Hunter argues for the use of an exclusively farinaceous diet for pernicious anaemia, on the ground that in health a proteid diet causes more extensive destruction of the corpuscular elements of the blood than a farinaceous one, and in this disease, on account of putrefaction in the intestine, the blood destruction is increased by nitrogenous diet. This theory is in opposition to all others, and the most satisfactory and rational treatment consists in giving pre-digested milk, eggs, beef broth and juice, etc., in as large quantities as both stomach and rectum will absorb.

There is defective assimilation of proteid foods, and hence they should be thoroughly predigested (see p. 113).