[Footnote 16: The "symptoms" in the personal case of the author described above persist after five years' test and experience. The endurance-test of the half-century birthday in France, the observations of Dr. Burnett in Washington, and the examinations in the laboratories of Cambridge and Yale all tell the same story of a reformed and increasing efficiency even with five years of added age handicap, so that the logic of the advice originally given in this book stands proved, so far. I have had my weight reduced from 217 pounds to 130 pounds and felt best when lightest. I carry my weight at any figure desired, but most of the time carry a 20-pound handicap in winter and sometimes in summer to calm the fears of solicitous friends, who think I must be ill when I am not looking "robust." Extreme robustness is a great danger to life. A partner of the author in early days in California, several years his junior and just in the prime of life and fortune, passed away from over-robustness, as have many of the world's brightest and best citizens. Six of the author's chums of ten years ago have died because of too much robustness and worry. They heeded not. The author may follow them, any moment, but meantime he is enjoying life as never before.] SOME PERTINENT QUERIES If Nature has revealed a _perfect way_ to the easy solution of all of her problems, as related to the affairs of animals and plant life, WHAT SENSE is there in thinking that she has discriminated against her Chief Assistant in Cultivation, Man? If Nature has provided animals with keen discrimination in the matter of healthful food, WHAT SENSE is there in doubting her good intentions toward the highest form of animal in this regard? If Taste is the sentinel of the stomach and also the purveyor and inspector of nutrition, WHAT SENSE is there in ascribing to it the lowest place in the list of the senses? If we enjoy eating, and are eating, partly, for the pleasure of it, WHAT SENSE is there in throwing away a morsel until the taste has been extracted? If "dirt" is "matter out of place," which is the accepted definition, WHAT SENSE is there in calling unnutritious food by any other name? If taste is the evidence of nutrition, and ceases to act upon dirt, WHAT SENSE is there in hurrying food past the sentry-box of Taste without giving the inspector time to select the nutrition and reject the dirt? If the last flash of taste in dealing with a morsel of food is the best of all, WHAT SENSE in believing that Nature did not furnish that allurement for the wise purpose of inducing mastication to the end of taste? If saliva is the medium of Taste, without which there is no expression of taste, WHAT SENSE is there in thinking that it is nothing but a lubricant, to enable food to be easily swallowed?