(from alio to nourish,) implies food both solid and liquid: from which, by the process of digestion, is prepared a very mild, sweet, and whitish liquor, resembling milk, and distinguished by the name of chyle; which being absorbed by the lacteal veins, by them conveyed into the circulation, and there assimilated into the nature of blood, affords that supply of nutrition which the continual waste of the body is found to require.—Next to air, food is the most necessary thing for the preservation of our bodies; and as on the choice thereof our health greatly depends, it is of great importance to understand, in general, what is the proper diet for our nourishment; and, in particular deviations from health, what is the best adapted to restore us. Our blood and juices naturally incline to become putrid and acrimonious: fresh chyle, duly received, prevents this destructive tendency, and preserves in them that mild state which alone consits with health. An animal diet affords the most of this bland nutritious nourishing; watery fluids dilute the too gross parts, and carry off what is become unfit for use. It is only the small portion of jelly which is separated from the fibrous parts of vegetables, that, after being much elaborated, is converted into the animal nature; yet the use of vegetables prevents both repletion, and a too great tendency to a putrefactive acrimony of the blood. In hot climates, as well as against the constitutional heat of particular persons, vegetables are demanded in the largest portion; animal substances afford the highest relish while our appetite continues, but will fate the appetite before the stomach is duly filled. Vegetables may be eaten after either flesh or fish: few herbs or fruits satiate so much as that the stomach may not be filled with them, when it is already satisfied with flesh or fish; whence it may be observed, that no diet which is very nourishing can be eat to fulness, because its nutritious parts are oily and fattiating.—Health depends almost wholly on a proper crisis of the blood; and to preserve this a mixture of vegetables in some degree is always required, for a loathing is soon the consequence of animal food alone: hot acrid habits, too, receive from milk and vegetables the needful for correcting their excesses; but in cold, pituitous, and nervous habits, who want most nourishment from least digestion, and from the smallest quantity of food, animal diet is to be used more freely.

Thus much being offered as general principles with respect to the matter and quality of our aliment, the valetudinarian may easily regulate his diet with some advantage to himself by an attention to the few ensuing particulars. In winter, eat freely, but drink sparingly; roast meat is to be preferred, and what is drunk should be stronger than at other seasons. In summer, let thirst determine the quantity to be drank; cold stomachs never require much: boiled meats and vegetables, if not otherwise contradicted, may now be more freely used. Lax habits require the winter's diet to be continued all the year, and rigid ones should be confined to that of summer. Fat people should fast at times, but the lean should never do so. Those who are troubled with evacuations occasioned by their food, should drink but little, and use some unaccustomed exercise. The thirsty should drink freely, but eat sparingly. In general, let moderation be observed; and tho' no dinner hath been had, a light supper is at all times to be preferred. After very highly-seasoned meats, a glass of water acidulated with the acid elixir of vitriol*, or in very weak stomachs the sweet elixir of vitriol†, is far more assiduous to the work of digestion than the common method of taking brandy.

Obligation of Aliment, in Scots law, the natural obligation on parents to provide their children with the necessaries of life, &c. See Law, Part III. No. clxiii. 4