Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1914-10-15
FOOD ADJUSTMENT.

by the popular agitation Of the sub
ject as presented by various enthusiast
tic leaders, but there 10 much underly-
ing truth which has entirely escaped
attention. This 10 due to the fact that
the movement has necessarily been
involved in much that Il In the nature
Of commercial warfare, and In COM
mercial campaigns q well turned
phrase or glittering epigram IL fire.
quently preferred to straightforward
statement Of fact.
We have. for instance, heard much
that IL both true and false about ben
zoate OF soda, but neither side has felt
called on to state the whole truth.
which is that as q general proposition
the average individual is vastly better
of without any Of the dietetic whips
around which the battle RACES. We do
not need instruction in the compost.
ton of sauces and dressings for our
foods, but we are sadly in need Of in
structions as to how to select and pre-
pare a nutritious and healthful diet.
The average individual among lay
men and physicians alike regards tho
fundamental problems of food and diet
as permanently solved. The fallacy OF
this belief is quickly shown by a brief
study of the mortality tables published
by the United States bureau OF census.
These tables show progressive de-
crease in mortality from all dis
eases other than those directly con-
nected with metabolism, while the
mortality from diseases caused by de-
ranged metabolism show a progressive
increase per 100000 population. OBJ
viously the fundamental problems OF
food and diet are far from being I'M
derstood or solved, and probably the
most imperfectly understood part OF
the problem is that Of the quantity OF
food needed for the support OF man.
Careful, painstaking investigations
for many years in many parts OF the
world have reduced human food re-
quirements to basis where the guam
tity has become q matter Of accurate
estimation rather than OF intuition
and the increased demand for food
fuel for the worker need no longer re-
main yelled in the mystery Of guess
work.
About the latest word from the in
vestigators in this field comes from
Becker and Mamalinen in Finland.
Tests conducted by them for deter
mining the amount Of energy required
for eight hours labor at various occu-
pations are as follows:
Women.
| Galleries.
! One scamstress with neede............1.SO
| One seamstress with sewing machine. .l.9W
| One seamstrcss with sewing machine. 2. 100
Ono bookbinder ...................'...'.'l'
One bookbinder ...........................Z'
Two servants polishing silver. wash
| ing windows, etc.................2.SOO. 2'SOO
Same two servants washing
| clothes, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. S'eVV
Men.
| Two tailors ........................2,4OO 2'oOo
| One bookbinder ........."........"....Z'
| One shoemaker ................''"'sOO
Two metal workers. filling and ham
mering ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. o'-VV
Two carpenters making tables. $500. $500
Two painters painting furniture.S,2Oo $500
Two stonemasons. chiseling tomb
stones ..............'''''''4'oVV' 1'tU
Two men saving wood............6'ON' 6'SVo
It must be very clear to any person
reading the above table that there Is
direct relation between the number
and character Of the movements In
the several occupations to make SO
distinct a difference in the amount OF
food required to furnish this energy
and also that there is some material
difference in metabolic efficiency be-
tween those engaged in the same lines
of work. Or, perhaps, the difference
shown may be due to differences In in
dlvidual bulk. However, that Is mat
ter for future consideration, the point
to be considered at this time being the
adjustment Of food to occupation.
Bearing in mind the fact that the Ca
lorie is equal to the energy expended
in raising LA tons one foot, 1t is very
evident that an individual on the diet
Of the seamstress or the tailors would
quickly suffer physical collapse at the
work OF saving wood.
The other side of the question Is
What happens to the sedentary work
ers, those on q par with the seam
stress and the tailor, who are on the
diet Of the wood sawyers? There are
thousands OF them In all our great
cities, individuals who eat with their
eyes and palates. They are wasting
fuel and making Of themselves demo
moist unpleasant bodies"
Barring organic diseases, the indiV-
idual with the wisdom personally to
make It his business to investigate
his machine to the end Of determining
his fuel requirements and how to sat
isfy the legitimate food demands Of his
daily occupation need never feel I'M
duly distressed by heat. 1t would not
seem that there should be any argu-
ment on so simple and clear a state
ment of facts, especially as like re-
suits have been recorded by compe-
tent investigators in practically every
country In the civilized world. But for
aome reason individuals who will