National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-18
WHEATEN BREAD.
Further Information on the Subject

4u4uIMdL4Uu DuOl6CLs
TO the Editor Of ShC National Republican:
SIR Having some dOub.s about the conclusion
come to in Mondays article, headed "Wheaten
bread-hoW it should be prepared aud used by
dyspepS'cs," beg leave to inquire further into
the merits or dement's Of Graham bread, or bread
made OF unboIted -four. 1t is supposed by many
that, besides the valuable mechanical action Of
the outer Skir which remains in the -four when
unbolted there f. contrary to the assertion there
in more nutrition in bread made from unbolted
-four, and it is also erroneous that the skin OF the
wheat is entirely indigestible, as is asserted.
The phosphate OF lime is largely contained in the
skin OF the wheat which is Improperly separated
from the -four for bread, and it doubtless is this
very important but unWise custom OF using bolted
-four which causes so much decay in teeth, rick
cts and general debility.
ANSWER.
There is a great deluSion in regard to the ne
cessity OF utility Of certain indiRestible articles
1t is quite true that pure, ine -four is wanting in
seine Of the essential elements of food. 1t is true
that in throwing ont the bran and middlings Of
the wheat large proportion Of the phosphatCs of
lime and soda, which are useful in human eaon-
omy are lost; and it is alss true that Graham
bread, or bread made from untoltr1 -four, con-
tains those elements which are lost in the fine or
sUper6Be -four. But that portion of the grain
which IL Is imI Jrtant to preserve lies lust under
the cutter skin o. hull OF the wheat and not in the
When we study nature infinitely we discover
that in all articles, whether vegetable or animal
are protected by other upuutrltiOus, indigestible
parts. In dressing most animals the skin is re-
garded unfit to cat. In fruits there is In many
instances. skin or covering TO the meat which is
not good for food The skin Of all fruit is indi-
gestlble. 1t becomes more and more SO after the
fruit is fully ripe. The softer and more succulent
the fruit, the less digestibIe is the skin. But
fruits are pefishable. They are not designed by
nature to keep, hence their skin Is not so hbrous
and woody as is that Of cereals. Grains, IL left
to natural process, are selEpreserVfng. They re-
quire, when old, to be macerated before they are
nutritious.
utaken into the stomach in their native or IN
dissolved state the process OF maceration has to
be done entirely in the stomach. If thew are
ground and dissolved that work is saved the
stomach. 1t is questionable how much Of that
labor should be given to the stomach and how
much avoided.
Wood may be digested artifcialIy, so that II
may enter into the human system. The skins Of
fruits may be cooked till they are rendered 1T to
take into the stomach. So It would be possible
to prepare the skin Of the wheat SO that Il would
anfeT the human stomach without iniurv Rnt
such process is unnecessary. Remove this outer
crust, which is provided for the protection of the
grain, by process Of securing, and next to that
is the portion containing all the phosphates Of
line required, and in bread thus made there h
no woody substance for the stomach to labor with
ip the process OF masticatiOn. Bread made from
common wheat meal Is no doubt nutritious-no
attempt is made to disprOve the faot-but It would
be FAR more nutritious and less Objectionable to
delicate dySpRptio stOmnchB 20 this outer skin
we're left out; upon the principle In dietetlcs
bv which the skin Of the grape or peach or an,'
other irult isrejeeted.