The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-17
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Because purely vegetable-yet thor
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FOODS Pills

eminent experiment stations and scien-
tidc institutions in different parts of the
country have contributed to the work by
making observations in their own sections
studied the Diet of the Poor.
Tn New York a large number of dietary
studies were made in the crowded tene-
mcut districts, with the aid Of the Cath
crime Mission, and iu Chicago similar
work was carried on in conjunction with
Hull House. Other studies were made in
Maine, Tennessee. New Jersey, Minnesota,
Missouri and other states. Food chemists
visited the houses, weighed the food pur-
chased for the days supply and took sam
pies of il for analysis. This branch OF the
work is by no means completed, but va
rious Interesting results have been obtain
ed.
For example, it was found that most peo-
pie eat too much. Food that is taken
into the body in excess Of its natural re-
quiremeuts Is not merely thrown away.
II is worse than wasted, because IL works
a positive injury to the health.
In the second place the prevailing diet
among nearly all classes Is one-sided. The
error is not always in one direction, but
in general 1t may be said that the food
has relatively too little protein and too
much fat starch and sugar. This is due
partly to our large consumption of sugar,
which IS greater than that of any other
nation, and partly to the use of too large
quantities of fat meats In the European
dietaries that have been studied the guam
titles OF fat range from one to five ounces
per day. In America the range is from
four to sixteen ounces. The quantities of
carbohydrates Starch ana sugar. In the
European dietaries range from nine to
twenty-four ounces, while in the corre-
spending American tests the carbo-hy-
drates amounted to from tWenty-four 20
sixty ounces. The rejection of SO much
of the fat meat at the markets. and on
our plates. is not mere willullness. II is
natures protest against a one-sided and
excessive diet
Pay Too Much for Food.
The third mistake commonly found In
the selection OF our daily food is that
il is not economical. This error is most
marked among the poor classes of the
great cities, where it should be least. Over
and over again IL was found in the
course of the studies that poor people buy
high-priced meats, which they cannot af
ford, in the belief that they are getting
the best. In this they seldom do get the
best cuts of meat, and In any case they
could obtain an equal amount of nutritive
materials for about half the money if they
would buy more vegetables and cereals.
This subject has been Investigated In
the east end of London. 1t was found
there, as in the American cities, that the
poorest people buy meat of Indifferent
quality, paying a high price for it, IN
preference TO purchasing the cheap fresh
vegetables which they could easily secure.
In order to correct this popular fallacy
the London society which has conducted
the investigation, has issued thousands or
pamphlets setting forth the advantages or
a more general vegetable diet. These
tracts are distributed free throughout the
poorer districts, and have led many to
substitute vegetables and cereals, In part
az least, for the stringy and unwhole-
some meat which alone they can purchase.
Twenty-Five Cents Worth of Food.
Prof. Atwater says on this subject:
There is no doubt that a certain amount
OF money will buy more nutritive mate
rails in the form of vegetables than in
animal foods. A quarter of a dollar In
vested in the sirloin of beef at % cents
per pound pays for one-sixth of a pound
of protein and one-fifth of a pound of fas,
and supplies 1,l20 calories of energy. The
same amount paid for oysters at so cents
a quart brings two ounces of actual nu-
trients, an ounce of protein and 230 ca
lories of energy. In buying wheat flour
at 81 per barrel. the rs cents pays for
six and a quarter pounds of protein and
II .755 Galleries of energy.
ION the face of il the wheat -four is
by all odds the cheapest foods, while oys-
tiers are decidedly expensive and uneco-
nomical. In the accompanying chart is
shown the amounts of actual nutritive In
gradients obtained in different foods for
25 cents. A brief comparison will show
what foods are economical and what are
not.
There is another factor that comes into
play here. Animal foods crafty the pal
ate in ways that vegetable foods do not
People who can afford 1t the world over
will have the former, and will compete
with one another 10 secure them. In gem
eral the animal foods are more easily and
completely dlgested than the vegetable
There is doubtless good ground for paying
somewhat more for the same amount of
nutritive material in animal foods of good
quality. The error to which Americans
are particularly prone lies in eating too
much meat and too few vegetables, and in
buying the most expensive kinds of meat
when they could secure equally nutritive
kinds much more cheapy."
The Diet of Coal Laborer.
'In the Investigations that have been
made this state of affairs has been found
repeatedly. lie Meriwether mentions the
case of coal laborer, who boasted:
" No one can say that l do not give my
family the best of flour, the finest sugar,
and the very best quality of meat
HE paid $156 year for the incest cuts
of meats, which his wife had to cook be-
fore in the morning or after $50 at night,
! because he worked all day In a factory
When excellent butter was selling at %
cents a pound, he paid % cents for an ex-
ira quality. He spent only sos year
! for clothing for his family of nine, and
only $72 year for rent In a close tene-
ment, where they slept In rooms without
| windows or closets. He INDUCED in this
| extravaganza of food when much less ex-
pensive food materials, such as are regu-
! larry found on the tables of men of
| wealth, would have been just as nutri-
| tious, just as wholesome In every way, and
! just as good except in it's qualification OF
| pride and palate. He was committing an
| immense economic blunder. Like thous-
ands of others, he did so without under
! standing that it was a blunder
Just here is one great dihiculty: the
lack of Information regarding the nutri-