The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-19
A Scientific Basis for RI ducing the
Cost OF Food.

A Scientific Basis for Reducing the
Cost of Food.
Numerous theories and not A few
impracticable remedies for the high
cost Of food have been offered, but
It remained for psychologist, DR..
GRAHAM LusK of New York. to present
~-Spne' exposltion OF the actual needs
Of the human machine for maintenance
Of life and efficiency. Engineers Of in
dustrial enterprises determine with alb
sclute certainty the quantity Of sup
piles, especially Of fuel. that Is re.
quired to maintain efficiency. and upon
their estimate purchases are made with
a clear understanding Of the end In
view. In DR.. LusK's address deliv-
cred before promlscuous but intelli.
gent audience at the New York Acad-
envy Of Medicine we discern a prae-
teal method Of following this ex.
ample with regard to the human
machine.
The quantity Of fuel required for this
human machine varies with the indi-
vidual. but there exists fairly &C.
curately determined standard Of heat
or energy demand and production.
Just as II has been definitely ascer-
tanned that weighed quantity OF coal
will produce definite quantity Of heat
and power, 80 have psychologists de.
termined. by repeated experiment, that
a definite quantity OF certain foods
furnishes definite number Of calories
or heat units. which produce a certain
quantity Of energy In the animal and
human body. the chief difference being
that In the human machine defects are
not 30 readily ascertained and rene.
died as in the artificial, because the
human machine Is not open to inspec-
tion. On the other hand 1t Is self.regu.
lating. In twenty four hours normal
man OF about one hundred and thirty
pounds. at rest, needs 1850 calories
or heat units. while a man doing So
we're physical labor would require sufii-
Client food to produce 5000 calories.
4 boy Of twelve years would require
1900 calorles, and new born baby
100 calories.
This IS scientific calculation OF the
food, or fuel. demanded by the human
machine. Since the efficiency Of labor
depends upon the energy Of the body
"a nd this 10,
by the food. it Ii not difficult to calcu-
late the actual outlay required for this
purpose. 1t has been estimated, for
instance. that family of Ave. the
father clerk. mother keeping house.
two children OF nine and six years and
one OF one month. requires 1850
calories daily, which at the price OF
food on January 2s. 1913. cost about
sixty cents. These calorles can he
furnished by II cents worth Of bread
together with four-ff,hs of pound
of salt cod. or three-tfths OF smoked
ham. four-iifths OF cheese. two and
one-half pounds Of milk, or one and
one-third pounds of mutton or loin
pork, slrloin steak or turkey. The
household requirements of family
where two servants are kept would at
this rate be from 81 to $40 a day,
n sum sufficient to furnish all the
energy for all purposes Of normal
DR. LusK adds that
whatever is spent above this amount
Is unnecessary for maintenance and
therefore wasted for costly havors.
When each individual takes food TO
satisfy norma appetite there is no
danger Of undernutrition. That the
working class needs this valuable
knowledge most Is proved by the inves-
Of restaurant lunches for school
children, made by q. q. GEpHART of
the Russell Sage Foundation, which
brings into clear light the waste of
money 10 tickle the palate. lie shows
that five cents worth Of bread furnishes
the same amount of calories, or heat
and power, To the human body as fifteen
cents worth Of apple pie, eighteen cents
of pork and baked beans, thirty cents
Of cornbeef hash or ham sandwiches,
slxty-one cents worth of club sand
witches, $1.3s worth of sliced pine
apple, 81.
There IL no doubt that II the simple
truths mentioned above were taught
and practically demonstrated In the
schools, and II this course were sup
plemented by demonstrations like those
offered the farmers on improved agrl-
culture. the high cost OF living would
be materially reduced. health and en-