William Banting

“It is a system of cure, and not of mere palliation.”

“I have spared no pains, and very little expense, to obtain the best professional advice.”

“I can now confidently say that quantity of diet may be safely left to the natural appetite.”

“Any starchy or saccharine matter is decided poison.”

“My former dietary table was bread, milk, sugar, beer, and potatoes.”

“The great charm and comfort of the system is, that its effects are palpable within a week of trial.”

“The items from which I was advised to abstain as much as possible were—Bread, butter, milk, sugar, beer, and potatoes.”

“I have not felt better in health than now for the last twenty-six years.”

“Of all the parasites that affect humanity I do not know of, nor can I imagine, any more distressing than that of Obesity.”

“I am now more hearty and hale, have better muscular power.”

“I do not recommend every corpulent man to rush headlong into such a change of diet.”

“Few men have led a more active life—bodily or mentally—from a constitutional necessity for it.”

“For the sake of argument and illustration I will presume that certain articles of ordinary diet are poison.”

“I could not stoop to tie my shoe, nor attend to the little offices humanity requires without considerable pain and difficulty.”

“I am told by all who know me that my personal appearance is greatly improved.”