92 READINGS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE 



towards good nutrition. But I wonder how many vitamin B pills we must 

 consume before we nurture sufficient intelligence to take this apparently 

 rational step. 



It seems clear that we do not know the extent of malnutrition in our 

 country. But some malnutrition, especially pellagra, obesity, underweight, 

 anemia, does prevail here. Why? The causes for the malnutrition that 

 does prevail are both numerous and complex. Among these are: chronic 

 infections, worry and mental strain, faulty dietary habits, ignorance as to 

 what makes up an adequate diet, personal laziness, poverty, misleading 

 food advertisements, denaturing of such staple and standard foods as flour 

 (wheat, corn) and bread, possibly too great consumption of purified sugars 

 and candy, waste of good foods, especially fruits and fats, etc. 



Since man and his health constitute our most important natural resource, 

 we must proceed without delay and with all the brains at our command 

 to find better and more reliable methods to diagnose the signs and symp- 

 toms of incipiejit dietary deficie?icies. Such knowledge will give us a 

 clearer understanding of what constitutes an optimum diet for optimum 

 health, so far as health is determined by diet alone. This, it seems to me, 

 is a primary charge on the science of medicine, of biology, the science of 

 chemistry. But we who labor in these fields will proceed faster along these 

 lines, if we are encouraged by an understanding of the urgency and the 

 difficulties in the problem and the cash cost of its solution on the part of all 

 citizens. 



Pending this greater scientific understanding as to human food needs for 

 optimum health, these important things can and should be done now: (a) 

 cleanse our present food and nutrition education of all fads, of all selfish 

 commercial and myopic political propaganda; and (b) move our nutrition 

 education from the ivory tower down to comprehension and appreciation 

 of the common man. We have the brains and the cash to do it. Have we the 

 will to carry on this hard task, when a possible superior health for all is 

 the only goal, the only reward? I wonder. 



> > > <<< 



WHY WE EAT WHAT WE EAT * 



WARREN T. VAUGHAN 



Why do we eat what we eat? Possibly this should be preceded by an- 

 other question, "Why do we eat at all?" The answer is elementary: we eat 

 because we have to, because we are hungry. Also we eat because we like 

 the taste of things. Many a fat old dowager eats chocolate peppermints, 

 not because she is hungry but because she likes chocolate peppermints. 



• Reprinted by permission of the Scientific Monthly, American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science. Copyright 1940. 



