Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-05-30
BAD FOOD AND CRIME.
PROFESSOR EGLEsToN POINTS OUT
THEIR CONNECTION.

He Believes That the Atkinson Cooking
Reform Is Most Important PhIIan-
thropio Movsment--"Crime and vice
Are Diseases' Due to Cooking.
The reform cooking propaganda in New
York, upon the improved principles advo
gated by Edward Atkinson, of Boston, is
being conducted by Professor Thomas
Egleston of Columbia college Professor
| Egleston's name is well known in every
branch Of charitable work, and with his
earnest philanthropy Is mingled the keen
insight, dispassionate analysis aud careful
reasoning of the scientific man In speak
Ing of the Atkinson cooking reform re.
Gently the professor said:
Il regard it as the most important move
ment, from a philanthropfc point Of view,
that has arisen In the last quarter of a cen
tury. The way in which the matter was
brought to my attention was purely acct
dental, but characteristic OF the subject.
II called on Mr. Atkinson in Boston
about other matters, and stayed to lunch
con. That meal was the most appetizing
and satisfying Of any that had In Boston
during my stay at various first clsss hotels
It was so good that | remarked upon its
excellence to Mr.. Atkinson.
my condition of gentle, well fed con
tentment was tnrned into establishment
when Mr.. Atkinson told me that what
] had eaten cost only two cents. The
luncheon consisted Of a meat pie, lemon
pie and some coffee. Both upper and low.
or pie crusts were rs light as the finest
Italian pastry. The meat, which was as
tender and dainty as though one of the
choicest cuts, was from the nesk Of the
animal. the cheapest that can be bought.
The whole luncheon cost seven cents.
and as three persons ate and were satisfied.
and a little was left over, my share was
evidently about two cents WORTH"
THE GOSPEL OF HEALTH
Professor Egleston is strong believer in
the gospel of health He believes that
crime and all the vices. including gluttony,
may be traced in sense to bad cooking
According to his ideas the old proverb. "A
sound mind in a sound body" ought TO be
extended SO as to read, "A healthy con
science and a strong moral sense in a sound
body" He says: "Crime and vice are dis.
eases, or the result OF diseased conditions
The average criminal Is In such condition
Of body and mind that he has no desire TO
lead an honest life. Some time ago we Ind
tho prisons and other institutions can.
vassed to find out how many were anxious
to earn an honest living. Only small
portion evinced any desire to reform.
I'VE then canvassed these to find out
what they wanted. to do. and the wish in
every case was for some simple trade We
got some manufacturers interested and
had a building that cost $4,000 set apart
by them FOR the instruction and employ.
ment OF these reformed convicts, Then we
went before the charitable New York pub
lie for money to furnish and equip these
buildings for the work and have gotten
just ninety-f1ve dollars to date.
Much Of the mental attitude that pro
duces crime is the result of bodily condi
tiops. Indigestible food produces inaam.
nation and arrangement of the stomach
and OF all the organs Of the body, produc
Ing apredisposition to excesses of all kinds.
craving for stimulants, ETC., until the
man becomes brute.
WHAT 1T MEANS TO THE LABoRER
Il have been endeavoring to teach the
people proper methods of cooking for sew
eral years in this city, and have seen scores
OF families lifted in social, moral and in
tellectual condition by the little leaven in
stilled by teaching the daughter common
sense In food matters.
'The indirect effects are also important
Mr.. Atkinson says that under ordinary
conditions the wage workers average an
expenditure OF 15 per cent. OF their income
In food. By following his methods they
can be better nourished at n cost euualina
only 10 per cent. OF their earning capacity
The balance can be expended in renting
more rooms, which means purer air, more
light and separation Of the sexes; in warm
or clothing and In education and enjoy
ment; all having n direct bearing on the
health and morals.
1.-THE results of the Atkinson system of
cooking are established by testimony from
all over the country. The most interest
Ing test which we have made of il was To
feed a number Of growing boys in charity
school on food prepared in the Atkinson
oven. Tine boys eat all they can, have
grown fat and healthy, and all at a less ex.
pense than an equal number OF BOYS in an
other school have been supported by old
methods
what is the exact chemical process in.
volved In cookings Well, nobody knows.
The subject has been but little explored,
There ought to be great laboratory in
this city dedicated to organic chemistry in
which this subject OF the chemistry of
cooking and likeimportant questions could
DO followed out to the end
This and metallurgical laboratory are
the two great scientific wants of the cityat
present. hope to see them both ostab
lished in my time. A quarter of n million
dollars would cover the cost OF both, There
are men in this city whose annual income
from metallurgica works is four times |
that amount. New York Tribune.