The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-05-25

regarded as consisting only Of pro
tein, carbohydrate. fat, mineral,
and water. Then came a series OF
experiments with cattle in which
the animals were fed on one kind
Of grain only. Some were given
only corn, some only wheat, some
only oats. Mysteriously. the cows
eating corn alone remained much
more healthy on the monotonous
feed than those fed other grains.
Now, science Knows that corn con-
tains a larger amount OF vitamine.
Then, the fact was simply noted
that corn seemed to have something
in it which the other cereals lacked.
Later DR.. Casimir Funk Of Lon
don was studying beri-beri, an
oriental disease. 1t had long been
noticed that the natives who lived
on unpublished rice suffered from
beri-beri, while those who ate
brown, unhusked rice did not. DIR.
Funk fed some of the sufferers the
polishings removed from the rice
and they recovered. He analysed
the husk and found something
which he called vitamine, from the
Latin word for life.
Since then various fruits and
vegetables and other foods have
been tested for vitamines. Some
contain them, others do not. Just
what vitamines are is still obscure,
but three kinds OF vitamines are
known. namely, fiat soluble A."
water soluble B." and water SOL
uble c." All three are necessary
to- life. 1t was A which was so
plentiful in the cod liver fed to the
Rumanian children. A also occurs
in milk, butter, cheese, and in cab
bage, spinach. and other greens.
Some scientists say that the large
amount Of yitimine A in milk and
butter is transmitted to them from
the grass eaten by the COW, and
that all vitamines have their origin
in plant life. Vitamine A is present
in oleomargarine made from animal
fats and oils, but there is almost
none in nut margarines.
There is little of vitamine B in
milk and meat, but it is found in
almost all common vegetables and
in grains. C is the vitamine thai
helps to make fresh fruit SO val.
liable a food 1t is also present il
green vegetables and to a small ex
tent in most other vegetables ant
in milk and meat This is the vita
mine supplied to bottle-fed babe.
by the addition of orange juice OF
tomato juice.
\ Effect Not Fully Understood.
II The effect of the vitamines OF
the body is not thoroughly under
stood, but they are supposed il
, some way to stimulate activity o
, the glands and so to promote diges
ton and tissue building. Their alb
: solute necessity to life and growtl
| has been conclusively proved b,
{ experiments on rats and pigeons
, On a diet containing no vitamine
, the subjects droop, and unless tn
l balance is restored, they will 500
3 die.
l, Human beings who are not o.
3 polar explorations or in remot
camps where a fixed ration must b
, eaten should not be in danger of
r lack of vitamines If they eat a val
| led and substantial diet. The lay
> man who has only a casual az
? Quaintance with proteins, carbohy
, drates, and vitamines can best in
sure himself against danger of MAJ
3 nutrition by remembering ths
? fruit, dairy products, green vege
. tables, fresh meat, and dark breat
are the basis Of highly vitaminou
/ menu.
, The white bread which most OF U
, eat is made of -four so thorough
husked and devitalized that it's vita
. mine content is declared by expert
to be almost negligible. The publ
health survey urges the use {
whole wheat, rye, bran, and othe
dark breads, for these contain tn
husk, and the husk contains tn
life of the -four. Our war expe1
, fences with dark war suhstitut
fours were unfortunate, but tn
old fashioned whole wheat, tn
German pumpernickle, the Norweg
liam brittlebyead and the Scotch Ga
cake are all recommended b
health authorities as aids to goo
teeth and better digestion.