OF ALIMENT.

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promote their own interests by adulterating the neces-saries of life.*

Animal, as well as vegetable, food may be renderedunwholesome by being kept too long. All animal sub-stances have a constant tendency to putrefaction; and,when that lias proceeded too far, they not only becomeoffensive to the senses, but hurtful to health. Diseasedanimals, and such as die of themselves, ought never tobe eaten. It is a common practice, however, in somegrazing countries, for servants and poor people to eatsuch animals as die of any disease, or are killed by acci-dent. Poverty, indeed, may oblige people to do this;but they had better eat a smaller quantity of what issound and wholesome: it would both afford a betternourishment, and be attended with less danger.

The injunctions given to the Jews, not to eat anycreature which died of itself, seem to have a strict re-gard to health; and ought to be observed by Christiansas well as Jews. Animals never die themselves with-out some previous disease; but how a diseased animalshould be wholesome food, is inconceivable; even thosewhich die by accident must be hurtful, as their blood ismixed with the flesh, and soon turns putrid.

Animals which feed grossly, as tame ducks, hogs, &c.are neither so easily digested, nor afford such wholesomenourishment as others. No animal can be wholesomewhich does not take sufficient exercise. Most of ourstalled cattle are crammed with gross food, but not al-lowed exercise nor free air; by which means they indeedgrow fat, but their juices, not being properly preparedor assimilated, remain crude, and occasion indigestions,gross humours, and oppressions of the spirits, in thosewho feed upon them.

Animals are often rendered unwholesome by being

* The poor, indeed, are generally the first who suffer by unsoundprovisions; but the lives of the labouring poor are of great impor-tance to the state: besides, diseases occasioned by unwholesomefood often prove infectious, by which means they reach people in.every station. It is therefore the interest of all to take care that nospoiled provisions of any kind be exposed to sale.

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