pression of the fervent esteem of a former pupil, and his most earnest wish that you may long live to adorn the University which has the enviable fortune to secure your services, and continue to enjoy the distinguished position you have so justly earned.

Yours, ever faithfully,

ARTHUR SCOTT DONKIN.

September 7, 1871.

PREFACE.

DURING the past two years and the present, the Author has contributed to the Lancet a series of papers on the Milk Treatment of various diseased conditions, but more especially of Diabetes and Bright's Disease, with illustrative cases. The attention which these have attracted, and the interest they have excited, have induced him to publish the present volume on the subject. But in doing so he has not restricted himself to reproducing his original contributions in their previous form and scope; he has, instead, written an entirely new essay on a broader basis, which not only embraces the observations and facts they contained in relation to the two diseases just mentioned, but also much additional matter pertaining to their symptoms and pathology, together with two separate chapters on the physical, chemical, and thera

peutic properties of milk and its relation to the process of nutrition.

In dealing with Diabetes the Author has given a somewhat historical and comprehensive, but by no means exhaustive, account of this formidable but highly interesting disease; embracing as it does, probably more than any other affection, important and intricate physiological questions. This course he has been induced to adopt, because it appeared to him, that there is not, in our own language, a work which, however valuable in other respects, presents a sufficiently full account of our present knowledge of the subject, and embraces the numerous and highly important observations concerning this disease made of late years, and scattered amongst a host of British and foreign medical journals and other publications. He has, moreover, introduced certain observations and opinions of his own which he believes to be warranted by the evidence he has adduced in support of them; of these he more particularly desires to refer to his observations on the mal-assimilation or saccharine transformation of fat in Diabetes, which is a subject of great practical importance.

In treating of the pathology and symptoms of Bright's Disease, the Author has restricted himself to a condensed description of the different morbid conditions embraced by this term, and which are now well understood. In this part of his undertaking he has confined himself to such points as appeared to him to be of importance, especially in a practical point of view, and has left less essential details to be studied from the valuable and exhaustive monographs which have been written on the subject.

PARK TERRACE, SUNDERLAND:

7th Sept., 1871.

Errata.

For Aræteus read Aretæus, p. 5, l. 23; p. 48, l. 21; p. 49, l. 3;

and p. 69, l. 11.

For or read to, p. 59, l. 9.

For Griesenger read Griesinger, p. 70, l. 13.

For what read which, p. 85, l. 14.

For Pogiale read Poggiale, p. 105, l. 1.

For Dr. read Mr., p. 113, l. 21.

For transformed into sugar and taken up by the blood read taken up by the blood and transformed into sugar, p. 129, l. 15.