St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1911-11-18
A MEXICAN PUBLIC
DEVOTED TO CANDY
and Other SWEETS


about 1865 by a then celebrated
English author of tales for boys
in which the hero returned to his
school, Elton, after graduating
from the university. Among
the things he found to criticise
were the lack of appreciation of
sound claret among the school
boys CD and an "unmanly''
taste for sweets. The amiable
author, who was thus voicing his
own ideas, died only some twelve
years ago, probably a very be-
Wildered old gentleman at the
changes in taste and point of
view that were taking place
about him. A schoolboy of the
present day who should manifest
a critical attitude toward the
bouquet of wine would be
an object of acute interest to old
ladies and alienists alike.
A. Hopewell Smith, in his COM
munication to the British Medi-
cal Journal for August 26 on The
Abuses of S~Weetmeats," still
seems to retain the hostile atti-
tude toward candy; his statement
that "sWeetmeats as a food are
practically of no benefit to the
nation" is in direct contradic-
ton to the opinion of modern
psychologists and dietitians.
Hutchinson, in the latest edition
of his authoritative work, Food
and Dietetics," speaks highly of
the value of sugar as. a muscle
food and recommends it to cap
tains of foot ball teams as a pro-
moter of endurance. He says,
indeed that it should not replace
vegetables in the child's dietary
and thinks there is an increase in
the number of cases of diabetes
owing to its abuse, but his gene
raj tone is most favorable to the
free use of sugar. We are only
beginning to recognize that the
love of candy and jam in child
rem is an instinct implanted by
nature. The thrashings given to
children in the past for raids on
the pantry cupboard form an
ugly monument to our ignorance
of one of natures b~enefcient
plans.
Sugar is a valuable muscle food
as well as a necessity to the
child's large proportion of adj
pose tissue.
It is wise to give pure sugar
freely to the young, avoiding
simply the purchase of the
cheaper kinds of candy, which
contain adulterants added to give
consistence and color. The best
time to give it is Immediately
after a meal.
CONFIDENT with the general
| abandonment of alcoholic bever-
ages or the substitution of mod
GRAFTON for excess in their use,
the American public has become
devoted to. candy and other
sweets. Our chefs now yield to
none in the preparation of deli
cious ices and other desserts, or
second courses, while our candies
are exported to Europe. Lon
don, it is said, is being taught to
love our ice cream soda, our
"sundaes'' and similar interest
ling if somewhat cloying mix
lures. The connoisseur of wines
or whiskies is never a candy
lover: in some way the alcohol
does the duty of sugar in his
organism. Sugar and chocolate
form part of the soldiers ration,
and, since the abolition of the
sailor daily grog, Jack has be-
come such a lover of candy that
tons of it are carried in the ships
of the navy and a large part of
his pocket money goes to the
purchase of wholesome bonbons.
A sherbet before the gameis uni
versal at our dinners, the demand
for sugar refusing to be delayed
till the end of the meal. For
tunateIy, the cost Of sugar has
been greatly lowered during the
past few decades and sugar is no
longer a luxury on the farmers
table, while the penny candies of
harmless barley sugar are to be