102 THE PROTEIN ELEMENT IN NUTRITION 



protein standard are those who are too poor to afford the cost of 

 the average diet ; or who, living on a very bulky vegetable diet, 

 are unable to consume sufficient of their foodstuffs to provide 

 the amount of assimilable protein present in Voit's standard. 



There is little doubt, therefore, that the evidence of mankind 

 points indisputably to a desire for protein up to European 

 standards. As soon as a race can provide itself with such 

 amounts, it promptly does so ; as soon as financial considerations 

 are surmounted, so soon the so-called " vegetarian Japanese " 

 or Hindu raises his protein intake to reach the ordinary standard 

 of mankind in general. 



With regard to the objections raised by Chittenden as to the 

 fundamental importance of the dietetic habits of mankind being 

 taken into consideration in determining the protein requirements, 

 all that need be said is that he appears to stand practically alone 

 in upholding this view. "It is an initial objection to Chitten- 

 den's view, which is not easily met, that it contravenes all human 

 experience. If he is right, then all the world up to this time, 

 with the exception, perhaps, of a few faddists, has been wrong. 

 Gluttony has somehow become universal. It is ' Chittenden 

 contra mundum.' "* " It is inconceivable that all mankind, 

 under the most diverse conditions, should have fallen into the 

 same mistake. Such a unanimity means no mistake, but a 

 physiological discovery. Natural instinct or primitive experi- 

 ence has guided the different varieties of our species in their 

 selection of viands suitable to their geographical situation and 

 modes of life, has restrained them within proper bounds in their 

 consumption of these, and has taught them to combine and 

 balance the different constituents of these in a way on which 

 chemical science can scarcely improve."* 



Hutchison, in discussing the relative weight to be attached 

 to instinct and to greed respectively, in determining the dietetic 

 habits of mankind, says that there is at least strong a priori 

 reason for the belief that, in matters of diet, what has been 

 adopted semper et ubique et ab omnibus is fundamentally right. 



Sir William Roberts says : " The generalized food customs of 

 mankind are not to be viewed as random practices adopted to 

 please the palate or gratify an idle or a vicious appetite. These 

 customs must be regarded as the outcome of profound instincts 

 which correspond to certain wants of the human economy. 



* Sir James Crichton- Browne, " Parsimony in Nutrition." 



