New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-25
A B 2 OF NUTRITION.
Thorough Mastication Solves Food Problems,
Says Horace Fletcher.

The A B Of Our Own Nutrition" by Horace
Fletcher Frederick a Stokes Company New
York;, differs from most OF the books on the eating
question IN that II finds the crux Of this nuch as
cussed problem not so much in the character OF
the food eaten as in the way it is eaten Most
dietitaus occupy themselves chiefly with what we
eat Mr. Fletcher asserts that the question IS one
OF how we eat and finds the solution OF the "nO4e
matter in the simple act Of mastication Let man
only chew his food. and indigestion and al inc
other Ills OF 1nalnutriton viii cease from trouolng
and the weary stomach viii be at rest. All Sorts
OF things that are generally supposed to be d.
gesttve denominations may be eaten with lnpui1ly
and benefit II one viii only chew them
Why, for instance, do griddls cakes hurt your
asks Mr.. Fletcher.
Because the syrup. which is cane sugar. and as
such Is indIgestible. IS allowed to pass through the
mouth and down into the stomach without being
properIv mixed with the saliva, which makes 1t
digestible As soon il enters the stomach It be-
comes acid and nterferes with everything 1t meets
Had the cakes been properly mastlcated and mixed
with the saliva the cane sugar would have become
grape sugar and in this form it is easily dgestea
Why again. are stout people advised to avold
starchy foods? Economic nutrition does not ADVISE
this. Potatoes eaten too hastily when not craVed
by the appetite supply the system with a super
abundance OF starch, and this Is fat-lhoucins' OI
II your appetite Graves potato and you masticate
It properly. eating only much Of IL as satlsneS
your appetite the system absorbs II all Ls-VlAs
nothing to produce fat
bread and cheese is also attributed to lack OF mas
tcation. Cabbage. says NIr. Fletcher owes It's IN
digestibty the fact that 1t IS allowed 20 pass
into the stomach IN large masses. II II were as
finely minced as spinach usually is. II would Do
equally digestible New bread has a tendency 70
elude the teeth and form a sodden mass. iInper-
ueable to the digestive Juices. while the more
powdery stale bread IS more easily broken up
both IN tho mouth and with the stomach IN
cheese too highly digestibe substances, casein ana
butter are welded together into a comparatively
irnperrneabls mass which IS apt to escape com
intuition by the teeth and to pass down into tne
stomach IN the form OF solid Jumps
The importance OF masdcation may be inIegre0
from the strength Of the rnasticatory instinct M
Fletcher asserts. The existence OF this Instinct
may not be very apparent. but 1t Is there anu
dies hard death The baby. with no bones 70 70
gaaw Ike the infants OF prehistoric times mas 80
be provided with coral ring The schoo!3oy D5C
HE pencils and penholders. and even In the aCuss
Witness the common practice Of chewing gum:
Tg-fI ST iIri5 dIet not merely during the
first months Of LIE but during the uTst years
Thereafter lie Is fed on such viands as Inasnea
pudl.nes pounded mutton, thin bread and butter
and the like. ana st later he mas 2reaq ana me-
ana gravy ana soft buad.ns5 The diet OF the adu,
SO SOFT that they slide down the throat almost as
readily as milk. Flour IS carefully deyElES4 OK
the bakery and kitchen as to sttl fuF g, De e.
S Tfsg 1G as to- r5iPo very tte as6aoa
finally the conditions Of ufe and the modern nervous
TEN permanent arc q constant inducement 20 the
boiling OF food. $500.
From this comes long succession Of Ills ordiEar-
ily. supposed be unavoidable The teeth fail 20
develop, and dentists bills and torture are tae
natural and Inevitable consequences Not only inc
gars suffer from the disuse OF the masticatory
muscles. and IN addition 90 the ordinary evils OK
Indigestion appendicitis IS induced BY the preseH o
OF uucigestsd Jumps Of food In the iutestnes Ana
finally. much ~ the food eaten IS undlgested
lack OF uasricauon causes considerable financial
/ loss
lIr. Fletcher ands that he live eleven cent
n day and requires only two meals. he has fol-
lowed his present plan % living for i've year, and
during that lrle has recovered from TWO diseases
/ ordinarily regarded as iEcurable. Ills experience
has been confirmed by experiments conducted AZ
Cambridge England. by himself and Or. Ernest
/ Van Somerln. and his views are supported by a
I formidable array OF authorities Il IS now pro-
posed institute Internal oral laboratory re-
search for study OF nutrition IN Oil It's aspects
/ a plan has been drawn up by str Michael Foster,
! OF England. and ga approved by proiessors %
physiology IN England. Italy, Swftzerl and, Ger
/ many. Belgium France, Russia and ths United
/ States