New-York tribune., 1905-08-12

When we consider the essential function OF
food in sustaining life, the amount of care that
IS given TO preparing it and the time that is
spent in eating it, it must be apparent TO the
most needless that vastly more attention is paid
TO pleasing the palate than to nourishing the
body. Cooks forever inventing new ways OF
serving the food which are accustomed TO
eat. and some of them receive large salaries
for doing II, but comparatively few men or
science have made a study of foods with view
TO determining their relative Importance as brain
and muscle builders. and those who have
done have rarely succeeded in present
,ng their conclusions in a way to appeal
the minds or the stomachs of the eating
world or so as percepibly TO influence the dieI
OF nations We do not know to what services to
state or TO what accident of birth the Honorable
r. Russell owes the handle to his name, but he
al least deserves it for the study he has made
of the food question, the results of which
given i'm the present volume. He has pursued
his Investigations into the diets Of all nations
and tribes of which he could find records, from
the most ancient times until to-day. He has
studied the foods of animals in relation to
their strength, size and temperament. He has
gathered the opinions of great naturalists.
psychologists. chemists. physicians and trainers
OF athletes on the subject and has added
thereto his own personal experiences and OBJ
1on of the effects OF narcotics-alcohol. coffee.
yea and opium-on the human system, and Of
the adulterants prevalent in prepared food
products
The author is less OF an original investigator
than a collator OF the Investigations Of others.
His method is that OF the law court He prints
fhe testimony OF both sides in full and seeks to
arrive at a verdict according TO the weight Of
evidence. Unfortunately he has a tendency to
accept unsupported opinion at the value
rs attested fact and to be influenced by senti-
ment The book is more interesting, accordingly,
81 not more valuable, for its wealth of quota
fions than for the authors conclusions. which.
however greatly they may appeal 10 the readers
good sense do not always seem logically TO
follow from the data he has accumulated. Two
Of his conclusions, certainly will be
likely to gainsay. namely. that man thrives on
almost any kind Of diet common 10 nation. the
general conditions being favorable" and that
frugal persons and nations live better and longer
than others and more free from disorders of
mind or body" If these principles were all that
he had been able TO educe from his studies. his
work, however entertaining might we'll be re-
garded one Of supererogation. It Is the re-
manning conclusion. in regard to which there is
bound TO be difference OF opinion and consequent
discussion that makes the effort spent upon the
preparation OF the volume seem worth while
even If the effort does not always also seem TO
have been most economically szpeaded. Mr.
Russell has at least convinced himself that
both races and individuals living entirely on
plant food plant food with the addition
OF eggs and milk. are stronger and happier other
things being equal. than races and individuals
diving chiefly the flesh Of beasts"
II is interesting to note that the author claims
10 have commenced his investigations with no
ereNy 1n "a ofa lief ayhic cIi15a
Aeshs but TO have been converted TO that be-
lief through his studies. Yet it is almost i'm
possible TO free ones self of the impression that
sentimental shrinking from the taking Of ami
nal life IS after all. at the bottom OF his pref
erence for a mainly vegetable diet, has. at
any rate. rendered his conversion the more easy.
Thus. referring TO the "interminable melan-
Sholy' OF the Chicago slaughter houses. where
hundreds OF thousands of and pigs are
yearly killed" he says:
The cruelty and pain are less for each creature
than in the private yards. but the sum of horror
suffering, the scale OF butchery. appalling
that for all these things God viii bring us into
judgment in disease, in loss OF the JOY of life, in
moral abasement
This, OF course. is neither the attitude of the
scientist nor that OF the Christian. since nowhere
does Christ. the Son of a God who laid down
exact rules for the killing of animals for food,
deprecate the eating OF flesh; and his followers
will require better authority than the late Rich
ard Wagner, whom Mr.. Russell quotes for the
assertion that the Lords Supper was established
ito substitute bread for flesh and wine for
blood" The author has better arguments than
these. however. with which to support his con-
tention. One Of them. which il no more sci
entifc may prove more convincing, is that u
vegetable diet is far cheaper than a meat diet
furnishing the same amount of nutriment In
the chapter on the Values OF Foods" number
OF tables show that the more expensive meat
contains no more Of the essentials for sustain
ing life than does a wise selection OF vegetables
yet the four best brain foods by one
of the tables 10 be prunes, cheese. ham and
herring. There are, unfortunately. tables 10
show, conversely. that the wisest people have fed
on herring ham. cheese and prunes. AMI
mails that are vegetable feeders are at least
as strong relatively the carnivora, and the
author thinks their habits are generally more
agreeable. Yet the gorilla. which lives on
fruits, nuts and roots. is as ferocious as II is
powerful
There is a great array Of instances to prove
that in the ancient world many OF the greatest
men and nations ate sparingy or not at ali OF
flesh. Cyrus according to Xenophon. was
brought up on a diet OF bread crosses and
water till fifteen. when honey and raisins were
added" Pythagoras "contended strongly
against flesh eating" Hippocrates thought veg
etables sufficient" did Musonius. the teacher
OF Epictetus: but the meat of the Homeric he
roes was chiefly roast beef One hundred and
fifty pages are given 10 a thorough eonsidera-
fion Of the food and physical character of the
peoples OF the world. From this it is apparent
that some Of the physically finest tribes and