FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION. 259 



The nutritive value of fisli and its physiological importance, W. Cronheim 

 (Der Ndhrwert der Fische und seine physiologische Bedeutung. Rostock, 1911, 

 pp. 16). — A general discussion. 



Report to the local government board on the nutritive value of bread 

 made from different varieties of wheat flour, J. M. Hamill (Rpts. Local 

 Govt. Bd. [at. Brit.], Pub. Health and Med. Subjs., n. ser., 1911, No. 1.',, pp. 

 53, figs. 2). — In this digest the author has brought together the results of 

 earlier investigations and the results of milling tests, analyses of milling prod- 

 ucts, and other data, especially collected for the report. Quotations from his 

 general summary, regarding the practical aspects of the question of the nutri- 

 tive value of different sorts of bread, follow : 



" The difference in nature and iu nutritive value between breads made 

 from the different classes of flour ... do not appear to be of much im- 

 portance to the average adult with whom bread is only one out of many varied 

 constituents of his dietary. The notion, for example, that ordinary high grade 

 and naturally white ' patent ' flour is practically devoid of protein or nitrog- 

 enous constituents, whereas the latter are abundantly present in bread made 

 from whole-meal and ' entire ' wheat flours is erroneous. The differences which 

 exist in this respect are not relatively of great magnitude, and they may, to a 

 large extent, be neutralized by imperfect absorption from the digestive tract. 

 Apart from this, there are commonly wider differences in protein content and 

 energy value between ' patent ' flours obtained from different wheats, than 

 between the ' patent ' flour of a given wheat and the corresponding whole- 

 meal. . . . 



" Relatively marked differences exist between different classes of flour, even 

 when derived from the same wheat, in regard to their total mineral content 

 or those substances which are represented by mineral matter in the ash. To 

 the average adult living on a reasonably liberal and varied diet, however, these 

 differences can not ordinarily be of importance. 



"At the same time there is no doubt that some i)eople who are accustomed to 

 a mixed diet find, as a result of sufficient trial, that bread of one particular 

 class — from 'patent,' 'entire' wheat, whole-meal, or 'germ' flour — suits them, 

 individually, better than another. ... No general rule can be laid down in 

 such cases. The commercial supply of breads of all these classes serves a use- 

 ful purpose by enabling a choice to be made." 



Variety of diet is deemed much more desirable than to rely upon a diet con- 

 sisting principally of bread, irrespective of the grade of flour. " This being 

 premised, it may be said that there is no reason to consider that the varieties 

 of bread which the miller and baker have accustomed us to regard as of lower 

 quality — ' households,' for example — are in any physiological sense inferior to 

 that of the higher priced bread made from high grade and specially white flour. 

 On the contrary, from the point of view of available nutrient material and 

 energy value, the advantage is on the side of the * households.' 



"'Entire' wheat flours (including stone-ground flours and 'standard' flour) 

 are in nearly the same position as ' households,' although when made from weak 

 wheats they will usually contain less available protein than 'households' made 

 from strong wheats. They possess, however, additional constituents, due to the 

 presence of branny particles and the germ of the wheat, which appear to have 

 a value of their own in nutrition, and may, as a result of further investigation, 

 be shown to comprise phosphorus-containing organic compounds or other sub- 

 stances, the presence of which in some part of the dietary, even in minute 

 quantity, is important in maintaining good health. 



