Fruits and Farinacea, The Proper Food of Man. Being an Attempt to Prove, from History, Anatomy, Physiology, and Chemistry, That the Original, Natural, and Best Diet of Man is Derived from the Vegetable Kingdom... from the Second London Edition.
New York: Fowlers and Wells, Publishers, no. 308 Broadway; [Edward O. Jenkins, Printer & Stereotyper], 1854; [copyright 1854].
Octavo (19 x 12.5 cm.), xix, 314, [10 (mis-numbered)] pages. Illustrated with a hand-colored frontispiece and engravings in the text. Publisher's advertisements. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, from the second London Edition. With the color frontispiece lacking in later printings and with the publisher's name misspelled "Fowlers" (corrected to Fowler in later printings, sometimes exhibiting the gap where the "s" was removed). An early and important work in the history of vegetarianism. Smith took a very broad view of his subject, considering the span of history from biblical times onward, quoting Moses, Linnaeus, Adam Smith, and so on. Includes the chapters "Injurious Effects Of Animal Food" and "Vegetable Diet Effective Against Epidemics". Worth a second look in part for the argument (see page 293) that increased carbon dioxide production prompted by human action and population growth necessitates cultivation of more plants in support of a vegetable diet. This is in part to manage the atmosphere for sustainability. Some light foxing throughout, otherwise clean and sound. In textured gilt- and blind-titled and decorated blue cloth. [Bitting, page 439; not in Cagle].
Price: $350.00