THE THREE GREAT MYSTERIES OF LIFE. 



How rarely most of us give even a passing thought to either one of these 

 " great mysteries " : 



(1.) The power of the child to grow: 

 (2.) The power of the body to repair its worn-out parts: 

 (3.) The power it possesses to perform work; not only what is commonly 

 called work namely, muscular activity carried on under the con- 

 scious direction of the brain but also those marvellous, ceaseless 

 activities of the internal organs heart, lungs, liver, intestines, for 

 example performed independently of our will, which are practically 

 continuous throughout life. 



THE GROWTH OF THE BRAWNY, MUSCULAR MAN, 



from the microscopic atom which was his beginning, depends materially upon 

 the food with which he is supplied during the twenty-five years of active, 

 bodily growth. 



Measurements show conclusively that growth in height and weight are 

 influenced to a remarkable degree by 



THE DIET OF THE CHILD. 



Thus the results of a most carefully i-i.mim-ted investigation carried <>ui 

 in Scotland showed that, in families where the income was approximately 

 equal, the children of careless, ignorant parents. \\lio took no trouble about 

 the character of their food, averaged at thirteen years of age 11 Ib. less in 

 weight and 3!/4 inches less in height than children in homes where thought 

 and trouble were given to this important matter. Hut of far givatrr moment 

 than the quantity of bodily increase is its qua Jit it- 



Mental capacity, a well-balanced nervous system, a high standard of 

 morality, are the product, to a degree realized by but few of us, of the 

 standard of nutrition maintained during the years of growth. 



THE WEAKNESS AND LOSS OF FLESH ASSOCIATED WITH 

 DEFICIENT FOOD, 



and the fact that death succeeds prolonged starvation, are results so familiar 

 that no further proofs are called for to show that, in the absence of suited 

 food, the daily wear and tear of the body are not made good ; it wastes away, 

 while the power to move and work gradually ceases. 



Now, most of us have at some time or another heard 



THE HUMAN BODY COMPARED TO A STEAM-ENGINE; 



though, as a matter of fact, it is infinitely more marvellous in its construc- 

 tion and mode of work than any man-made machine, srill, the comparison 

 helps us to explain this subject of what food does for our bodies; for some 

 kinds of food may be described as the building material of which the engine 

 is constructed, while other kinds of food (called " energy -producers") 

 correspond to the fuel employed to heat the engine's boilers. If the metal 

 of which the engine is constructed is poor in quality, or if repairs be care- 

 lessly carried out, the engine fails to do good work, no matter how abundant 

 and excellent is the fuel with which its fires are stoked. Or if the fuel 

 be poor in quality or deficient in quantity the most perfectly built engine 

 becomes useless. Similarly with the body. If poor material is supplied in 

 the form of food, either growth, power of self-repair, or capacity for work, 

 or possibly all three, will suffer to a greater or less degree. 



