Though I am inclined to favor what is called a vegetarian diet, when milk and eggs are not excluded, I am not one of those who holds that a high degree of health cannot also be acquired and retained with a mixed diet. I firmly believe that meat is, to a certain extent, stimulating in character, and that more impurities will be deposited in the body under its influence than that of the vegetarian regimen. Fasting will be necessary more often, as a means of cleans-ing the body when meat is used than with a strictly vegetable diet. However, if one takes regular exercise, does not gourmandize, and fasts when necessary, he can undoubtedly follow the mixed diet, and live to a good old age, and probably enjoy as good health as the non-meat-eater.

The average man, if left to his own choice, readily adopts the combination diet. To some this might show that instinct influences this choice, and it is therefore the natural diet, but this is hardly the case. We might just as well say that instinct teaches one to like whiskey and tobacco. Human beings in their habits are not far different from sheep. They always follow some leader, and each leader in turn follows some other leader. It is really remark-able how little we question the wisdom of those who came before us.

In my own athletic experience, when I was compelled to carefully note the influence of all kinds of food on health and strength, I found that meat would increase my actual strength, but would lessen my endurance. I could lift a heavier weight under the influence of a diet in which meat was liberally supplied, but could not lift a lighter weight so many times. I found, also, that eggs were not open to the same objection as meats, though they seemed nearly, if not quite equal as a means of supplying strength. In eating the flesh of animals you, of course, consume not only the perfect muscle cells, but also a certain amount of waste matter that would naturally always be present, while in an egg you secure practically nothing but pure nourishment. Both strength and endurance are necessary, not only in all athletic contests, but in every condition of life, and in solving the problem of how to attain my greatest possible strength without losing endurance, I found, after many and prolonged experiments, that although some meat seemed necessary, it was desirable to greatly limit the quantity. I ate eggs quite frequently, but usually would not touch meats oftener than once in two to four days.

At this particular time I was training for hard wrestling contests, where not only great strength but great endurance was required, and with my two-meal per day diet, consisting mostly of eggs, whole wheat bread, vegetables and fruits, with an occasional indulgence in meat, as mentioned, I was in such condition that no wrestler ever gained even a fall from me at my favorite style, and many of my opponents were men who weighed from ten to fifty pounds more than I.

A diet of meat alone, which has been advocated by some enthusiasts, has never in the slightest degree appealed to me. Though I have been willing to experiment on all sorts of theories in reference to diet, this exclusive meat theory always appeared to be entirely devoid of the slightest excuse for existence. The individuals who have held these theories have, no doubt, effected temporary cures in numerous cases, as the average individual, if confined to any one particular food, would usually recover under its influence for the simple reason that in nearly every case the principal cause of illness is overeating, and whenever one article of diet is used and all others avoided, the natural result is the quantity eaten is greatly lessened, and the entire system secures an opportunity to thoroughly cleanse itself. It might be well to note that these same persons who were able to recover under the influence of a meat diet would have recovered far quicker under the influence of no diet at all; in other words, by fasting. I have never met but one victim of the exclusive meat-diet theory, and his appearance would not by any means have influenced me favorably towards it.

This man was at one time an athlete of great reputation, and his exclusive meat diet, together with other theories along dietetic lines, had simply reduced him a physical wreck. He was finally confined in an insane asylum as irresponsible, and afterwards died of consumption. I do not for a moment believe that the cause of all his troubles and untimely end was the meat diet solely, but I firmly believe that it had strong influence in bringing about these unsatisfactory results.

The question as to which diet is superior, the mixed or vegetarian diet, may be worthy of consideration, and each individual should settle it for himself and abide by his own conclusions, but the exclusive meat diet has not a single rational excuse which will uphold it.