Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-01


Ierience that 1t is the only basis on which /
a housekeeper not of Simian extraction can /
make beginning in the practice CT do
nestle economy. An intelligent woman for
titled by a clearly defined reason for any /
domestic reform she undertakes, acquires /
indisputable authority in enforcing her |
views against the habits of stupid servants |
ambush! self-indulgent men. 1 may know /
that my market bills are out of all proper |
proportion to my income, and I may know /
that my family has dyspepsia in various |
but have neither the moral courage nor |
any certain ground on which to attempt a |
change, unless I can prove the necessity |
by Intelligent means, and precisely this
Uncle Sam, through the agency Of Prof |
Atwater, has enabled me to do.
Having determined that my diet Is ex-
cessive certain number Of calorics and
varies excessively in the relative amounts
of protein, fat and carbohydrates I con-
sumo, by going over my dietary 1 find that
1 have my choice of many different food
materials in cutting down. Thus the ex-
cess of carbohydrates may be contained in
undue amounts of either bread, potatoes,
sugar or other foods similarly composed.
The protein is contained almost entirely in
the several kinds of meat / eat in different
degrees. I will then select the most ex-
pensve of these in making my reductions,
but here must recollect that 1.-The cheap
est food IS that which furnishes the most
nutriment at the least cost" In other
words, must consider that in buying food
l want to secure not so many pounds Of
this or that stuff, but many nutrients
and SO much fuel value per pound Prof
Atwater has ready for me tables showing
the cost of staple foods so considered, and
consulting this 1 find still greater posi-
bilities open to me in reducing the cost Of
living.
Choice in Meats.
For instance, I find that for 10 cents 1
| can buy O36 Of a pound of protein and ,s25
| calorics in the neck of beef, whereas the
| same amount spent for the rib will yield
| me only .13 of a pound of protein, and ,149
| calorics. Or, find that 10 cents worth Of
veal outlet will yield me but .05 of pound
of protein and 155 calorics. when 1 may
| get 10 cents worth of loin of veal (chops)
| and have more than twice as much food
value in my purchase. Or, 1 may buy 10
| cents worth of beans and combine with 1t
| D cents worth of pork and have a food
value equal to 80 cents worth of rib beef
| and quarter of a peck of potatoes.
| But having advanced thus far I'm reduc-
ing living to science l must now consid-
er further what enters into the question of
| cheap living. Food taken into the stom-
ach does not realize the conditions of
economy unless it is digested, so that, in
| estimating the nutritive value of a meal I
may be planning, l have to reckon on the
palatability and digestibility of the dishes
| that occur TO me, and while, theoretically
| this would cover the subject in experience
l know 1T Is further complicated by the per-
| Sonal factor and certain mechanic al
sense to be satisfied in establishing a diet.
The matter of palatibility and digestibil-
1ty involves the science and art of cook
cry, and right here is the new woman's
| greatest opportunity on earth, for as sure
as man Is an animal and his palate sur
wives the eliminating process of the de-
velopment of the human species, so sure the
sclentinc housewife must know how to
make protein, fat, carbohydrates and Gallo
RIGS taste good, before she can hope to
impose her knowledge of the nutritive
values of foods upon her husband and her
In cla to-
couraged by science to succeed for a care
full reading of Prof. Atwater's reports
and kindred literature they suggest, de-
velops the fact that in wanting his food
to taste good man is not simply sensual
and self-indulgent, he is only acting In
accord with plan Of nature whereby his
digestion is aided. Agreeable food in
| creaSes the flow of digestive fluids: like
wise pleasing variety in ones diet serves
the economy Of the body.
Uncle Sam on Cooking.
In his concern for the advancement OF
the new cook, Uncle Sam has not hesitated
to go into the matter of cookery for his
benefit and every woman who reads Ed
ward Atknsons Suggestions Regarding
the Cooking of Food published by the
Agricultural Department, will discern that
she is not going to make any considerable
progress in reducing household expenses
until she has solved the problem of the
application Of heat to food.
| This problem Edward Atkinson has work
| ed on for more than 4 score of years, and
he has told me that beginning it fad
he is satisfied that he has obtained a per
: feet, practical result in his Aladdin oven
I With this over, Mr.. Atkinson claims tina
an unfailing recipe for all cooking is one
| part of food material and one part OF
: gumpton, which sounds simple enough
but when I asked him in what market one
is to procure the gumption, he was bound
to confess it is born, not made, and car
' ID &1I Mo- A,,y hxy =
; process Of something like incubation thus
The Intelligent housewife herself must
} go into the kitchen, and placing her intcL
ligence in the circulation of the body q
work involved in the preparation and cook
ing of food, by this means the current OF
) kitchen affairs may be so charged witt
J gumption that Mary Ann there becomes 6
} medium Of it, ard thus is made PROOF
! against her own and all the traditional
stupidity that commonly disorders the
kitchen, the cook and the cooking Of oul
| homes
For Each Housewife.
The personal factor in nutrition is some
thing each housewife must deal with &C
) riding to individual circumstances but ir
this Uncle Sam does not leave her alto
:, gether helpless The study of the scienc,
, of nutrition he affords her gives her bott
:, | the information and the po;se necessary t
! | dispose of obstinate but clearly depravet
conditions of the personal element she has
, an economical and hygenic breakfast ani
dinner, according to accepted standards
and he habitually lunches down town a
noon on custa1d pie and beer, or hard-boil
ed eggs and whisky, she is not going t.
. let this personal factor upset her dietary
: calculations. and she is going to stand firm
. . as stole in refusing to recalculate thu
, family dietary in the interests of his di
. gestion, until he has first experimental
!. with 2. lunch reform.
, Sense of n Full Stomach.
, The mechanical sense to be taken int,
! account in considering nutrition is TIL
sense of a full stomach, which many mel
substitute for religion. This has SO gener
ally operated agairst experiments in tn
| use of concentrated foods as to have heel
r | accepted as positive factor Of nutrition
Sir Henry Thompson, a noted English ply
sician and authority on the subject of foo
= and feeding, shows a physiological warran
= for the demands of this mechanical sens
n | in men.
ITO employ nothing in our diet but mat
ter which has nutritive value, that is, ca
be absorbed into the system, Is founde
upon want of elementary knowledge of tn
| first principles Of digestion. No proper &C
folra ,,1o ,1nc