The evening world., 1889-01-22
THOSE LECTURES.
So Popular that the Wonder Is They
Were Not Given Before.
Six School-Rooms Thronged With
Working People.
Prof. Mott Gives a Popular Talk On
What We Should Eat and Drink.

Six more Of the peoples free lectures in
ausura.ed by the Board of Education in
accordance with THE EVENING WORLD bill
were delivered last evening in us many of the
public schools of the city. All were we'll
attended by the best clnss of intelligent
working men and women. and the large num-
Der of bright-looking young men and women
present was noticeable.
At Grammar School No. 81. 208 East Forty
second street, Prof. Henry A. Mott talked
very entertainingly about THE Chemistry
of What We Eat and Drink. He held the
rapt attention of his large audience to the
close of his lecture.
At the opening of his address he said that
il was a pity that, as these lectures seemed SO
popular, they had never been undertaken be-
fore. The fact of their inception and the
arge attendance spoke well for the ~increns-
ing thirst for knowledge of New Workers on
vital questions of the day.
Prof. Mott said that few subjects are of
ing and drinking. Thu all-important subject
of sufficient and proper food is usually least
considered by the one who should pay espe-
cial attention to 1.-THE workman.
Oxygen, the chief element of the human
body, is the most important constituent Of
the atmosphere. 1t il 81 per cent. of it. be-
ing diluted by the element nitrogen. Oxygen
il the supporter of life: 1t is the element
which oxidizes our food and infuses hent to
the body. 1t converts hydrogen gas into
waite! simply by combining with it. 1t is the
oxidation of the carbon in us which keeps
the body warm. Carbon, hydrogen and NJ
trogen are supplied by albumer, tibrine and
caseine. found in the animal and vegetable
Kingdoms. Animal flesh. eggs, milk. corn
and many other vegetable products contain
one or more of these principles.
Potassium is n soft metal. and was at one
time used i'll the form of chloride for table
salt. 1t lis n constituent of both animal and
vegetable food. aud also occurs in milk.
Phosphorus IS II very important constituent
of the BRAIN. For every thought there is OK
ldation of phosphorus in the brain. II is q
constituent also of the nerves, muscular fibre
and bones. and exists i'll milk, blood, wine,
DC. 1t appears chiefly combined with lime.
The flesh of fishes is especially rich in phos-
phorus.
Very few of the seventy elements now &C
knowledged to exist enter into the compost
ton OF man. Oxygen is breathed in a diluted
form IN the air, while all other elements are
in a state of chemical combination in the
various foods selected to sustain life.
Flesh contains water, fat. tibrine, albumen,
gelatine, besides other compounds. Blood
has a composition similar to that of flesh, but
contains more lime. phosphorus, soda, pot
ash. magncsia. silica and IRON.
Cartilage consists of g%elatine. salts of soda,
potash, lime, phosphorus, magnesia, sulphur
and iron.
The brain is composed of water. albumen,
fat. p~hosphoric acid, osmaZome and salts.
Tn eXcretions of all kinds. and tho waste
OF tissue, i'll an average adult. amount to
over seven pounds in twenty-four hours.
Hence it is evident that an equivalent amount
Of nourishment must be had to sustain a nor
NAL condition.
In the case of a man weighing 14O pounds,
a quantity of material equal to the weight OF
the entire body passes through the system in
the course of twenty DAYS, Ule structures
of the body are in a state or continuous
change. The wasted, or rather utilize /. sub.
stances must be renewed by those of a like
nature, so that bone shall renew bone and
flesh be reinforced by flesh.
The three factors of life are light, air and
food.
Without light no life could exist: hence
life has been called bottled sunshine" AS
Prof. Orion said: " Without plants animals
could not live, and without ANIMALS plants
have no need to be-"
Food, whether solid or liouid, may be con.
sidered as comprising that which contributes