Summer Meeting. 137 



in such food as beans, as in beef, but it is well to note that the analysis 

 of food is one thing, the amount we are able to digest is quite another." 

 Hence comes in a decidedly new consideration — our food may be quite 

 rightly proportioned and cooked — for some stomachs — yonder red faced, 

 hardy plow boy or the hod-carrier with his tale of bricks, will carry off his 

 full measure of fat beef and potatoes, roast pork and beans, all sorts of 

 fried dishes and rich desserts of pudding and pie, sleeping soundly and 

 going heartily to work the next day while the pale faced student who 

 attempts the same thing would probably break down in a month \\'ith 

 nervous indigestion. So the element of quantity as well as quality must 

 be studied and adaptability to individual needs more than either. This, 

 ho"\vever, need not prevent our settling the grand foundation principles 

 which are the same in all cases. There shoidd be definite amount of 

 nitrogenous food, of carbonaceous food and of fats, and if the vegetarian 

 makes up his dietary fi-om cereals, legumes, fruits and nuts instead of 

 including animal products, proving the while by practical demonstration, 

 as they are doing abundantly, that healthy, hearty bodies can be made of 

 this form of protein and carbohydrate who shall dare afiirm any definite 

 ^ine qua nan ? 



The common names for the food principles are by chemical writers 

 changed to protein for nitrogenous or fiesh and muscle making foods, 

 hydrocarbons instead of carbonaceous foods, or fats, in other words heat 

 producers. Lastly, the carbohydrates (sugar, starch and gums), which 

 are the foods for energy or work. These are all fojmd in both animal 

 and vegetable kingdom, as if the Creator had made provision for the 

 varying tastes of his children. Atwater, in his writings, gives a most 

 interesting description of how the chemical amounts of food elements in 

 giving dietaries are determined. Xitrogen, the most important element, 

 we can not obtain from the air although it forms four-fifths of its com- 

 position, we get it from the proteids, and the albuminoids, and numerous 

 as the protein compounds are the proportion of nitrogen is nearly the 

 same in all, and may, therefore, be taken as a measure of comparison. 

 As Atwater says: "The science of nuti'iriun as jr i- Taiiuht to-day, has 

 this marked ])eculiarity, it is a matter of definite (juantities of income and 

 i'xpenditure based upon a kind of chcniical book-kee])ing the accuracy of 

 its teaching is, in a cei-rain sense ])rop(irtiunal t<> the accuracy tu which 



