The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-02-06

white bread, crackers, cakes, cookies,
| tapioca, macaroni and spaghettD In
the diet, as well as insufficient Vita
min D, may be accountable for ex-
cessive carries Cavity formation or
decay Of teeth and poor teeth and
for pyorrhea, or one OF the causes
of these.
Edward Mellanby Is of the opinion
that something In cereals. possibly
phytic acid, interferes with absorp-
ton or utilization of calcium, since
he has observed that a similar pro-
portion of starch or sugar from
other sources such as milk, sugar,
potatoes, jams and vegetables Is not
Objectionable In the diet.
The Mellanby's have long main
tanned, and many other nutrition
authorities now agree that vitamin
A controls development Of the gums
and sufficient daily intake Of Vita
min A keeps the gum tissue In
healthy state and thus serves to pre-
vent infection. BY the way many
nutrition authorities believe vitamin
A aids In similar way in prevent
ing respiratory infection, that is, by
maintaining a normal condition nj
the epithelium or mucous membrane
lining the breathing passages. FL
nally there Is some clinical evidence
to support the hypothesis that vita
min A, through Its action In keeping
the epithelium healty, may help to
prevent or possibly to cure stone In
the kidney.
Best natural sources Of vitamin A
are butter, cream, milk, dried milk,
eyaporated milk, cheese, egg yolk,
liver, kidney, spinach, raw carrot,
escarole (chicory green's. banana,
tomato or tomato juice, sweet po-
tato, string beans. Roman lettuce,
head lettuce. cantaloupe, peas, raw
or canned), peppers, prunes. or
coursefsh liver oils are the richest
sources Of vitamin A, a standard
grade of cod liver oil containing as
much vitamin A as an equal guam
tity of butter, cheese or raw spin
ach contains.
In my crude judgment, however,
no one in this country suffers from
shortage OF vitamin A unless his
ton or some fad or whim. Even the
diet is restricted by illness, depriva-
infant gets enough vitamin A If a
quart OF whole milk Is fed daily.
(, It Is true that cereals and bread
stuffs have a slight potential acidity
nothing 9th oau-nu- .o-eangide- d.
or leave an acid ash. Yet there Is
to select foods which leave alkaline
ash, 80 far as the health OF the
teeth and gums Is concerned. The
quaint notion that starches from
vegetable sources, sugars from fruits
and vegetables, honey, molasses,
cane sugar beet sugar, glucose, fruit
sugar, sweets, cakes, candy, etc. were
In some vague way bad for teeth,
has been discarded by all authori-
ties. These items may not be 80
useful for building and preserving
sound teeth az the foods which con-
tain considerable calcium. phosphor-
us and perhaps vitamin d, but there
Is no reason why the growing child
or young adult should not have
fair ration Of whatever sweetmeats
he or she likes.
Emphysema
Is emphysema form OF tubercu-
losis or kind Of chronic bronchitis?
Friend has 1t. Many people think
1t Is contagious, as he coughs almost
continually 10. d.
Answer-It rs more akin TO chronic
bronchitis, and 1t Is not a form Of
tuberculosis, not communicable. IT
Is ballooning or dilation OF aircells
In the lungs, In consequence OF
which the patient wheezes con-
stantly on slight effort and has q
constant Intellectual cough. Loss Of
weakness. wasting. atrophy) elastic
tissue in lung Is the essential fea-
ture. Cause unknown. Possibly de-
ficiency OF vitamin d (rny sheer con-
lecturer.
Copyright. 1887, John v. Ollie Coz