Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-05-13
Milk as an Economical Article of
Food.

UVUs
MILK as nutritive article Of diet is
generally under-eStimated It's economic
value as compared with other articles of
! animal food has been given by DR.. Wig
gins, of Providence, and is often quoted
10 show that it should enter into more
| general consumption among those of
limited means; while its healthfulness
and adaptation to the general taste
should recommend its extensive use
among all classes.
As TO its economy DR.. Virgins remarks
that the quantity of water in good milk
is SO to 81 per cent, while round steak
contains rs per cent; in fatter beef
there is 60 per cent. and in eggs about
IS per cent. His deductions, from recent
analyses Of animal foods as compared
with milk, are that sirloin steak (recov-
ering loss from bonel at thirty-five cents
per pound is as dear as milk attwenty-
four cents a quart; round steak at
twenty cents pound as dear as milk at
fourteen cents quart; eggs at thirty
cents dozen as dear as milk at twenty
cents quart and cOrned beef at seven
teen cents as dear as milk at fifteen
cents. 1t must be inferred, therefore,
that milk st SIX TO eight cents per Quart
is the cheapest animal food that can be
used. But granting that all this may be
true there are some important consider
ations that seem to be overlooked in
urging the substitution of milk for other
kinds of food. One of which is that all
foods of equal nutrition are not relished
alike, and that the natural appetite
must to some extent at least be gratifed
in order to secure the proper digestion
and assimilation of foods.
Thus we have certain kinds of food
that, IN the common phrase, "set we'll
on the stomach" of some, while they dis
agree with others. You cannot always
dictate to the stomach what is best
adapted tc it, for it has it's likes and dis
likes, which cannot be set aside without
serious trouble. 1t is known by ex-
perieGce that milk does not agree with
all persons. In some it produces head
ache and feverish symptoms, in others
gives rise to biliousness, while with
another class of persons milk is highly
relished and promotes the highest health
when used i'll a judicious manner with
bread, oatmeal or other farinaceous
food. The reason why milk should be
used in connection with farinaceous
foods is thus explained by writer in a
magazine. He says: Milk, after being
taken into the stomach, is converted
almost into a solid curd by the heat and
the acid given off by that organ combin-
ing with potash and the soda which the
milk contained and which was neces-
sary to keep it in a state of solution.
The Watery portion being separated and
absorbed, the gastric Juice finds it diff
cult to penetrate and break down the re-
naming curd, which now acts as crude
and indigestible substance in the
stomach, giving rise by reflex &C
ton to headache, and by it's irritating
presence, interfering with the diges-
ton of other substances that may be
going on. In consequence the contents
pass out of the stomach in an imperfect
ly-digested condition, and in their sub
sequent course through the system are
not properly assimilated; and on arriving
at the liver clog that great strainer of
the blood. The bile not being properly
poured out of this organ the blood in
passing through it becomes impregnated
with bilious matter, which is carried on
through the round of the circulation,
showing its effect in the yellow tinge of
the eyes and skin and occasioning those
general unpleasant symptoms compre-
hended under the term of biliOusness."
There is Nc doubt milk can be en-
ployed as a heaIthful and economical
article Of food for most people, when
cooked with rice and eggs or in various
kinds Of buildings, bread toasts, or eaten
with bread or oatmeal properly pre-
pared. In this way it can be better sub
stituted for other animal food than to
use it as drink Milk is very nutri-
tious article of diet, but many need to
know in what way it should be employed
SO as not to derange health.-RuraE New
- 0rker.