Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-03-04
VEGETABLE FooD oF MAN.

lating to the cheapest and best kinds Of food.
The answer of DR.. Dana has been published In
the Medical Worid; it is scientidc-as might
be expected coming from such high chemical
and physiological authority-and it also con-
tains much useful information little known to
the community in general. We will endeavor
to present the substance of its most important
points, because we believe such knowledge
should be circulated through every corner OF
the world, concerning, as it does, the welfare
of every human being.
1t has been laid down as q law of physiolo
gical chemistry that.al food serves two dis
tinct purposes: one part for building the body
forms the blood out of which comes all the an
imal tissues; the other part forms fat, and fur
nishes the fuel by which the animal heat is
kept up through the process Of breathing
Food contains flesh. blood, and tissue formers
in proportion to their amount of nitrogen
When chemistry, therefore, determines the a
mount of nitrogen in any tlind of food, it ex-
presses the relative value ofthat food for these
purposes. The starch, gum, fat, sugar, and
water, and occasionally a portion OF woody f.
Der or grain, rarely ministers to- the want of
nutrition. These substances are the fuel for
mers, out of which fat may be formed. which
is as essential as blood. Ten parts of fat are
equal to twenty-four parts of starch, grape, and
milk sugar in heating power.
Life cannot long be maintained by any food
that fulflls only one part OF the process of nu-
triton. \ man fed only on that food wkich
forms blood and tissue soon dies of starvation,
and SO does the man that is only fed on fuel
forming food and if man is deprived of GER
tain salts, such as common salt, compounds Of
sulphur. phosphorus, potash, soda, lime, mag
nesia, and iron, he cannot long survive. And
even if fed on all these three classes of sub
stances, he will die of starvation, unless al
lowed 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 our 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, 1st, C1trd, which isa blood former:
it contains all the nitrogen aud all the sulphur.
2nd. Batter, which is fat. Sd. Sagar, which is
a fuel former or heater. 18th. Sdits-souble
and insoluble-the earth of bones, potash, soda
and phoSphoric acid.
Such are the substances which Nature has
prepared for our first food-a mixture of four
groups ofsubstances. To suit human wants,
according to its aga, we should initiate this
best natural mixture of those substances de-
signed as the food of man.
In vegetable and animal food there are sub
stances representing those contained in milk.
DIR. Dana merely alludes to those of fish and
flesh, and states (Which is something to
most persons) that the flesh of fish contains the
same amountof nutrient matter, as the flesh Of
oxen. Albumen forms gristle, sinews, mem
brane, muscles, nails, and is found in the nerve
tubes. Fat is lubricant, assists to form cells,
and it forms part and parcel of all the chemi-
cal changes which the body undergoes, and is
required for more purposes than merely heat
ing the body. Sugar never forms part of the
animal tissues, but it performs an important
office in the charges of all these tissues. 1t
forms Tactic acid, and contributes largely to
the formation of fat.
The waste of anything essential to life, and
all its healthy functions must be supplied by
a like substance. Food, therefore, is nutri-
tious just in proportion as it contains the ele-
ments, properly mixed, which go to sustain
the body and supply its waste. What is the
best and cheapest food tor this purpose This
is great question, and one respecting which
much reliable information has been wanting.
Wheat, Indian corn, rye, rice, and buck
wheat are the principal grains used in our
country for food. Wheat holds the highest
place in the market, and its finest flour-that
which is deprived most bran-is the dearest,
and the most admired. This cherished -four
the costliest-is actually the least valuable for
food. The fat and salts of wheat reside chiefly
in the bran, and the -four deprived of these,
does not contain well mixed nutrient matter.
DR.. Dana places Indian corn and rye above
wheat for our food, and he surprises US by Civ
ing oatmeal the highest place of all--it con-
tains the greatest amount of albumen, its
starch is equal to that OF fine wheat flour, and
its fat exceeds that of any other cereal grain.
Buckwheat and rice are poor articles OF food
one pound of beans is equal to three and
half of rice or potatoes. Cabbage contains
great amount of albumen, but no fat, sugar, or
salts, bot it is excellent for mixing with other
substitutes, Sech rs potatoes' "i4SH '
these. Oatmeal cake, bean and pea soup, ba-
ked beans, Indian meal pudding sweetened
with molasses. are the vegetable food, which
he esteems to be the best and cheapest for
common and general use:-Sclentifc inner.
In one of the interior towns of Virginia, |
Miss Nancy Shrew was lately married to Mr..
Samuel Devil. A shrew and devil will make
an even team, says al exchange.