The Western outlook., 1915-01-02
Copyright. 1914. by A. S. Cray
WHAT THE VlTAMINES TEACH US

l
Copyright. 1914. by A. S. Cray
WHAT THE WTAMINEs TEACH US
I'VE 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 is increasing, .
writes DIR. Charles F. Bolduan, di-
rector of the New York health depart
ment's bureau of public health. And
attention Is called to the fact that
oyerindulgence in proteins (meats.
eggs, fish and the like) is a big factor
in this increase In the death rate of
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 so often
sweep over the country leaving trail
of invalids In their wake. 1t must be
remembered that any marked change
in diet or in cooking Is certain to pro-
duce some result, and change itself
Is often benefit; but diet which ad-
mirably suits one person who lives In
a certain location and does a certain
kind Of work may not be adapted to
another individual living under differ
ent conditions and doing a different
kind of work. The truth of the mat
ter is that mans chances of health are
best when he eats with moderation a
diet made up of clean, wholesome,
ordinary foods, well prepared In the
usual ways. Such a diet should In
clude some articles to be cooked and
others to be eaten raw, such as bread,
cereals, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish,
milk, butter, cheese and eggs. All
these articles should be of good quail
ity and free from all dirt, either visi-
Bile or invisible, should contain no
authorizations nor be deprived of any
aration for eating.
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 that
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 Wit
amines, the hormones and the action
of the ductless glands in the body.
And possibly we get the most signinfi-
cant hints as to what these actions
are through an understanding Of the
reactions in the simpler forms Of life.
IF we pass beam Of light through
a prism the white light is split into
the six prominent hues Of the spec
trum, supplemented by multitude of
ones. Each of these hues
with one definite wave
length of light and each produces
some definite molecular reaction In
everything 1t strikes.
This world is adjusted to operate un-
der the driving power Of full sunlight.
We have noted that Indian corn, for
example, grew within a certain period
to Is inches under white glass and in
the same period Of time only 10 inches
under red glass, eight inches under
green glass and six inches under blue
glass. The several glasses used in
these experiments checked and held
back part of the sun energy, as can
easily be demonstrated by holding a
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
q part of the waves produces material
changes In plant life. We know that
plants cannot thrive and grow without
light, and that it is only in the light, |
with a supply of the atmospheric gases
and Of water, and with the green
chlorophyl bodies in healthy condt-
ion, that the manufacture Of food can
go on.
Let us consider what Is perhaps the |
most fatal disease that can overtake a |
or the lack of color |
ng matter. This disease In all Its es-
sentials Is very similar in anemta In |
he human being. Chlorosis Is an OBJ
,cure disease, but In most cases 1t ap- |
pears to be caused by lack Of iron.
iron the human blood Is not
ed nor are plant granules green. Gen.
,rally the seedlings attacked by the |
disease die out very early, but some
lines sickly whitish leaved specimens
truggle along for a little while. The
disease is often local and In compound
caves one leafet here and there may
10 entirely colorless. 1t Is this type
hat gives US the gardeners "varie-
gated varieties where the leaves are
notified or striped with cream colored
,atches and bands. The green parts
here do enough work to carry on the
ife of the individual while the color
ess parts are nonproducers. II this
> not carried too far the plants can
10 quite healthy, but IL the attempt ID
made to breed an entirely white race
t viii die of malnutrition.