The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-10-31

The Department of Agri-
culture has become interest
ed in this question newly, and before
long will publish series of bulletins
on the subject. They will be prepared
by such well-known experts in this
branch of research as Professor W.tO.
Water and DR.. Edward Atkinson. The
former gentleman has been engaged
to conduct certain investigations and
experiments of an original and highly
scientific character. At the bottom of
the whole inquiry lies the fact that
the people of this country do not
know how to choose the foods they
eat or how TO cook them afterwards.
This burden of ignorance falls most
heavily upon the wageworkers, who,
taking an average among them, use
one-half of their money TO buy food
with, this estimate not including the
cost of cooking. The poor man wastes
in purchasing provender; his wife
wastes in preparing it for the table.
Most educated people have queer
notions about foods. 1t Is generally
imagined that an egg contains as much
nutriment as pound of lean beefsteak.
As matter of fact it has forty per
cent. less of nutriment, pound for
pound. Beef sirloin is only seventy
five per cent. as nutritious as beans
and peas. Chicken and turkey arc
ahead of peas and beans in this re-
spect, being the most nutritious food
known. Shad and mackeral are as
sirloin steak. Lean beef is nearly
three-fourths water.
Dealers say that the demand for fish
is actually increased to considerable
extent by the popular belief that It is
good brain food. The reason for this
is supposed to be that fish contains a
great deal of phosphorus, an element
that is more abundant in the brain
and nerves than in other parts of the
human body. But the fact is that
there is no special abundance of phos-
phorus in fish. If there were, it would
be of no importance. The widely cir
oulated phrase, "Without phosphor-
GUS there is no thought" was origi-
mated by German half in jest.
On one occasion the elder Agassiz
delivered lecture on the Importance
of fish culture-it was in Boston and
remarked in joking way that fish was
an excellent brain food. From this
saying and from the oft-quoted
phrase of the German scientist above
referred to has been derived the 40.
eepted idea ON this subject. In truth,
there is no cause whatever for believ-
ing that the eating of fish promises
cerebral activity. But, speaking of
the relative value of foods, it is inter-
esting to know that pound of lean
beef and quart of milk as it comes
from the COW contains about the same
amount of nutritive material. How
over, the nutrients in beef are more
valuable for ordinary use. Professor
Atwater has invented q new con-
trivance for measuring the energy
produced by various foods. The food
selected for trial--a definite quantity
of it's burned in q vessel surround
ed by water. A thermometer of ex-
traordinary delioacy registers tho rise
In the temperature of the water, the
quantity of which is known. Then an
equal amount of the same food is
burned in the human body, OF course,
oil food digested undergoes process
of chemical combustion.
1t is self-evident proposition that
tho cheapest food to buy is that which
contains the greatest amount OF
nutriment for q given price. With q
small equipment of knowledge on
this subject the poor man could select
his articles of diet in the market with
q vastly greater economy. In other
words, he could live much better for
less money. He ought to be taught to
select such foods as wheat -four, corn
meal, beans, milk and the cheaper
cuts of meats. To start With, it is
not easy for him to realize that high
priced foods are in general uneco-
nomical. The maxim that the best is
cheapest does not apply TO foods.
The average man, leading a moder-
ately active life, requires fifty-nine
ounces of food per diem. He consumes
thirty-seven ounces of water and alb
serbs In breathing thirty ounces OF
oxygen from the air. His total bodily
income, therefore, is about eight
pounds daily. What he needs for
his support each day is four and one
fifth ounces of fesh-forming albumen,
two ounces of fat-enough to make a
fair-sized candle-seventeen and a half
ounces of sugar and starch, four-ffths
OF an ounce of mineral matters-such
as common salt, potassium, etc.-two
quarts ssof water and 159 gallons of
oxygen, So much water is contained
in solid foods that we may be said to
eat as much water as we drink. In
order TO supply the substances above
mentioned, a man should eat daily
twenty ounces of bread, eight ounces
OF beefsteal, thirty ounces of potatoes
and one ounce of butter, with one
quart OF water-or the equivalent A
human being is composed mostly Of
water. The body of a man Weighing
154 pounds contains ninety-six pounds
or forty-six quarts of water. To COM
plete his makeup must be added thir-
teen pounds Uf albumen, ten pounds
of gelstine, twenty-three pounds of
fat, eight and half pounds of phos-
phate of lime, one pound of cabonate
OF lime, three ounces of sugar and
starch, seven ounces of auoride of
calcium, six ounces Of phosphate of
magnesia, a trihe of chloride of po-
IL