Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-30

ONE OF the greatest stomach special.
lists in the world have been expert
menting to see whether food served
badly-all mixed up and on dirty dishes
and cloths-and with an accompaniment
of extremely bad smells, digests as easily
and gives as much value to the eater as
does the same food served nicely.
OF course, everyone knows that we eat
with more relish when our meals ara
served neatly on clean dishes and clear
cloths. What pleases the eyes, as a rule
p!eases the palate. Inscriptions chefs
take advantage Of this often to dish up
"left-overs" with little food value but all
dressed up like n Christmas tree. Pcople
eat these messes without a qualm who
would shrini; away in horror If they knew
what was camounaged under the trim
mings.
Fine clothes do mako fine birds and
many crime has been committed In the
name OF the culinary art.
But ii is also true that the languishjpl
appetite OF the ailing or convalescent is
legitimately tempted by dressing up per.
fectly good food attractively.
The interesting experiments were car.
ried on by Drs. Ralph c. Holder, Clarence
A. Smith And Philip y. Hawk, of the JEFF.
fers6n College medical staff In Philadel.
phia. Students of the college volunteered
as subjects.
The purpose of the experiment Is suffI-
GENTLY formulated by the eyperimenters
thus
1T is well known that different psvchic
stimuli promote or retard the secretion of
Thn
Quoted to determine whether tho ultimate
return TO the body from unpalatablc food
was different from that Of the same food
palatably served"
Nnen the experiment began the stu
dents were maTshalled into large and
sunny room. Flowers decorated the table
upon which were the daintiest OF china
and silverwarc and glass The napery
was immaculate. Soft music nlayed and
altogether not an aesthetic device had
been overlooked to make the dining room
the pieasantest OF pictures. The food was
OF the best and was served In the most at-
tractive form possible
For seven days the enchanted subjects
ale their three meals a day in this IN a
fashion, Lucullan chamber. They liked II
20 well that several began to have doubts
as 10 whether home would ever content
them again. Home" they murmured
doubtfully. was never like this Would
That It could be-" or words to that effect
And al stated times each day the scien.
tlsts observed the fate OF this food care.
fully, noting how much OF IT the stomach
digested OF each article, how long it took
to do il, etc, etc.
The seven days passed like dream.
The happy subjects. soothed by "A constant
Eastronomic lullaby. forgot. like the lotus.
eaters, all but the present delight. And
them
And then!
The eighth day dawned. Not into the
pleasant room OF the past week did the
smiling students march. Instead ,hev
were ushered into a long-unused room nj
the hospital. 1t had been thoroughly dirt
fed, The windows were covered with
dust, cobwebs hung from the ceiling
Hinears covered the cracked walls II was
all cluttercd up with broken old furniture
IL was, In fact. the very reverse OF who,
they had been treated 10 during the mas,
seven days. An old and rickety table and
chairs precariously balanced on three
legs "
But the words of the serious scientist;
are better to describe the picture accm
Iately. Their report says:
The food was rendered unpalatable am
unappetiZing by the following treatment