THE POTATO 13 



pound, and peas and beans contain eight grains 

 of lime to the pound. Cow's milk contains four- 

 teen grains of lime to the pint. The American 

 people are losing their teeth, and bone diseases 

 are increasing, as a result of this deficiency of 

 lime. Professor Sherman of Columbia University 

 declares that half the people of the United States 

 are suffering from lime starvation. This is in part 

 because of the meat diet and free use of cane sugar. 

 Less meat, a larger proportion of potatoes^ com- 

 bined with wheat preparations and other cereals, 

 beans, peas, and cow's milk would help to check 

 this degenerative tendency. 



THE POTATO AS A FOOD REMEDY 



"The potato is of immense service as a food 

 remedy in the treatment of a large number of dis- 

 eases. It is especially valuable in cases of chronic 

 intestinal auto-intoxication or * biliousness.' It 

 affords bulk for the intestine to act upon, and so 

 antagonizes constipation. The large proportion 

 of starch and other carbohydrates encourages the 

 growth of friendly bacteria in the intestine, thus 

 preventing putrefaction. For the same reason 

 the free use of potatoes combats rheumatism and 

 gout, which are results of chronic intestinal poi- 

 soning. 



"The potato is valuable in the treatment of 

 anemia, because it combats the growth in the 

 intestine of the germs which produce blood- 

 destroying poisons. The death rate from diabetes, 

 according to the mortality statistics of the United 

 States Census Bureau, has increased nearly 50 

 per cent, in ten years. The freer use of potatoes 

 as an article of diet and the lessened consumption 



