14 THOMAS MACFARLANB: 



Skim milk 2,488 



" cheese 2,044 



Milk 2,038 



Lard 1,660 



Cheese 1,116 



Pork, fat 1,201 



" lean 876 



Butter 1,097 » 



Veal, fat 703 



" lean 627 



Beef,veryfat 979 



" lean 626 



Amoug vegetable foods, the number of nuits obtainable for one mark is in the 

 case of — 



Beans 5,000 



Peas 4,971 



Potatoes 4,740 



Kye meal 4,655 



Wheat flour, fine 3,580 



" coarse 4,533 



Kice 1,992 



From such calculations it becomes evident that the Nuhrstoffe or food constituents in 

 animal food cost from twice to five times as much as in those of vegetable origin (exclud- 

 ing vegetables proper and fruit). This is no doubt partly owing to the greater ease 

 with which animal food is digested, and to the fact that they contain small quantities of 

 substances, such as creatine, which have a peculiar value. Whether, for these reasons, 

 the nutriment contained in animal food has from two to five times the value of the same 

 nutriment in vegetable food is very doubtful. "We have to remember that, at present, 

 we are only justified in comparing the various sorts of animal food w^ith each other, and 

 those of vegetable origin only among themselves. 



From this imperfect reference it will be evident that the food chemists of Germany 

 are not willing to remain satisfied with mere analysing and theorising. They have the 

 courage of their convictions and boldly propose to put the art of human nutrition into a 

 practical shape, and base it upon the results of their investigations. It appears plain to 

 me that, if this is done with due circumspection, the result will be a large saving of waste 

 in human food. It will of course be an arduous task to render into English the prin- 

 ciples propounded by the G-erman avithorities, and to persuade the various classes of 

 Canadian society to be guided by them. If it were our custom to consult the members 

 of the medical profession in time of health, as well as when disease overtakes us, the 

 w^ork would be in good hands. As it is, we can only indulge the hope that medical men, 

 health officers and public analysts will, as opportunity offers, endeavour to disseminate 

 sound principles and practices as regards the nourishment and support of the human 

 organism. 



The few instances of waste saving brought forward in this address are only selected 

 from many as examples of the progress which has been made generally in chemical tech- 



