Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-01


popular form This talk was deliver
ed by Major John X Murin, head
Of the division on food, army medical
department.
II has taken a world war and n world
famine to get people interested IN the
science of nutrition, but interested they
now undoubtedly are, and scientista have
an unparalleled chance 90 teach tho
public how to eat
There are four essential elements IN
human diet An understanding Of these
elements, and the parts they play VIII
enable anyone 10 regulate his diet more
infrllipently than be ran by merely
following the dictates Of appetite Appe-
lite ia a good adviser, and one upon
which we must rely great deal, but u -
not jnfallble-
These four essential elements which we
must obtain from food are fuel, repair
material, minerals and yltannes ne
body nsee fuel much "A an internal com
btlstion engine or steam engine does' thet
IL IL runs on the heat of certain materials
which IT oxidlzes
Although this process in tho body is
much slower than the burning OF coal or
oil in An engine, il is essentially the same
process. and it furnishes the heat which
warns ms up. as well as the energy with
which wo work.
SUGAR AND FATS AZ FUELS
Sugars and fats arc the principal body
fuels The important thing 70 remember
il that the more work YOU do, and the
more cold Won arc exposed tn, the more q
these substances yOu require NJ bafif
heat production ~ the human body IS
about 600 calories for twenty-iour
hours. This means that II you llo pcr-
fectv still in a moderate temperature.
THE IL the amount If heat you must
generate to live II varies snnewhaf
being D,re for tell thin persons than for
IN, oaoa woman doing light work
vo,,Id need about 300 more calorieF than
this house servant might use mp from
2 400 r., 2. 500 calorics day And man
sloing the hardest manual labor may re-
fpnre 5000 calorics
or rot,rse these calories mean little
IN tho layrnan since he has no means of
estimating the caioric value 81 tho iood ne
eats hut the figures show that the same
individual runy need three times as much
food under sornp rircumgtences rs under
others DO not be afraid, therefore, To-
cat heartily and consume abundant iats
and sugars when you arc taking exercise
IN cold weather mt when You arc IN
active. IL s well TO regard your appetite
with suspicion
HEPATH MATERIAL
The second essent,sl element Of food
i repair material. This is supplied by
the nroteins vhlch are nsat-iike suit
stances Tho best repair material N the
world for the human body Is hcef tf-
cause II most economically repiaees tho
waste Of the bodily tissue This docs not
mean that one should eat great deal of
meat quarter of a pound OF meat a
day in enough for anyone. THIS might be
advar1tageouRiy increased IN winter and
decreased IN summer.
Protein foods NAV te conveniently
divided INTO several ciasses he frst
class includes the animal substances. such
aa meat. milk and eggs his IL the form
Of food which most easily and economical
Nv replaces the xaete 0i the body he
second class of protein foods includes the
legimes. such as teams and peas. and the
cerenia. such n corn. wheat. oats and
barley The third class of protein foods
are the vegetables. and they are the least
| valuable Of All for repairing waste
BUILDING ELEaENTa
The building elements in the proteins
are known chemically rs amino aclds
/ 4 number of these aCIds together make a
/ proteln There are about twenty oi
/ them IN All a protein winch contains
| them all Is a complete and adequate pro
| TEN. 1t will completely replace the wasted
! protelns Of the body and will enable ar
animal to grow normally. some OF tbs
protelns, hike gelatin, are deficient, n
| that they contain only some OF these
acids Consequently = diet Of such pro
TENS will not support growth or repalI
completely The safe and advisable
thing to do, therefore, IS to eat 3 varlety J
of proteins meat, milk, eggs, beans, peas
other vegetables and fruits, breads anc
cereals so that you will be sure 10 ge
all of the necessary acids.
The third essential element IN food j:
mineral matter There are about dozeI
minerals that enter into the composition
| OF the body The most important arr
| calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium
| chlorine, sulphur, phosphorus and IRON
| You cannot live without any one O
these. The one needed in the smalleS
quantity is iron. 1t requires very sinai
amount of iron to enable the body tC
function normally. but that small quan
trry Is absolutely essential, for It IS the lroI
i =
| You couldn't live a fraction OF second j
YOU didn't have iron in your body
Now nearly all of YOUR tissues contain
nearly all of the elements that have beer
discussed. Some Of these elements ar,
acids and some of them are alkalies
The tissues must contain the acids anC
alkahes in proper proportion 50 that the,
neutralize each other, as free acid or ire,
alkali would be deleterious \ balance
diet. therefore, must contain an adequat,
amount of both aclds and alkalIeS
When YOU eat meat YOU are eating acid
The acid of meat is not organic like that o
fruit. but is a mineral acid This acid re
quires alkali to neutralize It, and tha
il why YOU always eat meat with potatoes
for the potatoes contain a strong alkal
in the form of potash Other vegetable
also contain alkali, and SO do fruits. Tha
is why we naturally crave potatoes
vegetables and fruits with our meat, ant
why a straight meat diet makes US sick
If YOU haven't taste for vegetables
cultivate one,
The fourth essential element in diet j
the vitamines, and it is also the leas
clearly understood element. About al
that is known is the the absence o
vitarnines from that diet produces
serious condition of the body. Scurvy
for example, which affiicts people VIII,
have lived long on a diet containing n
fresh fruits or vegetables, is due to tn
absence of vitamines from such a diet
r Beriberi, a disease which atfhcts tn
natives of the far east, is also caused b
lack of vitamines 1t is probable tina