The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-12-26
HOW MUCH FOOD is NECESSARY =?
Curious Experiments in Eating aad
Maintaining Strength.

more than IS necessary to keep in
good working condition is a doc
trine repeatedly emphasized by
Professor Russell H Chitteuden,
of the Sheffield Scientific School,
and he recurs to II I'll the current
Popular Science Monthly" This
Investigators opinions are based
on precise measurements, both of
food and strength, though in the
majority of cases his observations
have extended over a period of
only few weeks. He now rein
forces his argument by evidence
afforded by much longer inter-
val.
Horace Fletcher, who was care
fully studied by Professor Chitten-
den in 1908, and who had then
practiced abstinence with excellent
results for about five years, was in
New Haven last summer, ia fresh
opportunity was given for subject
ing him to..%@..rigid tests. Mr..
Fletcher declared that he had not
been in training, nor had he accus-
toned to especially strenuous ex-
ercise, and yet he displayed an
astonishing degree Of physical en-
durance. For instance, he lifted
weight of three hundred pounds
three hundred and fifty times in
succession, and, according to the
director of the Yale gymnasium
(Who conducted the examination,
still had some power in reserve at
the end of the performance. Never
has any Yale athlete done more
that half as well, the best previous
record at the gymnasium being
US lifts. " Mr.. Fletcher is now
fifty-nine years old, has gained
twenty pounds in the last four
years, and says that he never takes
more than two ounces of meat.
eggs, or other food of a similar
nature in the course of day.
Most men are impelled to eat by
a variety Of motives. The know
ledge that nourishment is neces-
sary is one. Hunger supplies an
other, and mere pleasure is different
enough from these two to be con-
sidered a third Habit, of course,
has something 70 do with the mat
ter, and the chance for visiting
with ones family or friends fur
nishes an additional reason, and
even curiosity (about new dishes)
also plays a part. All Of these
motives are usually, thought to be
worthy ones, and they are likely
to continue to control the conduct
Of men and women for ages to
come. Very few persons except in
valids are content to eat according
to rule.
Nevertheless, Professor Chitten-
den has made out a pretty strong
case. His observations have not
been limited to Mr.. Fletcher. He
has had chance to watch a good
many persons, among them a lot
of soldiers, lent by the govern
ment for the purpose. The food
they took was carefully weighed,
and an ingenious plan was invent
ed for finding out how much was
absorbed into the system and how
much was undigested. Repeated
tests Of physical strength were
made, too, in order to ascertain the
working capacity of the persons
experimental with. 1t seems to
be certain that most people can
get along with less food than they
usually eat, and that some are
really benefited by limiting their
indulgence. The food should be
wholesome and appetizing, and
should be carefully chewed, but a
restriction in the amounts is liable
to do good rather than harm. The
discovery is interesting in many
ways, but it is chiefly important to
the poor, for it shows that they
can live on somewhat less than
they have supposed.