6 REPORT ON THE DIETARIES 



said rather to be well adapted to the income of the labourer, 

 than to his physical wants. He is thus enabled to consume at 

 small cost a larger quantity or volume of this species of food 

 than of many others, and in this way some part of its deficiency 

 as a nutritive agent is recompensed. 



The nutritive values of these three staple articles of Scotch 

 agricultural dietaries may be stated as follows : — ■ 



Scotch oatmeal, per lb., contains . . 2800 grains carbon. 

 „ „ 140 „ nitrogen. 



2940 grains nutritive food. 



Potatoes, per lb., contain . . 770 grains carbon. 



„ „ 24 „ nitrogen. 



794 grains nutritive food. 



Sweet milk, per imperial pint, contains 546 grains carbon. 



431 „ nitrogen. 



589| grains nutritive food. 



The next remarkable feature in the rural dietaries of Scotland, 

 as compared with those of England, is the largely increased 

 amount of nutritive food obtained at a less cost. This does not 

 arise from any relative difference in the market value of any 

 given article of food between the two countries, but solely from 

 the custom and modes of living of the people. Thus, we find 

 that, according to Dr E. Smith's Report to the Privy Council,* 

 the total average amount of carbon and nitrogen obtained per 

 adult weekly in England, is 40,673 grains carbon, and 1594 

 grains nitrogen, costing per adult weekly, 2s. llfd. In Scot- 

 land, according to our Appendix, the average weekly consumption 

 per adult, is 41,752 grains carbon, and 2094 grains nitrogen, at 

 a cost of about 2s. lOd. Hence the economy of the relative ex- 

 penditure will stand thus : — Eor each shilling expended by the 

 English labourer upon his dietary, he obtains 12,398 grains 

 carbon, and 495 grains nitrogen ; while, according to the dietary 

 adopted by the Scotch labourer, the same sum will purchase 

 14,868 grains carbon, and 716 grains nitrogen. It may be neces- 

 sary here to remark that, according to Dr E. Smith's calculations, 

 the average weekly consumpt of carbon and nitrogen by the 

 Scotch peasantry is considerably higher than the amount men- 

 tioned above, according to our figures and data. Dr Smith gives 

 the amount of carbon weekly consumed per head in Scotland as 

 48,980 grains, and of nitrogen as 2348 grains. This discrepancy 

 arises from the imperfect average of area from which he com- 



* Sixth Report of the Medical Officer of the Privy Council, 1S63. Appendix, 

 p. 202. 



