"In three months after the practice of these principles my symptoms had disappeared. Not only had my interest in my life and work returned, but my whole point of view had changed, and t found a pleasure in both living and working that was a constent surprise to me. For this, my dear Mr. Fletcher, I can never repay you. My only desire has been, and is, to try and do for others in my practice what you did for me.

"Now I have since that time had occasional colds, headaches, and gouty pains; but, whereas formerly I could not explain their causes, I can now invariably trace them to carelessness in the buccal digestion of my food, and can soon shake them off" 27

The following paragraph, taken from the "testimonial" of one of Mr. Fletcher's lay "patients" is valuable as corroborating Mr. Fletcher's claim that his system works automatically to reduce the food to true physiological needs.

"I have for some time been chewing à la Fletcher and find it of great advantage. It is getting to be automatic and is losing its irksomeness. Indeed it already seems natural and produces some results 'set down in the book.' For instance, I have no desire for meats and foods which do not lend themselves to the Fletcher method* This in itself is a great advantage.

27 Fletcher: "New Glutton or Epicure," pp. 10-17.

"By the way, I have not eaten meat since the 20th of last October (nearly a year), and I find I have gained greatly. I only desire two meals a day, except when the exigencies of travel make a light breakfast agreeable and desirable. By these means I have gained nerve force wonderfully and my muscular strength and endurance have increased so that I walk long distances and climb mountains easily. In fact, I do now with pleasure and avidity what I could not formerly do at all. They are the sort of things that are supposed to require a 'strong meat diet,' but which under such a diet were impossible to me. Mastication and thorough mouth-treatment seem to allow the appetite to prescribe what my body needs, and this is the essence and substance of your discovery. . . . There is no doubt in my mind but what there is a natural protection given us which has been lost by perversion." 28

28 Fletcher: "New Glutton or Epicure," pp. 213-215.