Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1914-09-17
DEFICIENT FOOD.

DEFICIENT FOOD.
Truth and popularity are not synony-
nous, as any one will testify who has
tried to tell the truth and follow 1t,
especially in the field of the practise
of medicine.
1t is not fiattering to our vanity to
believe that when we are Ill we are
paying just and inevitable penalty
for transgressions; we much prefer
to consider. ourselves victims Of dark
and mysterious forces rather than to
face the bald. unyarnished facts.
Once admit the absurdity of putting
something into our bodies to chase
something else out, and the obligation
to make personal struggle for better
conditions becomes most emphatic
and we can no longer throw the bur-
den on "the other fellow" 1t comes
as decided jolt to be told: 1T is
up to you; think and fight or you are
gone" But the facts are clear and
convincing and to all who have the
wisdom, the courage and the persist
ence to pursue the quest for health
to logical conclusion there is the
certain reward of longer, happier
and a more efficient life.
According to the published tables OF
the British army medical department
and of the inspector general of re-
cruiting, the minimum height of re-
cruits accepted in 1S4s was five feet
six inches; In 1883 this minimum was
reduced to five feet three inches and
in 1900 1t was still further reduced to
five feet, making a total reduction OF
six inches within a period of So years.
In 1901 no fewer than 1894 of each
1000 recruits were under FIVE feet six
inches, and 511.S of each 1000 we're
under the 1883 minimum chest meas
urement Of 81 inches. According to
the measurements of the anthropo-
metric committee Of the British asso-
citation, the average recruit Of the
year 1900 at the age Of nearly twenty
years was two inches shorter and Is
pounds lighter than the average stand
ard youth of 10 years age. Why.
The results of the most thorough
and careful Investigation by the gov
eminent authorities and by various or
CARNATIONS and individuals into the
cause of this dangerous condition are
summed up in one short word-starva-
ton. It Is exactly the same cause
that results In small and easily blight
ed crops of vegetables and In sickly
and Improbable live stock. This con-
dition is not necessarily due to lack
In the quantity of food, but Is more
often the result of an unwise selec-
ton, because of lack of knowledge
concerning food materials or to in
difference and carelessness In their
preparation.
1t has long been known that the
heart of a frog or terrapin may be
kept beating normally for hours after
its removal from the body, provided
1t Is supplied with an artificial circu-
lation OF blood or lymph. 80 arranged
Z that this liquid enters the heart from
reservoir and Ia pumped out through
the arteries leading from the ventricle.
the heart chamber connecting with
the arterial system. Ludwig first rea-
soned out and proved that the same
action could be secured from a solu-
ton Of the ash of blood In water, and
Ringer afterward proved that the
heart of the frog can be kept beating
for long periods In circulation OF a
mixture of sodium, potassium and cal
cium. Subsequently Howell, Loeb and
others attempted to prove or analyze
the part played by the several ele-
ments. 1t was shown that a frogs
heart fed with solution of sodium
chloride, our ordinary table salt, will
beat we'll for awhile and then will
gradually weaken and die; but IL at
this point the heart is fed a mixture
of sodium, potassium and calcium
salts it resumes the beat and works
vigorously and well for many hours.
Two Rumanian Psychologists, Atha-
nasius and Gradinesco, report that
they succeeded in maintaining the
beat Of frogs heart detached from
the body In glass-in vitro, as 1t Is
technically termed-for a period OF
23 days. Carrel has maintained the
functioning of the entire abdominal
contents OF cat In glass, entirely de-
tached from the body to which 1t be-
longed, the heart action, digestion and
all other vital functions continuing in
full operation for period OF ten days.
All these results are made possible
by feeding the tissues carefully ad-
1usted proportions of sodium, potas-
sum and calcium, together with oxy-
gen.
1t is very clear that these salts play
a most important part In the rhyth-
mical beat of the heart and that the
presence of each of these salts In
normal proportion is absolutely nee
essary for normal heart activity, there
fore for normal health and vitality.
Yet In the face of all these known
and proved facts there are not want
ing food experts" who unqualifiedly
assert that foods wanting in these i'm.
portant elements are perfectly health