FOOD AND DRINK 103 



26. Wheaten bread contains nearly every principle requisite 

 for sustaining life, except fat. This is commonly added in 

 other articles of diet, especially in butter, " bread and butter," 

 consequently, forming an almost perfect article of food. The 

 following experiment is recorded : " A dog eating ad libitum of 

 white bread, made of pure wheat, and freely supplied with 

 water, did not live beyond fifty days. He died at the end of 

 that time with all the signs of gradual exhaustion." Death 

 took place, not because there was anything hurtful in the 

 bread, but because of the "absence of one or more of the food 

 principles. 



27. The Potato. The common or Irish potato is the vege- 

 table most extensively used in this country and Great Britain. 

 Among the poorer classes in Ireland it is the main article of 

 food. While it is not so rich in nutritious substances as many 

 others, it has some very useful qualities. It keeps well from 

 season to season, and men do not weary of its continuous use. 

 it is more than two-thirds water, the rest being chiefly starch, 

 with a little albumen. 



28. The sweet potato differs from the white or common in 

 containing more water and a small proportion of sugar. The 

 common potato and the tomato belong to the same botanical 

 order as the " nightshades," but do not possess their poisonous 



fectly cooked. Very often the elements of wheat and fat which the body 

 demands (a wise and witty clergyman of the last generation used to say, 

 'bread is the staff of life, but bread and butter is a gold-headed cane ') 

 are furnished in underdone pastry, made from flour and hog's lard. Any 

 family who will take the pains can have good bread. It involves not 

 more than ordinary skill and judgment. It is to be found on the con- 

 tinent of Europe, on all the great lines of travel, and is as common 

 among the people of France and Germany as it is rare with us. The 

 materials for an honest, wholesome loaf are simple and not expensive. 

 The value of time and labor required for kneading the dough are the 

 only difficulties, and these we would not undervalue ; they are in many 

 families very serious, and not easily overcome." Derby on the Food 4 

 Massachusetts. 



26. Wheaten bread ? Bread and butter ? Experiment on the dog? 



27. State what is said of the Irish potato. 



38. Sweet potato ? Nightshades ? Potatoes when germinating ? 



