THE PROBLEM OF FOOD 15 



of war bread itself is discussed in a subsequent lecture 

 by Professor Hopkins, and I will only mention here 

 that its digestibility and capacity of being utilized in 

 the body is very high indeed, although there have 

 been contrarv statements made. 







Another point that will be found treated in this 

 volume is connected with that of wheat, namely, the 

 best means of using our own farm land for the growth 

 of food. 



I cannot avoid referring to two matters which must 

 give rise to some doubts as to whether there is any 

 real shortage of cereals at all, however unfounded such 

 doubts may be. The first is: Why is the breeding of 

 race -horses and the continuance of race meetings 

 allowed to occur? Admitting the necessity of not 

 allowing the breed to degenerate, it is difficult to see 

 the necessity of more than a very few race-horses. I 

 will make no further remark about race meetings. 

 The second one is more serious. It is the large 

 quantity of beer that is still being made. No manipu- 

 lation of figures can get over the fact of the loss of 

 food value involved in brewing. Professor Cushny's 

 lecture tells us more about this. There is no real 

 value in alcohol, and careful investigations have 

 shown that the supposed diminution of fatigue is 

 merely apparent and temporary. The fatigue at the 

 end of a day's work is less when beer is avoided. One 

 cannot help the thought that it would turn out to be 

 a national benefit if some totally unavoidable chance 

 made it impossible to make alcoholic beverages. 

 Those who think them a necessitv would discover 



J 



that, so far from this being the case, the capacity for 

 work, mental and physical, is increased. I have no 

 fault to find with those who admit that they take 

 alcohol because they like it, and, in certain circum- 

 stances, it mav, in moderate amount, be innocuous or 



