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uantity； in two minutes or less he would have painful itching over the whole body； accompanied by severe colic and tormina in the bowels； great sickness in the stomach； and continued vomiting； which he declared was ten times as distressing as the symptoms caused by the ingestion of tartar emetic。 In about ten minutes after eating the flour the itching would be greatly intensified； especially about the head； face； and eyes； but tormenting all parts of the body； and not to be appeased。 These symptoms continued for two days with intolerable violence； and only declined on the third day and ceased on the tenth。 In the convalescence； the lungs were affected； he coughed； and in expectoration raised great quantities of phlegm； and really resembled a phthisical patient。 At this time he was confined to his room with great weakness； similar to that of a person recovering from an asthmatic attack。 The mere smell of wheat produced distressing symptoms in a minor degree； and for this reason he could not； without suffering； go into a mill or house where the smallest quantity of wheat flour was kept。 His condition was the same from the earliest times； and he was laid out for dead when an infant at the breast； after being fed with 〃pap〃 thickened with wheat flour。 Overton remarks that a case of constitutional peculiarity so little in harmony with the condition of other men could not be received upon vague or feeble evidence； and it is therefore stated that Waller was known to the society in which he lived as an honest and truthful man。 One of his female neighbors； not believing in his infirmity； but considering it only a whim； put a small quantity of flour in the soup which she gave him to eat at her table； stating that it contained no flour； and as a consequence of the deception he was bed…ridden for ten days with his usual symptoms。 It was also stated that Waller was never subjected to militia duty because it was found on full examination of his infirmity that he could not live upon the rations of a soldier； into which wheat flour enters as a necessary ingredient。 In explanation of this strange departure from the condition of other men； Waller himself gave a reason which was deemed equivalent in value to any of the others offered。 It was as follows： His father being a man in humble circumstances in life； at the time of his birth had no wheat with which to make flour； although his mother during gestation 〃longed〃 for wheat…bread。 The father； being a kind husband and responsive to the duty imposed by the condition of his wife； procured from one of his opulent neighbors a bag of wheat and sent it to the mill to be ground。 The mother was given much uneasiness by an unexpected delay at the mill； and by the time the flour arrived her strong appetite for wheat…bread had in a great degree subsided。 Notwithstanding this； she caused some flour to be immediately baked into bread and ate it； but not so freely as she had expected The bread thus taken caused intense vomiting and made her violently and painfully ill； after which for a considerable time she loathed bread。 These facts have been ascribed as the cause of the lamentable infirmity under which the man labored； as no other peculiarity or impression in her gestation was noticed。 In addition it may be stated that for the purpose of avoiding the smell of flour Waller was in the habit of carrying camphor in his pocket and using snuff； for if he did not smell the flour； however much might be near him； it was as harmless to him as to other men。
The authors know of a case in which the eating of any raw fruit would produce in a lady symptoms of asthma； cooked fruit had no such effect。
Food…Superstitions。The superstitious abhorrence and antipathy to various articles of food that have been prevalent from time to time in the history of the human race are of considerable interest and well deserve some mention here。 A writer in a prominent journal has studied this subject with the following result：
〃From the days of Adam and Eve to the present time there has been not only forbidden fruit； but forbidden meats and vegetables。 For one reason or another people have resolutely refused to eat any and all kinds of flesh； fish； fowl； fruits； and plants。 Thus； the apple； the pear； the strawberry； the quince； the bean； the onion； the leek； the asparagus； the woodpecker； the pigeon； the goose； the deer； the bear； the turtle； and the eelthese； to name only a few eatables； have been avoided as if unwholesome or positively injurious to health and digestion。
〃As we all know； the Jews have long had an hereditary antipathy to pork。 On the other hand； swine's flesh was highly esteemed by the ancient Greeks and Romans。 This fact is revealed by the many references to pig as a dainty bit of food。 At the great festival held annually in honor of Demeter； roast pig was the piece de resistance in the bill of fare； because the pig was the sacred animal of Demeter。 Aristophanes in 'The Frogs' makes one of the characters hint that some of the others 'smell of roast pig。' These people undoubtedly had been at the festival （known as the Thesmophoria） and had eaten freely of roast pig； Those who took part in another Greek mystery or festival （known as the Eleusinia） abstained from certain food； and above all from beans。
〃Again； as we all know； mice are esteemed in China and in some parts of India。 But the ancient Egyptians； Greeks； and Jews abhorred mice and would not touch mouse…meat。 Rats and field…mice were sacred in Old Egypt； and were not to be eaten on this account。 So； too； in some parts of Greece； the mouse was the sacred animal of Apollo； and mice were fed in his temples。 The chosen people were forbidden to eat 'the weasel； and the mouse； and the tortoise after his kind。' These came under the designation of unclean animals； which were to be avoided。
〃But people have abstained from eating kinds of flesh which could not be called unclean。 For example； the people of Thebes； as Herodotus tells us； abstained from sheep。 Then； the ancients used to abstain from certain vegetables。 In his 'Roman Questions' Plutarch asks： 'Why do the Latins abstain strictly from the flesh of the woodpecker？' In order to answer Plutarch's question correctly it is necessary to have some idea of the peculiar custom and belief called 'totemism。' There is a stage of society in which people claim descent from and kinship with beasts； birds； vegetables； and other objects。 This object； which is a 'totem；' or family mark； they religiously abstain from eating。 The members of the tribe are divided into clans or stocks； each of which takes the name of some animal； plant； or object； as the bear； the buffalo； the woodpecker； the asparagus； and so forth。 No member of the bear family would dare to eat bear…meat； but he has no objection to eating buffalo steak。 Even the marriage law is based on this belief； and no man whose family name is Wolf may marry a woman whose family name is also Wolf。
〃In a general way it may be said that almost all our food prohibitions spring from the extraordinary custom generally called totemism。 Mr。 Swan； who was missionary for many years in the Congo Free State； thus describes the custom： 'If I were to ask the Yeke people why t