Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-21
CHANGE IN FOOD
URGED BY DIXON
State Health Commissioner
Points to Advantages of
Corn and Barley

The shortage of wheat due to the
unfavorable condition of the crop
this spring in many sections and the
necessity of this country sharing its
grain with it's allies should be the
| occasion of Pennsylvania people
making changes in their food, says
DIR. Samuel G. Dixon, the State Com
missioner of Health. People are eat
ing too much white bread and should
! make it their business to see that
they not only eat less food made
from wheat, but they should learn to
like what is made from other grains.
The advantages of corn and of other
grains are pointed out by the COM
missioner with observations on their
food value from medical mans
viewpoint.
DR.. Dixon says very plainly that
the people of the State are eating
too much starchy food and that it
is not good for the children. In dis
cussing the situation DIR. Dixon says:
The yield of wheat this year can
not possibly meet the demand for
home and abroad. If we mean to
divide our crust with our allies con-
servation must be observed.
Wheat bread is made either of
whole wheat or the white starch of
the wheat. In the economic scheme
we must consider these two kinds
of bread.
Whole wheat flour will sustain hu-
man life with it's starch, bran, pol
lard and phosphate of lime. while we
would starve to death on white bread
made entirely of the starch, there
fore, those on a very restricted diet,
such as prisoners, etc, are often de-
pendent upon bread. They should
have the flour containing the whole
wheat.
White bread, however, when taken
with soup made from good stock
that furnishes the nitrogen and
earthly salts, is cheaper food. 1t is
also full of nutritive when combined
with fat, meat and a little soup, the
base of which is soup stock. There
fore white flour bread with general
diet is cheaper than whole wheat
bread
A further conservation of our pres
ent supply may be found by observ-
ing more moderation in the quantity
of bread and biscuit eaten. Most
people eat too much starch.
Those in charge of children seem
to be under the impression that
wheat bread made or white flour is
the staff of life This is a mis-
take. When children have to depend
largely upon white bread they are
apt to be undernourished, shown by
their soft and fiabby flesh. Under
such a starchy diet they are sus-
Ceptible to tuberculosis.
Too much bread made of white
flour (starch) often produces ca
tarrha1 condition of the mucous
membrane.
Another economic way to help
ourselves and our allies would be to
increase the crop of foodstuffs. AS
it is not the season for planting
wheat, to make up the deficiency
caused by the foreign demand, corn,
a valuable foodstuff for both man
and beast, should be sown.
This would be the best substitute
for wheat.
Maize or corn has larger proper
ton of starch than wheat, and a lit
tie over one-half more of nitrogen.
Corn is much richer in fat than is
wheat.
Corn can be served in many
palatable dishes. These are generally
known or can be obtained from
books on cooking.
Corn has a large geographical
range in the United States and an
average crop will do much to fur
nish food for our people.
Thousands of Belgians have lived
almost entirely on corn for the last
| year.
Barley and oats are also substi-
| tuted in a measure for wheat and
| can be planted to yield this season.
During the Revolutionary War
maize was an important factor in
| feeding our soldiers.