80 



THE PROTEIN ELEMENT IN NUTRITION 



DIET V. STUDENTS LIVING IN PRIVATELY MANAGED MESS-HOTJSES. 



DIET VI. STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT HOSTELS. 



As would be expected, the protein and fat constituents of these 

 dietaries are lowest in the cases of the poorest classes, and 

 highest in the case of well-to-do people ; while the opposite is 

 the case in the carbohydrate element. It will be noticed that 

 fish and milk enter into the composition of all the dietaries ; 

 even the poorest cultivator is usually able to obtain a small 

 amount of milk daily. Fish the Bengali is particularly fond of, 

 and, owing to the large number of rivers, tanks, pools, and nullahs, 

 a large supply of fish is always available at a moderate price, 

 or for the catching. 



Taken in conjunction with the results obtained from the 

 observations made on students, servants, and medical assistants, 

 the above dietaries may be accepted as representing faithfully 

 the average food consumption of the people of Bengal according 

 to their particular circumstances. These dietaries have been 

 given in full detail for two reasons : first, to show that wherever 

 possible the Bengali prefers a mixed type of dietary to a purely 

 vegetable kind, and that milk and fish may be taken as common 

 articles of food even amongst the poorer classes. 



