Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-04-04
Uuseful knowledge respecting the Vege-
table Food Of Man.

uuseiul knowledge respecting the Vege-
table Food of Man.
During the carly part of this winter, the
Rev. IL. Wood, of Lowell, addressed the dis.
'ingnished DIR. S. L. Dana, requesting nfor-
NATION relating TO the cheapest and best kinds
of food. The answer of DR.. Dana has been
published in the Medical World; il is scientific
as might be expected coming from such high
chemical and physiological aulhority-and i,
also contains much useful information. little
known 10 the community in general. We will
endeavor TO present the substance of its most
important points, because we believe such know l.
edge should be circulated through every corner
of the world, concerning, as il does, the well
fare of every human being.
II has been laid down as law of physiulog-
cal chemistry, that all f,od serves two distinct
purposes; one part for building the body forms
the blood out Of which comes all the animal
tissues; the other part forms fat, and furnishes
! the fuel by which the animal heat is kent up
through the process OF breathing. Food con-
iains flesh, blood, and tissue formers in propor-
tion 10 their amount Of nitrogen. When chem
islry, therefore, determines the amount of nj
latye value of that food for these purposes
The starch. gum, fat, sugar, and water, and
occasionally portion of woody fiber or grain.
rarely ministers to the wants of nutrition. -
These substances are the fuel-formers, ou, of
which fat may be formed, which is as essential
as blood Ten parts Of fat are equal 10 ,wen-
ty-four parts of starch, grape, and milk sugar
in heating power.
| ;fa nann.., l..-. he .>-;~.-;--1 L.. II
triton. man fed only on that food which
forms blood and tissue soon dies of starvation,
and so does the man that is only fed on fuel
forming food and if a man is deprived of GER
tain salts, such as common salt, compounds OF
sulphur, phosphorus, potash, soda lime, mag
nesa and iron, he cannot long survive And
even if fed on all these three classes of sub
stances, he will die of starvation, unless allow.
cd a certain proportion Of ready formed fat, in
addition TO the fat that may be formed out Of
the other elements of his food
Nature has taught us the type Of onr food,
viz: milk. 1t contains the essentials Of four
great groups Of substances on which nutrition
in its widest sense depends. The elements OF
milk are, LIST, curd, which is blood former it
contains all the nitrogen and all the sulphur.
end, butter, which is fat. Sd, sugar, which
is fuel-former or heater. 4,h, salis-solube
and insoluble-ihe earth of bones, potash, soda,
and phosphoric acid.
Such are the substances which nature has
prepared for our first food-a mixture Of loul
groups of substances. To suit human wants
according to its age, we should initiate this best
natural mixture of those substances designed as
the food of man. In vegetable and animal food
there are substances representing those contain
ed in milk. Mr. Dana merely alludes to those
of fish and flesh, and states (Which is some
times new TO most persons) that the flesh oi
fish contains the same amount of nutrient mat
ter as the flesh Of oxen. Abumcn forms girls
tie, snews, membrane, muscle, nails, and is
found in the nerve tubes. Fat is lubricant
assists TO form cells, and il forms part and par
Gel of all the chemical changes which the bod,
undergoes, and is required for more purposes
than merely heating the body. Sugar never
forms part of the animal tissues, but it performs
an important Office in the changes Of all ihes,
tissues. 1t forms Tactic acid, and contributes
largely 10 the formation of fat.
The waste Of anything essential TO life, anC
all its healthy functions, must be supplied by
a like substance. Food, therefore, is nutritious
Just in proportion as il contains the elements
properly mixed, which 60 10 sustain the body
and supply lis waste. What is the best ant
cheapest food for this purpose This is q grea
question, and one respecting which much reli
able information has been wanting.
Wheat Indian corn, rye, rice and buckwhea
. ar tho nrincipaI Oratnc nsnd in fn
food Wheat holds the highest place in tn,
market, and lis finest Hour-ihat which is de
prived Of most bran-is the dearest, and th,
most admired. This cherished four--the cost
liest-is actually the least valuable for food =
The fat and salts Of wheat reside chiefly in tn,
bran. and the flour deprived of these, does no
contain well mixed nutrient matter. DR.. Dan;
places Indian corn and rye above wheat for on
food, and he surprises us by giving oatmeal th'
higher place of ALT contains the creates
amount of albumen, its starch is equal to iha
of fine wheat -four, aud IFS fat exceeds that o
any other cereal grain, Buckwheat and ric'
are poor articles of food one pound of bean
is equal TO three and half of rice or potatoes
Cabbages contain great amount of albumen
but no fat, sugar, or salts, but il is excellen
for mixing with other substances, such al
potatoes, which contain these. Oatmeal cake
bean and pea soup, baked beans, Indian mea
pudding sweetened with molasses, are the veg
etable food which he esteems 10 be the best an,
cheapest for common and general use.-Sciai
tifc American
} I'm going to draw this beau into knot, as III,
ladv said when standing at the hymeniai altar.