Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-27
CIIILDREN's FOOD.

I
in whatever proportions they prefer is
making great and costly mistake.
| The average American child eats too
! much and drinks too little. Many a
modern child's stomach carries load
| that could NOT have been endured by
| the primal healthy child of our fore
fathers.
Otto f. Rapp is the chief chemist
of the National Packing company. His
business is to analyze prepared foods.
to determine their life sustaining pro-
pertles. and to see that no poisonous
substances are introduced into them.
He has recently made some inves-
legations as to the amount and quality
Of food eaten by American children BY
the Use of a little diplomacy he has
been able to weigh the quantity OF food
taken into the stomach each day by
number of the children of his neigh
borhood. II required no little observa-
tion to do this, but as their mothers
We're interested in his experiments.
they helped very much. He weighed
not alone what the children had at the
three regular meals of the day, but,
SO far as he could, what they munched
between meals-candy, peanuts. fruits,
cookies and pies.
The result was somewhat astonisi-
ing. In the course of his researches,
Mr.. Rapp discovered that three boys
averaging ten years of age, devoured
eight pounds of solids a day and about
quart of liquids-an dangerous pro'
portion of fluids to solids. There was
not enough fluids.
Five girls averaging twelve years of
age consumed seven and one-half
pounds of solids daily and a little more
than pint of liquids.
Five boys averaging twelve years of
age consumed nine pounds of solids
day and a quart and half of liquids.
Eight girls averaging fourteen years
OF age consumed eight and one-half
pounds of solids a day and quart of
liquids.
According to Miller, food expert, "a
full-grown quite athletic mana man
whose organs are normally developed
and who lives two-thirds of his wax
ing hours In the fresh air'--can live very
comfortably upon five pounds Of food
every twenty-fuor hours. At least one
| third of this five pounds should be
| liquid food. If necessity compels, this
same man can live comfortably and
without harm on three pounds of food
each day, but he would have to select
his food with greater care than where
he enjoyed the latitude of Ave pounds"
Now. here were group of American
children, and perhaps they Indicate
an average, who consumed more food
every day than is required by the full
grown athletic man." who spends
two-thirds OF his waking hours in the
fresh air"
visions OF meats. breadstuffs. vege-
tables and sweetmeats, and knowing
from the chemistry OF the body how
long a time would be required for each
TO properly digest--to pass off It's
poisons and retain its nutritive pow
eTs-Mr. Rupp has ascertained. that
from IS to "a hours, would be really
duty; and that before II had finished
with one burden, new one was ad-
ded The heart and digestive organs
were always under the highest strain,
never naturally rested.
The argument" says this chemist.
that growing child requires any
such quantity of food is absurd. 1t
is not borne out by any natural or
scientific facts. AS truth, the diges-
tive organs OF the growing child re-
quire more rest and more latitude OF
action than do those OF the grown
adult. There IL normal demand for
greater frequency in food supply, but
not for greater quantity. Quality is
more paramount than gross amount of
supply"
The same writer points out that 80
far as We can know. the primeval child
ate often but not heavily. Food was
scarce Much exertion had TO be put
forth 10 get Il, The hours between
meals were often long The stomach
became Injured to regular fasts. 1t had
periods OF comparatively regular rest,
and hence was better able 10 perform
its functions when filled. What II did
get came in small quantities. and was
easily disposed OF in a short time. The
process Of digestion, instead Of being
a burden. enslaved by perltonltis. coll
litis or APPENDICITIS, was rarely con-
sldered by the eater. Nature was at
its best.
We are naturally Interested TO learn
how this authority deals with the food
problem IN his own household; he is
prepared with a demonstration OF the
| superiority Of his methods. He gives to
| his children the greatest latitude as
to when they may eat, but restricts
them ms to what they shall eat and the
/ quantity. He has taught them also
TO take about 30 per cent OF liquids
20 every SO por cent OF solids. letting
them sip pure water or milk or choco-
late at their meals and encouraging
them 10 drink freely reasonable time
after meals ana little time before
eating again, Neither OF them con-
sumes over three pounds OF solids
day. and usually the average Is close to
two pounds. They take liquids soups.
milk, water. chocolate, ete.--in proper
ton
From this simple and sensible pro-
| eqdttre Let ua iaata tha fauute Tshaea