The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1900-06-21
SUGARS VALUE AS FOOD.
Recent Tests by German Experts Give
Affirmative Results.

German scientists have recently been
conducting experiments to ascertain
how far it is safe for people to employ
sugar as an article Of diet. These in
quiries are not altogether disintereSted.
Quite the contrary. Two-thirds Of the
worlds supply of sugar is made from
bcets, and more than one-third OF the
total production of beet sugar IS credit
cd to Germany. Part Of this amount
she is able to sell to foreigners. But
the greater part Of it she consumes
herself. Now, expectation Is liable to
fall off at any time, and it is highly
probable that the manufacture will
continue to increase. Hence it Is de-
sirable, from the German point OF
view. to promote the use OF sugar as
far as possible. However, this motive
does not impair the value Of the in
vestisations recently made. Instead,
it imparts greater interest to the latter.
1t is a rather curious fact that, al
though Germany makes an enormous
quantity of sugar, her people are not
the largest consumers Of that commod-
ity. Statistics for 1897 show that in
England the average amount consumed
per capita was S5.7 pounds q year,
whereas in Germany only 26.6 pounds
were eaten. Americans ate on an aver
age 62.3 pounds. Hence it would De
practicable to double or even treble
the consumption in Germany without
any appearance of excessive indul-
gence.
Still, before recommending q policy
of this sort. it was deemed wise by the
experts to institute elaborate tests or
the effect of Il sugar diet The result
is highly encouraging. 1t has been de-
termined that liberia. use Of sugar is
strengthening and fattening. One IS
taken aback for moment by the dis
covery that the latter virtue was de-
monstrated by experiments with hogs
and cattle: but this Is situation call
ing for cold logic, not sentiment.
Even before the tests were made
which the American consul at Maggie
burg reports to the State Department
at Washington. it was known that
mountain climbers regard sugar as
source of energy. Moreover, the chem
lists say that 1T is a soluble carbon
hydrate that is easily converted into
warmth and force" That ought to
settle the question. But the verdict
was not considered final. Your Ger
man scientist wants to measure ana
compute, and enable himself to state
his conclusions in a mathematical
form. He is still happier If he can en-
ploy q substantial piece Of apparatus
in his inquiry.
Well, these German savants proceed
ed in the following manner: They re-
uuested a man to apply his finger to a
device called an ergostat, or force
measurer. He exerted himself to the
utmost to move the index Of the ma
chine. A record Of his strength was
made. On a different occasion he was
fed on sugar, and again experimented
with. It then appeared that he could
make a better showing with the ergo
stat than before. Another form OF
the trial was to let man tire himself
out, feed him with sugar and see If it
restored his strength more quickly
than abstinence. 1t thus appeared that
his weary muscles recovered their
power promptly in consequence OF eat
ing sugar.
The German Government is said to
be considering the expediency Of add
ing six Jumps Of sugar to each soldiers
ration in the army. But whatever 1t
decides, it seems to have been demon
strated that the matinee girl who eats
a pound of bonbons during the per-
formance of q play will be able to
reach home in a much less exhausted
condition than would otherwise be pos
sible.-New York Tribune.