Evening star., 1911-06-11

DR.. Langworthy says Of his more recent
studies:
''It Ia interesting to note that the re-
suits Of dietary studies made throughout
the United States do not indicate any
probability Of general undernutrition. In
many cases families were living on
very limited diet that might be much i'm
proved as regards the kinds and amounts
Of food eaten. but such cases were al
most exclusively found IN studies made
with people OF such limited incomes that
termed the poverty line In the great
majority OF families and groups which
have been studied the food has been
abundant, though it can be said with
equal fairness that many opportunities
exist for Improvement az regards the ra-
tional selection OF foods. their economical
preparation and use and along other SINH
Lar lines"
1t is these opportunities for improve
ment that furnish the excuse for the ex-
tstence of DIR. Langworthy's office. The
eagerness with which the publications OF
the ofice are sought by persons all over
the country is evidence Of the value
which the country attaches to the work.
his views on dietetfcs in this country in
this wise:
THAT persistent overlooking is harmful
no one would deny. That grave errors
may also attend the long-eontinued use
OF q diet which is markedly deficient in
nutritive material seems clear from the
conditions which are noted in families or
larger groups forced by circumstances to
live Tor long periods of years on such q
diet. 1t seems almost invariably the case
that such families or groups are In less
satisfactory physical condition and have
a lower productive capacity for useful
work than similar families living under
more generous conditions. AS one in
in New York city. whose diet was limited
and whose physical condition was much
inferior to that of families similarly situ-
ated except for more generous diet
A distinguished German physiologist
named Ruhner, who has studied this SUBJ
5ect in Europe. believes that the long
continued use Of q diet of low nutritIve
value anS composed largely or exclusive
ly OF vegetable foods, such as are COM
monty eaten by the poorer people in
many parts Of Europe. is responsible for
their defective physical condition and
lessened capacity for work, increased
amount of illness, higher death rate,
lower resistance to epidemic diseases and
similar undesirable results. Numerous
Inquiries which have been made under
government auspices abroad point to. the
cal deterioration is connected with some
form of under -nourishment
Similar studies Of farm animals by Dr.
H j. Waters at the government expert
ment stations in Missouri and Kansas
indicate that the food supply materially
influences the development of the animal
body. This is regarded as of special i'm
portance in respect to the growth Of
young children, and in DIR. LangwOrthy's
opinion clearly shows that there is q
good reason for the general belief that
in childhood the diet should be generous
as well as composed of the right sort of
materials.
"a special phase Of this question:" says
DR.. Langworthy, which has recently re-
ceived much attention IL that OF under
feeding among the children in the pub
lie schools. There seems to be little
doubt that many children in the congested
sections of American cities are decidedly
undernourished, though this condition
seems less widespread than in some Eu-
ropean cities. Wherever 1t exists. this
underfeeding is an important factor in
the arrested physical and mental devel-
opment and also in tuberculosis and
other diseases which are so prevalent
In such congested quarters.
'It Is not only that many parents can
not provide sufficient food for their chill
dren, but also that they frequently pro-
vide the wrong food or give the children