The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-03
MEALS AT TWO CENTS
FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN
(By DR.. Chalmers Watson, of the Edin-
burgh Royal University

| (By DR.. Chalmers Watson, of the Edin-
burgh Royal University
From an analysis of the meals eaten
by eight healthy children of the middle
classes, it is found that what children
need is food that contains Y grammes of
protein and 50 grammes of fat and for
poor children those proportions have to be
| obtained at the lowest possible cost.
For example, bowl of thick lentil soup
| lentils, with slice of bread, costing
about cents, contains much more nour-
ishment than one-half a pound of meat
and a slice of bread costing 10 cents.
A-e question of a good one-course din
ner is important. In many of the houses
o. the poor the cooking facilitfes-one
small open grate-are not well adapted to
providing two-course meal if such were
otherwise available, and in connection
school children there is certainly economy
of time and labor, and possibly of ex-
pense, In one-course as compared with
tWo-course meal Experience has shown
that one-course meal at low cost can
be made as nourishng and attractive to
children as a two-course meal at similar
outlay
It is of interest in this connection to re-
fer to the nutritive value and cost of a
supplied, on my recommendation, by the
Edinburgh school board to 1900 children:
Lentil soup-Protein, 29.5; carbohydrates,
1126; fat, 81; cost. $30.75.
Meat, soup, and potatoes-Protein, 1S.5;
| carbohydrates, 67.2; fat. "a; cost, $3.50.
Plum pudding-Protein, s6;+; carbohy
Scottish broth-Protein, 2S.2; carbohy-
crates, TO; fat, 81; cost. S41.73.
PorTidge and hard biscuit-Protein, 24.5;
carbohydrates, 1863 fat Al; cost, SIS 30
A study of the figures is very instruc-
tive The average amount of protein, I'll
grammes; fat, 80 gramrnes. and carbohy-
drates. 102 grammes. may be taken as a
reliable standard for highly nutritious
meal, erring' if anything. In deficiency
menus we find that:
No. 1 is very nourishing dinner at
SEnan cost
No. is of considerably lower nutritive
value, and is out of proportion expensive.
No. is a rich, highly nourishing meal
and is proportionately dear; it is only adj
visable as an occasional meal.
No. 4 is good dinner obtained at mod
crate cost.
the average in nutritive value; this can be
amount of milk.
The experience of the head masters in
the different schools under the Edinburgh
school board has shown that meals plan
ned these lines have been followed by
physical vigor. and more efficient educa-
ton of the children, these being the
criteria for judging the correctness of any
system of feeding.
1t is probably no exaggeration to saw
the public, has very inadequate idea as
to the extent of minor or major adultera-
ton of common foodstuffs.
Bread is an important illustration.
large proportion of bread in daily use is
now made from flour which has been
artificially bleached by the passage of
nitrous oxide fumes These are produced
by an electrical discharge, the process be-
ing described by the parties interested as
electrified air." and in ignorance ac-
cepted by millers and bakers as a process
form of chemicals
The researches of Prof Ladd U. s. A.;
Prof. Halliburton, and the author, among
others, have shown that the digestibilty
of flour SO treated is appreciably reduced,
and as there are, unquestionably, no COM
pensating advantage in the process from
the physiological and dietic point of view,
II is advisable that all bread should be
made from the natural product of the
wheat
1t is conceivable that child would
thrive better on a diet containing a small