Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-03-01
Ohio STATE UNIVERSITY LECTURES.
The Farmers Food and Drink.
LECTURE BY PROF. TowNsHEND.

| OOu DdS mucu 10 GO Win tue n6dlID
strength and character of people. ant
therefore it should not be controlled by
appetite. by fashion or by ignorance.
propose to speak briefly of the uses Of
food, of the different kinds of food anG
their adaptations, and of some practical
mistakes and their consequences.
In order that the functions of the body
may be perfectly performed. it is neces
sary that its temperature be maintained
at near 9S or 99' of Fahrenheit. In seld
weather, if one is exposed, heat is ex.
pended in warming the breath; if un-
warmed food be eaten, heat is expended
in bringing that to the temperature of
the body; the loss from this source is
much greater with animals whose food
4 and drink is usually taken cold. Evap-
oration from the lungs and surface of
the body carries off much heat; especial
ly is this true when from the heat of the
climate or from severe exertiOn of the
body is bathed in perspiration, and
whenever the heat of the body is greater
than that of the air around, heat passes
off by radiation. Human beings strive
to lessen the amout of this loss. In cold
weather we raise the temperature of our
dwellings by artificial means; the food
is taken warm, and the bodily heat, as
far as possible, is retained by clothing
non-conducting material. With all our
care, more or less of heat is lost, AMI
this loss must be made up by the oxyge-
nation or slow combustion of suitable
food within the body.
Food is also required for the produc-
tion of the force expended in vital action
and in labor. The beating of the heart,
the alternate expansion and contraction
of the chest in respiration, and the d.
gestion of food, all involve an expendi-
ture of energy. In addition to this d
greater though less regular amount of
force is expended in voluntary move
ments. A walk of twenty miles, or a
days work at choppiDg, will require a
| large amount of force that must be sup
piled either directly or indirectly from
food
Material for growth also comes from
food, the increase of size between infan
cy and maturity is due alone to this
source; as well expect rain without
clouds as to expect satisfactory growth
in men or animals when everything that
must enter into the composition of the
body is not liberally- supplied in the
food. In some of our domestic animals
we desire to secure an accumulation of
flesh, from others we desire an abund-
ant secretion of milk, and of course we
have learned that we can get nothing
out of AN animal that we have not first
put in as food.
Finally there is constant exposure to
injury, or at any rate continuous wear
and waste of material. When the loss
exceeds the income, or repairs al re-
quired, these deficiencies must be made
up by food 1t is not surprising that the
demands of the body sometimes become
absolutely imperative, or in other words
that we become very hungry.
2. To obtain better understanding of
foods they are usually divided into three
or four classes. First there is a class of
foods which are called carbohydrates,
that is. they are largely made up of car
bon and hydrogen, the carbon being
combined with oxygen in the proportion
that we find it in carbonic acid, and the
hydrogen is combined with oxygen in
the proportion to form Iwater. The
starchy foods from grain, and such veg
etable as potatoes are examples. Sugars
also belong to this group; their compost
tion differs but little from that of starch.
Another group of foods is known as
albumenoids that is, substances like al
bumen or the white of eggs. The pecu-
liarity of this group is that they all con-
tain nitrogen as constituent, which the
carbohydrates do not. Some of the best
known articles Of this group are eggs,
the lean flesh of animals and cheese.
Such cereal grains as wheat and oats
contain proportion of this albumenoid
material the seeds of leguminous plants,
like peas and beans, also contain albH- |
menoids in still larger quantity than the
cereals.
The fats form another group, whether |
in the form of butter, lard, or the flesh |
of well-fed animals. Some seeds also |
contain large amount of fatty or oily |
matter. and therefore in part belong to |
the same group. Flax seed and cotton |
seed are familiar examples.
Some mineral matters also enter into |
the composition of foods. The phos-
phate of lime found in the bones, the |
oxides of iron found in the blood, the |
common salt and other minerals found |
in the human body, existed first in GER
tain forms of blood
8. A clear understanding of the uses |
of food and of the several kinds will en-
able us to provide and use it with better
economy and effect. In the cold weather
of winter it is we'll to bear in mind that
the carbohydrates are producers of heat;
for this purpose, however, they are not |
equal to the fats, two and half pounds |
of starch from wheat, corn, or potatoes
being only equivalent to one pound of |
fat. Instinctively persons are inclined |
to use more fat meat in cold than in hot |
weather. The Esquimaux, who live
within the Artic Circle, are enabled to
bear the extreme rigOr of that climate
by feeding abundantly upon the fat of
fish ond marine animals. Corn contains
a large percentage of starch, also con-
siderable amount of oil, and hence we
can understand why corn should be such
satisfactory food for animals in win
ter. In the warmer weather of spring
every farmer knows that horses will
work better if fed upon oats, which con-
tains less starch and more of albume
noids. If it is desired to fatten an ami
NAL, we expect he will lay up as fat all
the surplus from his starchy or supary
food which is not required for the main.
tenance of natural heat.
The albumenoids are especially adapt.
ed for the formation of muscle or Hash
this class of foods is necessary to bniId
up and repair the continual waste of the
muscular system. 1t was formerly
thought that all animal force came from
the dislntegration and oxidation of mus
Gle, winch the albumenods were then
needed to repair, or that the alhnma-