FOODS — NUTRITION. 773 



A new source of food {Dictet. and JL/g. Gaz., 17 {1901), No. 12, pp. 128, 129).— \\ 

 is stated that an e<lil>le nu'al may l)e jirepared from horse chestnuts by extracting the 

 pulverized nuts witli alcohol. 



A study of tlie diet of the laboring classes in Edinburgh, carried out under 

 the auspices of the town council of the city of Edinburgh, D. N. Patox, J. C. 

 Di'NLop, and Elsie M. Ixglis {lAU)ihur</li: 0. Sliuize tt Co., 1901, j)p. 104). — Dietary 

 studies are reported of 15 families living in the thickly congested districts of Edinburgh. 

 As regards income, the families were divided into 3 groups: ( 1 ) those with the regular 

 wages under $5 per week, (2) those with 95 to $5.75 per week, and (3) those with 

 incomes of from S7 to $10 per week. The different families and groups are discussed 

 at some length. On an average, it is stated, the typical diet of an Edinburgh 

 laborer's family contained 107 gm. protein, 88 gm. fat, and 479 gra. carbohydrates, 

 togetiier furnishing 3,228 calories. Both the protein and the energy were regarded 

 as too small. More than one-half the protein was supplied by vegetable foods. 

 Although more money was spent for animal foods than for vegetable foods, more 

 nutritive material was supplied by the latter. The average cost of the diet was about 

 $1 per man per week. The i^rincipal foods used were bread, potatoes, milk, vege- 

 tables, sugar and beef. Relatively large amounts of more expensive foods, such as 

 beef, milk, and eggs, were consumed, and a relatively small amount of cheaper food, 

 such as oatmeal, peas, and barley. The authors note that there is a tendency to use 

 bread and tea or bread and butter in place of the oatmeal porridge once so commonly 

 eaten. The superior food value of porridge is pointed out. In order to improve the 

 diet of families like a number of those cited, the authors believe that they should be 

 taught "(1) that a diet of tea and bread, or of tea, bread and butter (the lazy diet), 

 is faulty; (2) that the faults of the tea and bread diet can be corrected by the free 

 use of meat, eggs, or other animal food, but that this mode of correction is expensive; 

 (3) that the faults can also be corrected by the free use of oatmeal with milk, or of 

 peas or beans, without extra cost; and (4) that to correct the faults of a tea and l^read 

 diet, either money spent on animal food or labor spent on the cooking of vegetable 

 food is necessary; if they have not the former, the money, they must use the latter, 

 the labor of properly cooking more nutritive foods." 



Some results of recent dietary studies in the United States, O. F. Tower 

 (Western Reserve Univ. Bid., n. ser., 4 {1901), No. 3, pp. 41-63). — Recent dietary 

 studies made in the United States are discussed, and a dietary study, made by the 

 author, of a professional man's family in Cleveland, Ohio, is reported. The average 

 amounts consumed per man per day were: Protein 98 gm., fat 87 gm., carbohydrates 

 377 gm., together furnishing 2,735 calories. 



Dietary studies at Western Reserve University, O. F. Tower ( Western Reserve 

 Univ. Bid., n. ser., 4 {1901) No. 6, p/). 146-164). — Two dietary studies are reported; 

 one was made at a boarding club consisting of men students, and the other at a club 

 consisting of women students. The former consumed on an average per man per 

 day, 140 gm. protein, 157 gm. fat, and 444 gm. carbohydrates, the fuel value being 

 3,830 calories. The average amounts consumed per woman per day in the second 

 study were 103 gm. protein, 131 gm. fat, and 348 gm. carl)ohydrates, the fuel value 

 being 3,060 calories. This was calculated as equivalent to 129 gm. protein, 164 gm. 

 fat, 435 gm. carbohydrates, and 3,825 calories per man per day. The results of these 

 studies are compared with similar data obtained elsewhere. 



Proteids and their value from the standpoint of the physiology of nutrition, 

 A. JoLLEs {Ztschr. Untersuch. Nahr. ii. Gem(s.'<mtl., 4 {1901), No. 24, PP- HGS, 1164).— 

 In a paper presented at the Hamburg meeting of German Naturalists and Physicians, 

 1901, the author reports experiments on the nutritive value of different proteids. In 

 his opinion, unless nitrogen is present in anj' given proteid in a form which yields 

 urea it is not well utilized. Hexon bases were recovered in the feces and not in the 

 urine. 



