EDITOR'S TABLE. 



123 



erty to pass beyond the bounds of Mr. 

 Spencer's thought whenever they can 

 see their way to doing so. Mr. Spencer's 

 " Data of Ethics " may not contain all the 

 truth on the subject of morals, but the 

 truth which it does contain lends itself 

 to demonstration ; and no one can be 

 the worse for being taught demonstra- 

 ble truths. Upon that foundation he 

 can afterward build what he likes hay, 

 stubble, or what not; and after his su- 

 perstructure has been tried by the fire 

 of experience, a3 it is very likely to 

 be, he will still have something solid 

 left on which to rebuild in perchance 

 wiser fashion. We do not advocate the 

 introduction of the "Data of Ethics" 

 into the public schools; but we are con- 

 vinced that it would be a very good thing 

 for the rising generation if some of the 

 ideas contained in that book could be 

 brought home to their minds. 



SCIENCE IN DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 



Mr. Edwakd Atkinson's paper on 

 " The Art of CookiDg," which opens 

 this number of the " Monthly," is one 

 to which we confidently call the atten- 

 tion of every reader of the magazine. 

 There is no art which concerns the 

 well-being of more persons than cook- 

 ery. Blunders in navigation do not in- 

 jure those who stay on land, errors of 

 engineering may easily be escaped, and 

 the mistakes of the apothecary do not 

 affect him who takes no medicine. But 

 none of us can do without eating, and 

 if our food is not properly prepared we 

 are sure to suffer both in health and 

 in pocket. The fact which Mr. Atkin- 

 son states in his opening sentence, that 

 "the cost of materials which are used 

 for food comes to one half or more of 

 the average income " of most persons, 

 shows the importance of carefully lim- 

 iting the percentage of waste in this 

 large item of domestic expenditure ; and 

 when we remember that, as he states 

 in the next paragraph, " good health 

 depends in greater measure upon ade- 



quate nutrition and upon the conversion 

 of food material into a digestible form 

 than upon any other factor in life," the 

 value of correct principles in cookery, 

 on the score of health, is apparent. Yet 

 the present mode of cooking is far from 

 agreeing with correct principles. 



Mr. Atkinson says that almost the 

 whole of the fuel used in cooking in the 

 ordinary way is wasted, while the odors 

 which accompany the process are evi- 

 dence that the food is losing nutritious 

 properties, and often that it is being 

 converted into an unwholesome condi- 

 tion. The effect of heat on starch, su- 

 gar, fats, and albuminoids, and the laws 

 of radiation and conduction, are well 

 enough understood, yet cookery has re- 

 mained stagnant, while metallurgy, dye- 

 ing, soap-making, and other familiar 

 arts, which likewise depend on chem- 

 istry and the science of heat, have made 

 gratifying progress. The cooking of the 

 world is practically in the hands of 

 women, and the art is in an undeveloped 

 state. Here is a chance for the sex to 

 prove good their claim to the same men- 

 tal capabilities as men. Let them give 

 up blind following of recipes and learn 

 to understand processes. Let them ex- 

 periment, record observations, and in- 

 vent. If they can not at once rise to 

 the level of original work, let them at 

 least study the investigations and apply 

 the inventions of others. Mr. Atkinson 

 has made experiments in cooking, ex- 

 tending over some years, which have 

 led to the invention of the apparatus 

 described in his article. His " oven " 

 and " cooker " unquestionably prevent 

 the scorching of food, and effect a won- 

 derful economy in fuel, yet he has found 

 it difficult to give away his valuable 

 ideas to the public. "We are confident, 

 however, that his article will be read 

 with more interest than, say, twenty 

 years ago. A steadily growing amount 

 of thought is being given to making 

 science serviceable in the preparation of 

 food, and in other matters of household 

 economy. The fact that such men as 



