regarded as an extinct species; because, though man is actually a living species of animals, yet the species, as a whole, have become so artificial in their dietetic habits, that it is impossible to derive from those habits any evidence which can justly be considered unquestionable, in relation to the natural dietetic character of man: and, consequently, our evidence and reasoning in the case must be precisely such as would be proper if man were really an extinct species, and his natural history wholly unknown.
56. "Let us suppose, then, that the alimentary organs of the human body are placed before us for examination, in order to ascertain the natural dietetic character of man. In the first place, those organs speak no distinct and unequivocal language; afford no clear and determinate indications from which, without reference to any thing else, we can learn the natural dietetic character of man. In the second place, the purely natural dietetic habits of man are wholly unknown, except as a matter of extremely ancient history and tradition; and we have now no way by which we can become acquainted with those habits from observation. From the nature and circumstances of the case, therefore, we are under the necessity of drawing our evidence from comparative anatomy, in the same manner as we would if the species were extinct and unknown. That is, we have no other way of ascertaining the natural dietetic character of man from his alimentary organs, than by comparing those organs with the alimentary organs of other animals in a pure state of nature: and if we can find an order of animals whose alimentary organs perfectly correspond with those of man, and can accurately and fully ascertain the natural dietetic habits and character of that order of animals, then have we learned, so far as we can learn from comparative anatomy, the true, natural dietetic character of man." Fully agreeing with these sensible remarks of Mr. Sylvester Graham,[1] I shall now proceed to compare the various organs of man employed in the prehension, mastication, insalivation, and digestion of food, with the corresponding organs of the carnivorous and herbivorous classes.
TEETH.
57. The teeth of the Mammalia are generally divided into four sorts: 1. Incisors, or Cutting Teeth. 2. Canines, Cuspids, or Eye-teeth. 3. Bicuspids, or small Cheek-teeth. 4. Molars, or large Cheek-teeth. In each human jaw there are sixteen teeth; consisting of four incisors, two cuspids, four bicuspids, and six molars. These, in a perfectly normal state, form an uninterrupted series; they are all nearly equal in length, and closely approximated in each jaw; a character by which man is distinguished
- ↑ Lectures on Human Life, vol. ii. p. 49.
