New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-22
THE SECRETS OF EATING.
WH4T PHYSICIANS SAY.
Regularity, Not Quantity, of Diet
Lengthens Life.

bv the pauer read bv Professor Russell II. Chit
tenden, at Washington. before the National Acad-
envy OF Sciences. and printed in part IN The IT'D
une yesterday, describing series of experiments
to determine whether the average human being
eats too much not
Dr. Elmer Lee of No. i27 West Fifty-eighth-st
who has made a special study of the subject OF
dieting said to a Tribune reporter yesterday;
This is the greatest unsolved, unstandardized
human problem. To know how to eat what 10 eat
stieni;fc meY, Great good would be accomplished
r. man were wise enough TO sette me uI E-
seems TO know what is the best and most suitable
food People ge1eray eat That 'ne SyoisIicn and
habit, to some extent dependent on the money 70
rule relating to diet has been generally a4GePteo
Diet should depend upon the nature ana aIr9ut on
of the quantity of food required. A laboring man
or woman will digest and live on food that would
the relationship of food and labor is perhaps more
important than either the substance or amount OF
food that is used.
Experiment viii: show that much less food can De
taken on the average without injury, oven Win
benefit to health and strength Abstinence and mod
Grafton, however. have never been satisfactory 10
the human race. Control OF appetite has been
failure. The rule that prevails among all classes IS
eat until the appetite is satisfied Theoretically
moderation is q salient and excellent rule IN food,
drink and labor"
Then YOU believe that Professor Chittendens ex-
perlments will result in some beneftT' was asked
so far as I understand. his experiments relate
principally to the quality of material. Theoretically
the ideal food u such as is produced by the tree
the vine and thS plant In other words bread. fruit
and vegetables constitute the ideal food. and
such food may be eaten almost without limitation
without causing sickness. 1t be a scientific
impossibility to limit food by weight. weak man
will do better a light dict, and strong man
better fun diet. The employment Of groups OF
men in these experiments is the common sense.
practical method Of determining the question. It Is
far better than mere laboratory tests
sT= oarff 7oFP
times employed?- asked.
Fasting in suitable cases is a trea tment which
highly commend and which has to-day recog-
niZed standing a plan OF treatment II Is es-
pecially adapted TO acute diseases. including all
fevers. such pneumonia and typhoid Food Is
OF the greatest therapeutic factors IL the treat
ment of disease. we'll in the preservation OF
health The right selection OF food is becoming
more and more employed by medical men OF high
standing.
This is a question which shows recorded studies
covering a period of from three thousand TO four
thousand years. Twelve hundred years before
Christ Pythagoras prophesied the golden era OF
man, and made it depend a nOn-fesh diet This
historical fact is well recognized"
Dr. Lenox Curtis. OF No. West Fifty-eishth-st.
had this to say Of Professor Chittenden's expert
ments:
L thoroughly agree with his ideas as TO persons
eating In excess. believe he has verified It by
his experiments. They leave no room for argu-
ment whatever. Almost all the so-caIled new
foods that eaten aGulterated: IN fact
everything is more less adulterated. I don't be-
lieve in oatmeal in any form for human food: IL
is ht only for animals. Wheat requires cooking
from four 70 seven hours to prepare It a food"
Or. \. X. Hills. OF No. $50 FTfth-eve. who has
made study os the diet question. said:
I have read The Tribune's account of Professor
such brief extracI Of his paper to form an 6pn-
lon. Yet would say that they have undoubtedly
apt to bolt his breakfast. to eat light luncheon
OF all proportion with capacity OF his system
digest IT, No two men are constituted alike. and
stefan to apply food in certain way and in That
way accomplish what is necessary.
DR.. T. Rutledgs Killilea. OF No. 81 West Thirty
third-st.. who has been an athlete and made
special study Of the proper diet and training Of
athletes, when shown extract Of Professor
Chttendens report yesterday. and asked II he
thought the average man eats too much. said:
Il believe that the average business and profess
siOnal does eat too much his principal meal
in the evening He eats a light breakfast. and
stil lighter luncheon. thereby creating abnormal
appetite for his evening meal. which usually lacks
tho necessary variety OF food TO be Of benefit. The
digestive organs Will stand this overcrOwdns OF
heavy foods for about Ave years and then the In
evtabIe nervous and stomach disorders follow.
'It is a surprising fact that the human body can
develop healthy state with very little food and
exercise If both are taken with regularity. Regu-
larity. not quantity. IS the secret.
The overeating is done by the business and pro-
fessional men the cities The laboring class and
the country folk the ones who eat as near n
keeping with the laws of physical demand as any
class could cite.
Athletes and racehorses that are Injured TO great
and continual physical effort never in danger
Of overeatins. The production OF animal heat used
in the making OF blood and muscle demands great
quantities Of food Professor Chittendens expert
nents carefully made He is Of great
resource and exceptional ability. I have always
maintained what he now advocates
Tho announcement OF Professor Russell H Chit
tenden does not meet with the approval OF Mrs
Mary F. Williams. director OF cooking in the public
schools OF Manhattan and The Bronx.
Cyrus W. Field" said she yesterday. was once
informed that lie had obtained enough money and
should retire. He answered that he had noticed
whe a had piled enough money to retire
that Z was always some other person who discov-
cred the fact. l think II is much the same with
eating I do not think that people eat too much,
but that people eat improperly prepared food. and
eat it in 4 manner and under circumstances that
lead to bad results.
The amount that should eat has been
much discussed without any conclusion. 1 believe
that It depends upon the person himself Sir Henry
Thompson attributed the Ills later life more to
cratic diet than dissipation. The age and physical
condition OF each individual must be considered
before II can be reasonably said how much he
should eat.
You often hear it said that thin person eats
more than a fat person. The reason the one Is
stout and the other thin is that digest and
assiIniate what the other person cannot digest.
The doctors say that eat too much meat.
This is simply because we can get good meat
cheaply II is not so much the kind OF food that
we eat as the way It is prepared. served and
eaten. The indgestibillty of meat Is entirely the
result OF its preparation
If food is well prepared and served in a taste
full and pleasing manner. enjoy our food more
sarrI aucTTr~