The Topeka state journal., 1902-05-10
The Queation 81 MAat Eatina.


The struggle for existence that is
caused by the increase of numbers who
must manage to SubslSt on limited
means, has brought about movements
and propaganda in favor of particular
lines of dietary which have done an inn
mense amount Of good in drawing at
tentiOn to questions as to just what
quantity, quality and variety of food
man must consume in order to counter
balance the wear and tear of physical
and mental exertion.
Unfortunately the variety of foods
from which man may choose and appro
pirate what will appease the craving OF
his appetite, whether normal or abnor-
NAL, is seemingly without end, and the
dishes he may select from are as the
sands of the sea, while the brain Of man
has not, in general, advanced sufficient
~ in perception to show him the wisdom
of choice, or how to exercise self denial
as to the substance and quantity he
chooses, and the manner of preparing
them for his individual needs.
The question which has been pretty
evenly argued between contrOversialists
regarding the advantage of vegetable
diet over animal food, has assumed re-
cent and very decidedly important in
terest in the public mind owing to the
advance in the price of meats. Many
who have heretofore taken but the most
Indifferent interest in the theories ad-
vanced by vegetarians are now, per-
force, wondering If there may not be
method in what they have considered
but q mild form of madness on the part
Of the advocates for vegetable diet.
There is no doubt vegetarianism is
boon and a blessing to a man and bound
to improve the condition of the human
race, if only by indicating to US that
there Is a happy medium at least, even
if one Is not quite willing to adopt the
extremists ideas that vegetable foods
are the only form of diet suitable for
humanity.
All new movements and theories in or
der to gain sufficient hold upon the pub
lie to take root and bear fruit must be
extremely radical at the start. IF the
new reasoning be narrow and one-sided
at the beginning it will become nodi-
fed by contact with the broader views
of the general public. As an example
OF this, consider vegetarianism of the
present day with the views held by It's
first advocates. Now there are few who
limit the practicing Of human dietary
to substances which are exclusively Of
vegetable origin, but together with the
more nutritiVe of vegetable products
they blend such typical animal products
as eggs, milk, cream, butter and cheese,
their condemnation being against the
use of animal flesh only. Their objec-
ton to such foods as necessitate the
taking of life is not based entirely on
sentiment, for they consider that feed
ing on animal flesh coarsens the nature
of the individual and also renders the
system more susceptible to diseases.
VEGETABLES COMPARED TO AM
NAL FOODS.
Comparisons show that the same nu-
tritiVe elements exist in both vegetable
and animal foods. and that they are
within certain limits interchangeable.
Both ara divided into two subdivi-
sions or cIBsses-the nitrogenous and the
non heterogeneous. or flesh formers and
heat givers; the former being greatly in
excess. The nitrogenous embraces all
seeds and vegetable tissues whilst the
starch and sugar in vegetables are what
fat is in the animal-the especial rep
resentatives of the heterogeneous.
Hulce, seeds in vegetables represent
flesh in animal foods and the starches
and sugars take the place of fats for
the seeds when digested will produce
flesh and by the same law Of nature.
the starch, when transferred in the body
may produce fat. Every other element
required for nutrition, whether mineral
or organic may be obtained from the
vegetable kingdoun-the salts of potash
soda, lime, nagnesia, iron, manganese;
substances corresponding to fibrin, al
bumen, and gelatin; gum pectin and
sugar; phosphoric, acetic, suiphuric and