The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-11-13
Copyright. 1914, by A. S. Cray
FOOD AND DELlNQUENTS.

Under recent date an Associated
Press dispatch credits Charles L. u.
Hilles, formerly private secretary to
President Taft, now president OF the
New York Juvenile asylum in Dobbs
Ferry, with the discovery that bad
teeth make bad boys.
What is the cause Of bad teeth IN
children under fifteen years OF age?
1t is universally admitted that the
fundamental cause of the early decay
of children's teeth is anenlia. lack
of sufficient building material during
the growing period. Obviously lack
of brick and mortar will result in an
imperfect building, and the same lack
of material must result in an imper-
feet body.
Mr.. Hilles is not the discoverer OF
this truth. but none the less he is en-
titled to great credit for recognizing
and taking practical steps to combat q
dangerous condition that many for
eign governments are making strenu'
Gus efforts to overcome.
In the parliamentary debate on free
meals, March ~, 1905. Sir William
Arson, then British parliamentary Sec
rotary to the board Of education, re-
plying to Messrs. Kier Hardie and Will
liam Crooks. admitted that in the day
industrial schools. where the children
had three meals day. hs found them
bright and intelligent and being de-
veloped physically and mentally in q
satisfactory way" Although the chill
dren lived at home the regular and
wholesome supply of food was 30 po-
tent a factor that their condition was
thoroughly satisfactory"
Wilson Bruce, followilg other wit.
nesscs before the scottiaA commission
in pointing out the starring superior
ity Of industrial school e dren. added
that If we fed and clotAe he elemen.
tary school children ggnitably We
should make = new race them"
The commissioners so this con.
trast between the MI ished ele-
mentary scAool sAila . sspsctable
I.panantR aieAustriai
S6k06S chndf>n - u
together failed s. ~ = 6sty."
The countess Of warwick, writing
in "A Nations Youth. says: what 4
fine moral have W here Be bad
parent. or confess yourself unable to
control your own children, and they
vii! be attached 10 IN industrial
school, given three meals q day, large
ly at the expense d the ratepayers,
and they will become bright and in.
telligent boys. Developed physically
and mentally In Z satisfactory way
This touches upon and brings sharp.
ly to the front the whole subject Of
sophisticated foods around which q
commercial battle royal is at present
raging In this country. In no field OF
knowledge h there 70 general a lack
of personal information founded on
experience as in tho fundamental one
of food. It is generally admitted, and
there are hundreds Of proofs Of the
proposition, that nan, through the
results of centuries Of civilization. has
gradually lost tho instinct Of nourish.
ing himself until hs has become the
most helpless and dependent Of all
animals. Left 10 themselves unde.
normal conditions. the beasts, guided
by an innate instinct. select natural
foods that enable them to live with
out disease. Man. on the other hand
mas not only lost this instinct that the
beast still Possesses but az the result,
OF the misuse Of bio intelligence and
his freedom to selsct food for himself
and for such Of the beasts as he ha.
turned to domestic uses, deliberatel,
imposes preventable diseases upo1
both himself and them.
Eating has become an art which ha,
to be learned by man, and unfortu
nate'y the subject II considered so I'm
important that quite generally GU,
foods are selected On the statement o.
persons whose only interest is in tn,
profit to be derived from the manu-
tacture and sale Of the commodity
ana then after the purchase in thi,
snpSnoo manner 1t 10 too frequent,
turned over to some incompeten
kitchen drudge to be prepared for eat
ing. '
In order that an intelligent choic,
OF proper diet may be made it is ah
solueely necessary that we should Dol
sess certain smattering of scientif,
kno"ledse. This does not consist /,
the memorizins Of / few terms sun
clent to enable us to babble about ca,
oonydrates. proteins and fats, Of caIc
RES and Of balanced rations, but +
nave a thorough understanding of til
real meaning Of the closing paraerap]
Oh tne fourth article Of this eerie,
%n'ch we here again repeat for en-
paasis: The now prevailing staudar
.! Iooo values which measures tn
ueat units produced from foods an
completely ignores III other element
suu factors 10 not oily woefully mad,
! | Ol1afo IN TIA NJ >~~>e>