Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-01-21

physiological, hygienic and economic
branches of the subject. The chemical
work is confined chiefly to determina-
tons of the composition of different
food materials and eNcretory products
involved in the experimental inquiries,
and is only preliminary to the study
of the physiological branch of the sub
iect, the principal object of the in
quiry being to discover the fundamen-
I'll laws of nutrition and their econom-
lie and sociological application to the
food of man. To this end four general
classes of Investigations have been
carried out: % Dietary studies; (2)
digestion experiments; (S) cooking ex.
periments; and (4) metabolism ex-
periments.
"The dietary studies have been
made in several widely different local.
tiles and have included the study of
the diet of the people varying in occu-
patton, age, sex, and circumstances,
Their purpose has been to procure da-
ia in regard to the kinds, amounts, and
costs of food materials under differ
ent conditions, to give opportunity for
cmparison with data obtained by
investigators in other countries, and
to assist in establishing a general die
tary standard.
THE digestion experiments have
also been carried on in different parts
Of the United States under varying
conditions. These experiments have
been made in order to obtain data
with reference to the digestibility Of
various classes of food materials. the
amount of material consumed which is
made available to the body, and the
establishment of standards Meats
legumes, cereals, fruits and nuts have
been the especial subjects of expert
ments the past year. The digestion en-
periments with meat have included
the study of the influence of cooking,
as well as of age and breed of animal,
etc. upon the digestibility. The diges-
ton experiments with cereals have in
Guided the study of the effect of differ
ent methods of the milling of flour up
on the digestibility of bread made
from it.
THE cooking experiments have
been made only with meat, and have
included the study of the effects of
cooking upon the flavor palatability
and digestibility of the meat, beef
being usually used for the purpose.
The metabolism experiments have
been of two general sorts: 1) Those
in which Che income and outgo of nj
trogen was studied and (2) those
which took account of the income and
outgo of nitrogen, carbon and energy.
The former have been made in connec-
ton with all the digestion expert.
ments The latter have been made
only at Middletown, as they necessi-
tate the use of the respiration calori.
meter"
Among the experiments conducted
and reported in published bulletins is
one in which five dietary studies at
the Boston school of housekeeping
one at the Bible normal college, then
located at Springfield, Mass, now at
Hartford, and q studies of poor fami
lies near Philadelphia and 33 in Chi
cago are reported. The studies at the
school of housekeeping and at the
Bible normal college are of especial
interest since in the majority of cases
the food was planned beforehand, the
diet being of definite cost and so ar
ranged that the nutrients supplied
should conform to the commonly ac
cepted dietary standards. These
studies show one of the ways in which
the results of dietary studies may be
practically applied. The results of the
studies in Philadelphia and Chicago
are of interest for purposes Of compar
son and in the general discussion OF
dietary standards.