The food after mastication by the teeth, and solution by the action of the saliva, gastric and other juices, is taken up by a system of vessels, and, mingling with the venous blood, is carried to the heart, whence it is sent to the lungs to be aerated, and back again by another set of vessels to the heart, to be finally pumped through the arteries to all parts of the body, carrying materials for the repair of the tissue, and production of heat. In the very minute terminations of the capillary arteries in those structures, where the molecular change of the body goes on, the current of the blood is very slow, to enable the warmth and sustenance of the body to be kept up by the chemical actions of destruction and reproduction of tissue. The oxygen in the arterial blood obtained from the lungs is carried throughout the system and assists these actions, therefore perfect respiration and pure air are the great promoters of change of tissue. This shows the necessity of the blood being in a sufficiently liquid state to hold gases and nutritive matter in solution for the purposes of oxydizing tissue and of forming flesh. The amount of water in the blood determines to a great extent the health of the body, the blood being the organ of the vital processes of change. The severe restrictions on liquid imposed on those in training, who by arduous exercise waste much tissue and need much repair, are, therefore, physiologically wrong. The action of the air on the skin stimulates the secretion, and exercise, indirectly raising the heat of the body, induces perspiration, which is nature’s remedy to keep the temperature of the body constant. Evaporation and secretion require water. On a daily average, 2lb. of water is thrown off by the skin in moderate exercise. Water forms 70 per cent. of the whole body, and for the digestive fluids the proportion of water to solid is as 12 to 1. Liquidity is necessary, also, for the actual processes of decay and repair, by causing the passage of fluids of different densities through the various animal membranes from the oxydation of venous blood in the moist air of the lung cells to the repair of tissue by the smallest capillary in the extremities.

Want of liquid causes a stagnation of the circulation, an inflammatory state of the body, and excites the nervous system to an extraordinary degree. Owing to this want, under the usual system of training regimen, the body is frequently in a state of fever about the second week, until either the trainee gives up the preparation, or his constitution has temporarily accommodated itself to the change at the expense of his vital energy.

The nourishment of the body by the food taken is important in its regard to health, and its variety. The primary object of food is to form blood, and according to the condition in which the body receives it, greater or less nutriment, at the same expense of vital activity, can be obtained. The assistance of nature, by proper cooking and careful selection of articles, is in our own hands. Our vegetables should be well cooked, and the animal food ought to be done so as to retain the juices of the meat. Let it be rather under than overdone. Brown meat is more nutritious than white. If the digestion is good, the athlete need not be particular as to description of food. Rich sauces are not to be recommended, or even heavy puddings, but jellies and light ones are most acceptable. A healthy, robust man, in hard work, may eat nearly anything in moderation. The food should be well masticated, to enable the saliva to dissolve the starchy matter in it, and also to prevent a sudden loading of the stomach. The blood during digestion is principally employed about the stomach. Exercise or mental work, therefore, directly after a meal, will retard the operation of digestion by taking away the blood to the limbs or brain.

Great mental activity requires much repose. In the winter more sleep is required than in the summer, from the fact that the activity of the system, in keeping up its warmth, etc., though of shorter duration, is greater. Sleep after food is often required by nervous persons of weak digestion, but the athlete is better without it, an amusing book, light study, etc., taking its place. A mattress gives the soundest sleep. The quantity of clothing should be sufficient to keep up a gentle exhalation from the skin. The wasting of the body to reduce weight is frequently carried to a ridiculous extent. It has been proved that the body in daily work loses about 1-24th of its weight, and that life ceases when the waste has reduced it to 3-5ths of its original weight. In the nerves, however, the loss is hardly perceptible; while the fat suffers in double the proportion of the muscles, 90 and 45 per cent. respectively.

This may well explain the nervous excitability of the body when kept beyond its regular time for food, or when supplied with food of deficient quality. The arrangement of the internal mechanism must go on, respiration continues, circulation and heat result, at the expense of the machine itself. By regularity in meals the stomach accommodates itself to the changes of action and repose, and the system harmonizes with it.