Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-12-04
For the Freeman.
A Chat with the Family.
BY AGRICOLA.


occupy our attention. Human food has
been classified into four groups. The first
class includes those substances which are
characterized by the presence of Il large
amount of nitrogen in their composition
Gluten in grain, and fbrin in flesh, are
among these substances. The gluten is
that part which s left af er the starch is
washed away from the flour. The librin
constitutes the bulk of lean meat. CaSetn
forms the chief ingredient of cheese
Some twenty-eight per cent of beans and
peas is known rs vegetable casein. A!6u-
men constitutes the white of the egg, IA
large part of animal fluids and tissues, and
is found also in the seeds and Juices of
plants. GclatiVe is IN animal product,
and is used as food principally in the form
of iellies and soups. All these substances
serve Il common purpose in the animal
economy, viz, they furnish material for
the formation of the tissues, and hence
they have high nutritive value To the
second group belong the fats of both
plants and animals. These differ in phys
ical properties from the substances above
enumerated but are essential to the form
alton of both muscular and nervous tissues
and from their large amount of hydrogen
and carbon, they are the best supporters
of the heat producing function. The third
group of substances used as food COM
prises starch, sugar and gum, which are
principally vegetable products. These are
found largely in our ordinary food. Starch
is'abundant in grain, peas, beans and pota-
toes. The preparations known as sage,
tapioca and arrow root consist almost en-
tirely of starch, which is often converted
into sugar. Our supply of sugar comes
chiefly, however, from the vegetable king.
dom,-from sap, fruit and seeds. Starch
is also convertible into gum known as
dextrine. Gums arc vegetable products
Their composition and use are much the
same as that of starch and sugar. The
bodily tissues can be reproduced only from
the heterogeneous elements; still it is admit
ted that the decomposition of these tissue.
must produce heat, and that the combus
ton of the hydro carbons is a source OF
practical power in the physical economy
The fourth group of ailments used us foo(
are mineral and consist of water and vari
Gus saline substances. Common salt occur!
in all forms of food, but it is found il
larger proportions in animal than in vcge
table tissues. Animals instinctively crav,
more salt than is furnished in this food
Various ailments furnish chloride of DO
tassium, phosphate of lime and alkaline
carbonates, which are indispensable tc
digestion. 1t is here proper that SHOULD
inquire, "What shall we eatP'' since SC
much depends upon proper diet to secure
and preserve health. As the great obiec
of food is to restore the waste and bulC
up the body, it is evident that it must con
tain all the elements OF which the different
parts of the body are composed. Now the
fact is, no one kind of food contains al
these elements, and hence a mixed diet is
indispensable. Some kinds of food are
highly complex. Milk, for instance, con.
tains water, caseisn, butter, sugar and va
rious mineral MISREPRESENTATION from
each of the five groups of substances used
for food. 1t is we'll suited to the wants OF
infants and all children during the period
of rapid growth. 1t is healthy food for all
but not complete diet for adults. The
same may be said of all kinds of food
each is suited to some specific class
for a specified purpose, but no one
form will alone answer the purpose to be
gained Confinement to single alimentary
principle, or to any one class of materials,
is sure to result in disease The nitrogen
GUS substances are first in importance, as
much the larger part of the body is deriv-
ed from them. When given alone these
sustain the vital powers longer than any
other class of ailments. We may under
stand, therefore, why exhaustion follows
so much quicker when these are withheld
than when other kinds of food are unpro-
vided. H.. .s.s.. 81. auat,