WAR BREAD AND ITS CONSTITUENTS 25 



the general utilization of proteins in the body. This 

 is true of the cereal proteins. Now where there is 

 this lack of correspondence between the nature of a 

 food protein and the needs of the tissues, the economy 

 of utilization may be greatly improved by the addition 

 of even a small quantity of protein derived from other 

 food-stuffs. A very little casein from milk, for in- 

 stance, greatly improves the value of a dietary when 

 it replaces a proportion of cereal proteins, which may 

 yet be forming the basal supply. Such considerations 

 as these partly explain the advantages of mixed 

 dietaries. Now bread is in practice not eaten alone, 

 and deficiencies, such as those just mentioned, are in 

 reasonable dietaries largely compensated. We how- 

 ever, are considering the qualities of bread in particu- 

 lar. It may be stated with confidence that there is no 

 evidence to show that wheat is really a better nutrient 

 than, say, oats or barley. While therefore the addi- 

 tion of these to the loaf cannot do harm, it may, for 

 reasons such as those just discussed, actually improve 

 the protein supply available. 



To the second characteristics of the war loaf its 

 inclusion of parts of the grain which were wholly 

 removed from the flours yielding the white loaf of 

 peace time we must afford more discussion. Con- 

 troversy concerning the relative merits of whole-meal 

 breads and refined-flour breads has long been with 

 us. It has sometimes been associated with fads, and 

 it has often been conducted with bias. It was acutely 

 revived in a somewhat modified form by the journal- 

 istic support of a so-called " standard ' bread a few 

 years ago. Such controversy it seems might well 

 have continued indefinitely. The special condition 

 of the present is that all are compelled to eat a bread 

 which approximates to the whole-meal type, whether 

 their instincts, predilections, or experience are in 



