(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 wants 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 properest for our nourishment; and, in particular deviations from health, what is the best adapted to restore us. The blood and fluids naturally incline to waste and diminish: fresh chyle, duly received, prevents this waste and diminution, and preserves in them that mild state which alone consits with health. An animal diet affords the most of this bland nutritious mucilage; 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 farnaceous parts of vegetables, that, after being much elaborated, is converted into the animal nature; yet the nte 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 proportion. 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 eaten to fulness, because its nutritious parts are oily and satiating. 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 boating 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 drank should be stronger than at other seasons. In summer, let thirst determine the quantity to be drunk; cold stomachs never require much: boiled meats and vegetables, if not otherwise contraindicated, 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 Aliquot part, in Arithmetic, is that number which cannot measure any other exactly without some remainder. Thus 7 is an aliquant part of 16; for twice 7 wants two of 16, and three times 7 exceeds 16 by 5.