Iron County register., 1898-12-01
MADE A STUDY OF FOODS.
why the Porto Rican Is Inferior to the
American-Whnt Should be Done 20
Restore HIS Physical Manhood.

American-Whmt Should De Done 90
Restore His Physical Manhood.
San Juan de Porto Rico, Nov. 2s.-
Doctor Amadeo, a Porto Rican, who has
passed much of his life in the United
States, recently made study of the
foods of the poorer classesof his coun-
trymen, and has embodied some of the
results of his labors in an open letter
to Maj.-Gen. Brooke. His statements
have the ring of fact and they are in
teresting in that they give an idea OF
what the island laborer is and of
what can iairly be expected of him
as citizen of the United States In
the course of his letter, DR.. Amadeo
says:
Physical Inferiority of the Poor of Porto
Rico.
Five years ago, upon my return
from the United States. ] began to
make certain comparisons between
the poor of Porto Rico and the poorer
classes among the Americans. / noted
physical inferiority among the Porto
Ricans. The blame for this should be
laid at SpaiE's doors, for she, by rea
SON of excessive duties on the neces-
saries of life, always prevented the
poor man here from obtaining proper
nourishment.
Nourishment Essential to Good Health.
''The science of nourishment shows
that a man, in order to maintain his
health, should consume daily about
124 grammes of nitrogenized matter,
-4oS 1rrrr
starch and SIS grammes containing
grease. Hence the indispensability OF
meat. But the laoorer of Porto Rico
lives on carbonates of hydrogen alone.
Meat is luxury he very rarely tastes
This largely explains the condition
of the laboring classes in Porto Rico
the muscular system wasting away
from the defective nourishment and
the brain inactive and dull because
deprived Of phosphates. Moreover, ex-
elusive nourishment of this kind en-
genders severe organic troubles in the
end. A dangerous and common dis
ease of the liver is the direct result
among our people of a diet of tubers
and bananas.
Intelligence and Activity Cannot be Main
tanned on Improper Diet.
1--WE can not expect from men on
such diet that degree of intelligence
and activity which would be found in
men properly nurtured. I am coun-
try physician, and when my patients
come to me for relief from their many
infirmities I am obliged to say to
them: You do not need drugs and
medicines, but you do need meat and
fish and nourishing foods These are
very important facts to us, and we
sincerely hope. as source of possible
relief, that Gen. Brooke will do all in
his power to secure the admission into
this island, free from all customs
duties, fish and meats from the United
States and of rice and flour.
What is Expected of the United States.
"To the man who works for so cents,
silver, day, we should try to give
market in which his so cents will buy
linn proper nourishment. 1 believe
the regeneration of this island should
begin by restoring the health of its
people. Surely it would be pity if
the inhabitants of part of the rich
American Union should be without
proper nourishment. Such state of
affairs was comprehensive under the
Spanish regime, but it would be hard
indeed to understand under the con-
troll of government whose first prin-
clple is to care for it's people, as in
Porto Rico care for the people resolves
itself now into their proper .nourish-
ment.
Cannot Live Like the Blacks of Africa.
A majority of the Porto Ricans are
of European extraction. They can
not support life in roof1ess huts and
in the open woods as can the black
races of Africa. We should make it
possible for them to obtain shelter
and homes at least as good as those
of their forefathers. This could be
done by permitting the entrance, free
from all restrictions and duties, of the
component parts of simple houses,
such as boards, joists, iron roofing
and nails.
A Prime Necessity for the Good of the
People.
81 consider these recommendations,
which / venture to submit, to be of
prime necessity for the good of the
people. Humanity demands their
adoption. The poorer classes in Porto
Rico can not be expected to appreciate
their obligations to the United States,
much less to fulfill intelligently the
duties of American citizens, because
their enfeebled mental and physical
condition, the direct result of mall
nutrition, makes this impossible to
them. We shall proceed with the work
of social reconstruction of this island,
but in order to have healthy minds to
work upon we must first secure
healthy bodies. But we can not look
for healthy bodies in a country where
excessive tariffs would continue to
prevent the poorer classes from eat
ing meat and bread and compel them
to resort for sustenance to roots and
bananas"
Esterhazy Coming to the United States.
Antwerp, Nov. 28.-The Droits de
L'Homme asserts that Maj. Comte |
Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy has sailed |
for the United States.