Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-03-17


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HAMMOND, Agricultural Editor Oxford Dem
ocrat. Paris. Ne.
. The Fat Is In the Fire.
Fat is fat" says the chemist. YES u
says the oleo maker, "fat is fat" Tht
nutrition investigator says, "Fat is fat. :"
The dairyman has been compelled,
against his better judgment, to accept
the verdict. The chemist and physicist
find that fat, from whatever source, has
about the same calorific or heat value
that is, specific quantity of fat, II
burned, generates about the same
amount of heat. The nutrition investi-
gator says that fat has value up to the
limit of the capacity of the animal to di-
gest and store it, because fat furnishes
energy and that all fats are of practical
ly the same value in furnishing energy.
The energy is created by the oxidation
or burning of the fat in the body. The
outward expression of that energy Is the
body heat. This being the case, it IL
thought that the heat value OF fat, oi
whatever form, expresses its food value.
The oleo manufacturer, grasping the
theories of the chemist and the nutri-
ton investigator, has said that body
fats and vegetable oils are just as valu'
able from the consumers standpoint as
butterfat. A built-up product such as
oleomargariue, il sanitary aud pure, Is
Just as nutritious and wholesome as pure
butter and the chemist has approved bis
contention.
A few men with far sighted vision,
among them the Senior editor Of Hoard s
Dairymau, never accepted the verdict.
In 1900, Governor Hoard, in testifying
before the House committee on Agri-
culture, made this statement: "Butter-
fat is found in the milk of all mammals.
1t is chemically and physically unlike
any other fat in existence. 1t was de-
signed by nature for the food and sus-
tenance of infant offspring, having the
most delicate of all digestion" His rea-
SON and common sense told him what
neither he nor the chemists could prove.
The evidence was lacking, and up to the
present time the dairyman who wished
to protect his product from the en-
croachment of Oleo has been forced to
admit the claims of the oleo maker. The
whole fabric of scientific and popular
thought relating to these subjects is
created on the assumption that "fat is
fat"
But now "the fat is in the fire." In
these days of scientific introspection,
retrospection, and sspotacy, no theory
goes unchalleuged for long. The Wis
copsin Experiment Station, which holds
a record for digging into things, comes
forward with entire new evidence con-
cernipg butterfat. The discovery was
made. as many such have been made,
while looking for something entirely
different. DR.. E. V. McCOllum is carry
ing on series of nutrition experiments,
the purpose of which is to determine the
kind of salt mixtures, when led Win
pure protein, pure carbohydrates, ana
pure fat, that are necessary for the nor.
NAL growth aud proper development OF
Young animals. These salt mixtures
we're made up to supply the necessary
calcium, sodium, phosphorus, potass'-
nm. magnesium, and iron needed in the
growth of the young life.
That part played by the salt mixture
is of no particular interest to this story.
The fact that fats derived from different
sources were used disclosed a fundsmen-
tai difference in fats that hab not as yet
been explained by the chemists. Dr.
McCollum explained that his feeding ex'
periments we're carried on with young
rats because the labor involved in the
of the food material made 1t
imperative that small animals be used.
This fact does not in any way change
the truth concerning the things discov-
cred.
We asked DR.. McCollum just what it
was that he found concerning the nature
of butterfat as compared WITH other
fats. He said, "As you know, many at
templs have been made to properly
pourish animals on ratiOns made up VI
mixtures of pure proteins, pure CARGO
bydrates, fats, and soluble salt mix
lures. !" "But," we asked, "what are these
in every day English?" He said, 1.-THE
pure protein used was in this Case
the casein of milk; the pure carbohy.
drates were milk, sugar, and starch; and
the fats were lard, olive oil, and tailuw
in the first experiments. We found that
the Young rats grew in normal way for
three or four months, which is about
one-third of their total growing period,
but at this point they remained in good
putritiye condition for many weeks with
out further growth. Right here Is
where We made our discovery. When
butterfat, or the fat extracted from the
yolks of eggs, was substituted for the
lard. the rats resumed their growth.
This was true when these fats were sub
stituted for the tallow and for the olive
OIL"
"What do you understand this to sig
nifvp" was asked. Here we have ex-
evidence of an entirely new
character which indicates that the fats
of milk and eggs possess some remark
able properties aud make for the we'll
being of a growing animal in a manner
not true of the body fats OF animals,
such az lard and tallow, or of certain
oils such as olive oil. Now,
from an energy or heat-producing stand.
point (rhe old and accepted standard 0t
butterfat is probably little, II
apy, superior to the other fats just men
toned. These things Indicate that
there are other factors than protein and
energy to be considered in making up
ration. Just what these things are We
do not know, but We do know that In the
fatty portions of milk and eggs is hidden
some substance which exerts remark
able influence on the growth OF young
animals. and that this influence Is not ex
erted by tat from other sources 80 Tar
as our present knowledge goes"
II will be observed that milk fat and
egg fat are especially prepared by ma
,ure for the use of the young growing
animal. Nature has provided something
in these fats not found in other fats. on
being asked what influence bis discovery
would have on the oleo question, Dr.
McCollum said, "What have described
naturally raises the question of the wis
dom of using butter Substitutes for but.
ter in the diet OF the human being, IL
does not indicate that oleomargarine
should be uuqualifiedly condemned, but
it certainly does remove the argument
which has been the bulwark OF the oleo
people that body fats aud vegetable oils
are inst as nutritious as butterfat.' Our
experiments indicate very clearly that
such statement can no longer be truth
fully made" .
the work OF Osborne and Mendal of the
Connecticut Experiment Station at New
Haven. These Investigators have con-
firmed the findings Of the Wisconsin
-. -l:io -orLipo iudanend NIL "