Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-05-08
CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT MEAT?

-
other combination of circumstances
which places burden on the slender
incomes of the majority Of people.
1t is true that knowledge, and espe-
cially scientific knowledge, makes us
free. The purpose OF science is to
diminish the ills of life and to enamel
pate us from every form of slavery.
This is day Of fads, and one of these
is vegetarianism, which maintains that
flesh meat is the root Of all evil, and
that the secret OF health and longevity
is to subsist on vegetable food.
Such vagaries have no support in,
science. However, this much may be
said, i. e., that when the meat trust
or any other combination arouses our
Indignation we can live without them
be as strong, do as much work and
have as clear brains as ever.
Within the past 10 years science has
made great advances in our knowledge
of the principles of nutrition and of
the nutritiye value of foods, and she
no longer speaks with any uncertainty
on these questions. In short we have
a science of nutrition which is well
nigh exact.
Thus, if we take a pound Of lean
able to tell how much of any other
article of food will be its exact equiva-
lent. Furthermore given man in a
certain condition OF life and muscular
activity it is possible to calculate with
certainty the exact quantities of meat,
bread, butter, eggs, milk and potatoes
which he should receive each day to
maintain his accustomed weight and
o. he It,ft nf IN
ANY combination Of diet can be calcu-
lated with equal readiness, in which
meat is either included or excluded.
There is no mystery about foods
their nutritive qualities depend on their
chemical composition, and each in
gredient has definite energy pro-
ducing value. Hence the special claims
made by manufacturers of particular
food products are frequently pre-
posterous.
The various breakfast cereals put up
in attractive packages and selling at 10
cents pound may be tempting to the
palate, but are not whit more nutri-
tious than plain oat meal at ne-third
the price, or the crude corn meal once
ground by savages between rough
stones.
Grape Nuts are nutritious, but have
no more special claims as brain formers
than good home made bread. Hence
housewives should be innately skeptical
of the special claims of manufacturers.
Let them study the fundamental prin-
ciples of nutrition and the chemistry
| of foods.
Read for instance the admirable little
book by Ellen II. Richards of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
on the Cost of Food" and Other
works in the public library.
To return to the question of meat
man has natural craving for it, anc
| therefore thinks he needs it 10 main
tain his strength. This is due, not SC
much to the meat itself as to certain
extractives which it contains. Thes,
extractives have, however, no fooe
value, but only stimulating qualities
1t can be affirmed with scientific Ger
tainty that, IL necessary, man can livt
without meat, and yet suffer no loss 0
mental or physical power.
A quart of good milk at cents con
tains as large quantity of food in
gradients, and almost as much energ,
producing power, as pound of beef a
25 cents.
A pound of butter at 30 cents con
tains four times as much energy pro
ducing power as q pound of beef.
A loaf Of bread at cents or dozel
rusk at 10 cents contains one and hal
times as much food matter as poun
Of beef, and 90 per cent more energ
producing power. Six ounces of CAT
meal at 9 cents contains as much foo
matter as a pound of beef, while
ounces of oatmeal will produce as muc
energy as the same quantity Of beef.
Rice, cornmeal, hominy, maoaron
are superior to meats as energy formers
but need to be combined with certai
proportion of heterogeneous food, as fles
formers; in this latter regard bean
and peas are as nutritious as meat, an
far less expensive.
The maintenance of a healthy d
gestion depends on variety of fooc
and especially on the use of appetizers
and while they have low food value
they are necessary regulators of d
gestion; these are vegetables and fruit:
1t is mistake to hold that we can liy
on fruits, or green vegetables at tE
J expense of the cereals or the .legume!
2 One would starve on Strawberries, br
strawberries are useful il they help l
to eat more bread and butter. Steve
tomatoes have little value as food, bl
, in connection with other things al
excellent. To the poor man economy
S food should be matter of considers
n ton, and to maintain the body at I'll
2 least expense means that much MOI
to spend in higher enjoyments
In the following list is given tt
Z, amount of energy expressed in unit
> or calories, which can be purchased fC
r 10 cents: Beef, sirloin, SIS units
!, energy; Clipped beef, 3l5; mutton lie,
b 445; pork loin, 1895; ham, smoked
1856; sale pork, 2950; fish, 25O-3O(
oysters, 100; butter, 100; eggs, 80;
milk at 6 cents, 1885, oat meal, 450t
4 rice, POPS; wheat bread, 2400 bean
: 3040; cheese, 1885; cabbage, AGO; celer,
a 100; corn canned, 430; potatoes, 293i
/. turnips, 1910; bananas, 80; orange
y $50.
a This list might be made more cor
d plete did space permit, but it wi
a suffice to illustrate few importal
}. principles.
l. A given amount of money wi
purchase from FIVE to eight times
much strength and nourishment
le the form OF cereals and legumes, SUI
F. as peas and beans, as in the form
a meat.
IF 2. Eggs, fish and oysters are u
le economical articles of food.
le 3. Milk and butter in connectit
lie with cereals ard legumes furnish
70 adequate substitute for a meat di
IN at about one-third the cost of Il
is latter.
D. 4. Potatoes in connection with mil
re butter, bread and legumes furnish
,e diet which possesses the highest mutt
a tive qualities.
s. 5. Green vegetables, such as cabbae
ID lettuce, heets radishes, turnips, celer