The Washington herald., 1914-03-16
ELEVEN OUNCES OF FOOD.
BY EMORY J. HAYNES.


ounces of food day. He is sixty
seven years old, works long hours, and
is in perfect strength. But this state
ment as to food is calculated to mis-
lead many, because of the weight of his
name. For really it has been demon
strated to be correct only with respect
to Thomas A. Edison. By no means
does it follow that eleven ounces of
food day is sufficient for any other
man.
just how much physical force day
does the inventor need? That is, does
he walk to and from business, or ride
in an automobile that spares muscular
expense? Does he lift things, or only
finger things? Does he sit as he works !?
Is it brain work wholly?
But more important still is the varia-
tion of nutritive habit. Not at all I'M
der our control, the mysterious habit Of
utilizing the food supplied varies with
the human unit. All the apple is ac-
cepted and transformed into energy by
one man. Another man cannot even eat
an apple. At sixty-seven years a man
should know his own equation. As a
fact, about every one does know. Ii
is not want of knowledge but want of
self-control that lies at the base of most
dietetic injury. 1t cannot be too strong
ly impressed upon the reading public
that Mr.. Edison is not an authority on
the quantity Of food nutritively as
simulated for any one except Mr.. Edison.
Then there is the variation of taste
One likes" Strawberries, another does
not. Just where. that is, in what nerv-
ous center. this taste or liking and
aversion reside, is not certain. But
without doubt il is the tasting good"
that is the frs, essential of proper
food. This is true, even though there
are many counterfeits, things that taste
good and yet are not good.
The point here made, however, is that
variation of taste or relish bears a rela-
ton to variation OF nutrition. 1t is this
satisfaction or deficit OF nutrition that
should be closely observed, definitely as
certained. and then made into a rule
This is what our gentleman has done, he
says.
There is a variation in safety. This
singularly valuable check on ovcrin-
dulgence is not equally active in all per-
sons. Many have so long disregarded
the sensation that they are lett un-
warned as to when they have eaten
enough. On the other hand the safety
nerve, if we may so call it, may have
been flattered by too much authority. |
Fear OF overeating often becomes an
deterrent Rather than
suffer again. as in one bad hour, a per-
son will become overabstemious.
The amount OF sleep habitually taken
has much to do with the amount of
food needei. Mr.. Edison is reported to
go often twenty hours without sleep.
How Can such a practice afford re-
liable general wisdom as to the amount
Of food?
Here again is ono of those unaccount-
able personal idiosyncracies that sets off
.he man in class by himself. Indeed.
at almost every angle the inventor
stands alone. Certainly his intellectual
adaptation is strikingly exceptional
In fact. the eleven ounce measure is
not general diatetic" guide
Eating is strictly personal affair.
The most generous OF men cannot share
he pleasurable sensation that he feels
With another. He may pass around
andy, bit not the tasting good" that
5 wholly inside himself There is a
INIT to what one may give away. One
'reathes for himself He may stop
breathing for the sake oil another, giving
Iway his life. But the Joy of the breath
II life. as long as we live. is sacredly
,ur own.
We are pressed upon. on every side.
" men and things. But there is a
itadel OF the person. Men and things
annot invade US there We can never
urrender the citadel We Cannot do ,
light nor wrong for another. We cam
ot answer the Judge for another. We
rought nothing into this world" but
ursclves. We can carry nothing out" l
Ut ourselves