- He says :- mineral elements for tissue fabrication, or renewal, may be present.