The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1909-07-31
Household Fallacies.

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between the moon and, the weather,
and the primitive ideas Of preventa-
tive medicine suggested in the horse
shoe, the rabbits foot, Jobs tears,
and other charms and amulets.
Yet when we now turn our atten-
tion to household affairs, we are con-
fronted with an astonishing array of
knowledge of the ''they say order
quite rs childlike In its logicaiity as
the once popular ideas referred to
above. Most common among these
are: "'They say that celery is good
for the nerves; that water is fatten-
ing; that In the jar of beef extract
there is literally an OF in tea-cup;'
that long cooking Of starch greatly
increases its digestibility that fish Is
q brain food; that gelatin, because
of its great digestibility, is an excel
lent food; that some Of the widely
advertised breakfast foods must be
an essential part Of the breakfast, II
calcium salts for. your bones and
teeth, and phosphates foryour nerves
and brains are to be adequately pro-
vided, and that q cake Of Seeter's
chocolate affords q square meal, thus
maxi ing it possible to dispense with
dining car extravagances when trav-
cling"
It is we'll time that the housewife
be placed In possession Of facts that
will dispel these popular delusions.
The statement that fish il q brain
food" can, with the same truth, be
said of beef, mutton, pork and beans,
nuts, bread, and any Of the foods
performing the function Of tissue
building. Similarly, celery can be
credited with doing no more for the
nerves than other greens. Under the
same category comes ''phosphates,"
the magical word in trumpeting the
virtues of cartain breakfast foods
which always contain ''phosphates In
large proportion" Let 1t be under
stood, then, that the diet Of the av-
erage normal citizen will contain q
full quota of phosphates and there
need be no anxiety In this direction.
Equally imposing are the ideas re-
lAting to the food values Of beef ex-,
tract and gelatin. As matter Of
fact, beef extract contains but trace
Of tissue building and heat and en-
ergy giving materials. 1t does help
to remove effects of muscular fatigue,
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the appetite. 1t is for this quality,
then, as fiavoring agent, that 1t
should be especially used, not as a
substitute for meat, eggs, and other
strength giving foods.
Gelatin can lay not the slightest
claim to tissue-building power. There
ia for it usefulness In another direc-
tion, but when one considers that, by
weight, one and half parts Of dry
gelatin. will "set" ninety-eight and q
half parts Of liquid, the food value
will lie in the sugar and cream served
with 1t.
To the traveller who will have her
lunch Of milk chocolate, let it be sug-
crackers. Then more good will be
derived from the chocolate, which,
served alone, is too concentrated a
food.
That water is fattening' would
have its explanation in the fact that,
drinking water freely, enables the
chemical changes of digestion to oc-
cur more rapidly and more COM
pletely. This, then, means that, by
larger use of water, one derives
greater value from the food eaten. :
The prevalence of such erroneous
ideas would indicate that there is
great need for more accurate knowl-
edge along household lines.
The progressive farmer makes use
of the results of experiments by
which have been determined how
cattle and swine are best fattened for
market, what shall be fed to the plow-
horses, what to the roadster, and how
this shall vary with the season.
It is less important that we should
understand what food is best suited
to the small child or to the school
boy and girl!
The successful farmer is well
equipped with farm journals and
books that relate to the care Of farm
animals. machinery, and crops. Is
it not, however, the rare house In
which the library shows single
book bearing on the nature, purpose,
selection, and preparation Of foods,
or the best way Of caring for the
no lse furnishings.
Business sagacity should lead us
to acquire the training that will save