Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-09
Health Talks by DR.. Brady
The Protein Problem.

Prote!ds are complex combinations OF car
bon. hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. and
Sometimes sulphur phosphorus iron. but
the nitrogen is the elemen; tina, distinguishes
, proteii substance from other animal or vege-
table cell substances. The plants seem TO
have particular difficulty about
assmletlng their proper ration OF nitrogen.
provided enough OF IL Is supplied In the soil.
I'll" animals appear TO get theirs from plants
and from animal prey. Wild or unciv!lized
man apparently has no protein problem. or
az any rate such scientific studies OF un-
civilized inau available DO not ndi-
that the wild man Juarrcls with his
heterogeneous metabolism. Civilized or ultra
civilized man is the unhappy culprit The
protein problem is the tame mans burden.
II actually seems that the more artificial
our mode Of life and the further progress
or il 1t rctrogrcss?--fr natural life, the
greater becomes the problem OF assimating
nitrogen. Yet am not so sure OF that either.
Perhaps II would be more nearly correct to
say the further away from nature travel
the greater the load OF nitrogen throw
upon mctabolism. Bringing this down to a
palmer level, the further withdraw from
nature In our artificial and luxurious living
the greater the proportion OF meat sturs we
eat.
An modern prophets preach less meat and
urge TO turn back toward natural eating
Ito return to uudcnaturlzcd food, such as
whole wheat bread instead OF the dead stuff
the voice OF the health preacher IS lost in
the wilderness. The food purveyors OF the
nation raise chorus that browns the voice
Ia the wilderness, and the people at large CON
sumo H. constantly increasing proportion OF
meat stuns and constantly more sophisti-
Gated or manipulated diet az whole Indeed.
any one who attempts to turn back toward
natural food is popularity stlgma,izcd a
nut
The protein problem appears 10 grow more
Formidable we speed along reck
less, adventurous way. And meantime that
JOY killer. the mortality table. proclaims tina I
men are dying off at mlddl" age in startlingly
greater ratio compared to total mortality than
they did generation ago. Al middle age a
ought to be at his acme From 80 to so
ought 10 do his greatest work in tho
world. Yet ii Is Just at this maturity OF life
that the steadily increasing dcgcncratlve dis
cases get in their destructive work and bring
about many brcakdowns Hardening of
the arteries. gradual heart muscle failure
Brights disease. apopl"Xy cerebral hcmor-
rhage. stroke OF paraiysis). tho familiar
manifestations OF cardio vascular dcgcncrn-
ton thcart and artery wearing out) that
ovcrtai<cs so many 81 ms at tn" half way post.
Whether rightly not remains To bc proved.
but have com. TO associate excessive pro-
,-id consumption and faulty proteid
rnctabolism oxidation In the system
with the growing prevalence OF card!o-vas-
cular degeneration. not alone Briphts dis
ease. but all tho other manifestations. And
that Is what the prophets have forcsccn and
why they have urged moderation in the con
sumption Of the meat etufrs-par,icularly
meat dark or IighD. fowl. game, fish. eggs.