Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-11-06
WHAT THE vlTAMlNes TEACH ".

| WHAI IVe WI AWSNeo se~S" wv
We have done much to drive down
the death rate in the way OF lettering
sanitation and such things, but IN
spite Of all this our death rate for
persons over forty 10 increasing.
writes DR.. Charles F. Rolduan. d.
rector of the New York health depart
nent's bureau OF public health. AND
| attention Is called to the fact that
oyerindulgence in uroteins (meats.
eggs, fish and the like) ia q big factor
in this increase in the death rate OK
persons over forty years Of age.
Such statements are frequently
| seized with avidity by persons OF more
than average intelligence and passed
from individual to individual. slightly
embellished with. each repetition, until
they may become strong indorse-
ments of one or more of the many So
called diet systems that every 30 often
sweep over the country leaving trail
OF invalids In their wake. 1t must %
remembered that any marked change
in diet or in cooking is certain to pro-
duce some result, and change itsell
is often a benefit; but diet which ao'
mirably suits one person who lives IN
a certain location and does . certain
kind of work may not be adapted 10
another individual living under diner
ent conditions and doing a dineren'
kind Of work. The truth of the mat
ter is that mans chances of health are
best when he eats with moderation
diet made up of clean, wholesome
ordinary foods, we'll prepared in the
usual ways. Such a diet snoulo III.
clude some articles to be cooked ana
others to be eaten raw, such as bread
cereals, fruits, vegetables, meat nsn.
milk, butter, cheese and eggs. All
these articles should be of good quai-
ity and free from all dirt, either vlsl'
Bile or invisible, should contain no
authorizations.
Apart from overeating of proteins
probably the greater part OF our
troubles comes from the loss OF I'M
portant elements from our FOODS IN
preparing or preserving them. THESE
losses have been due to the fact tnat
either we do not know the elements
are present or we assume the very
minute quantities to be OF no conse'
quence. We are only just beginning
to grasp the real truth through STUDY
of the engines, the catalyzers' the VII
amines, the hormones and the acton
of the ductless glands In the BODY.
This world is adjusted to operate I'M
der the driving power Of full sunlight.
We have noted that Indian corn, lot
example, grew within certain period
to rs inches under white glass and IN
the same period of time only IL inches
under red glass, eight inches under
green glass and six inches under blue
glass. The several glasses used IN
these experiments checked and nelo
back part of the sun energy, as can
easily be demonstrated by holding
sheet of white and Of colored glass IN
the hand out In sunlight-the colored
glass will become sensibly warmer
than the white glass. 1t Is very EVIL
dent that abstracting from white light
a part of the waves produces material
changes in plant life. We know that
| plants cannot thrive and grow without
light. and that 1t is only in the light
with supply Of the atmospheric gases
and of water, and with the green
chlorophyl bodies in healthy condi-
ton. that the manufacture OF food can
90 on. We also know as the result
of simple experiments that certain
solutions Of mineral matter must be
present to enable the plant to manu-
| facture food. Seedlings can be grown
in glass Jars, some in distilled water
| which Is devoid Of any minerals, 9TH
ers in distilled water with one or two
or all of the necessary salts in solu-
ton. in order to prove the general
facts of nutrition and draw very close
analogies between life in that plane
| and life on our own plane.
Let US consider what Is perhaps the
most fatal disease that can overtake a
plant-chlorosis, or the lack Of color
ing matter This disease in all its es.
| sentials is very similar in anemia in
the human being. Chlorosis is an OBJ
scure disease, but In most cases it ap-
| pears to be caused by lack OF iron.
| Without iron the human blood is not
red nor are plant granules green. Gen.
orally the seedlings attacked by the
disease die out very early, but some.
times sickly whitish' leayed specimens
struggle along for a little while. The
disease is often local and in compound
leaves one leaflet here and there may
be entirely colorless. It Is this type
that gives US the gardeners "varie-
gated" varieties where the leaves are
mottled or striped with cream colored
patches and bands. The green parts
there do enough work to carry on the
life Of the individual while the color.
ISless- parts are ,nonproducers. II this
is not carried too far the plants car
| be quite healthy, but II the attempt it
made to breed an entirely white race
' It will die of malnutrition.
j, impossible to slumber anywhere with.
in a half-mile radius Of that broker.
and at about two in the morning ]
climbed up to him, took him by the