10 THE POTATO 



same direction. The lowering of the alkalinity 

 of the blood by acid-forming foods, especially by 

 the free use of meat, is unquestionably one 

 of the chief causes of the rapid increase in chronic 

 diseases, the mortality from which has doubled 

 within thirty years, causing a loss annually of 

 350,000 more lives than would occur if the aver- 

 age citizen was as healthy as he was thirty years 

 ago. This is probably also one of the chief causes 

 of arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, 

 gout, rheumatism, Bright's disease, apoplexy, and 

 other degenerative maladies. The alkaline salts 

 of vegetables are needed to balance the dietary. If 

 the consumption of potatoes in this country could 

 be quadrupled, the result would undoubtedly be 

 the saving of many thousands of lives annually and 

 an incalculable amount of suffering from disease. 



"The great nutritive value of the potato, not- 

 withstanding the fact that it is three fourths 

 water, may be best shown by comparing it with 

 other known foods. A study of the nutritive 

 value of various common foodstuffs shows that 

 one pound of baked potato is equivalent in total 

 nutritive value to the quantities of various foods 

 shown in the following table: 



Food Equivalent in Total Food Value to One Pound of 

 Baked Potato 



1 pounds of boiled potato 



5f ounces boiled beef 



1 pound of chicken 



1 pounds of codfish 



2J pints of oysters (solids) 



4 pints of clams (in shell) 



4f pints of beef juice 



10 pints bouillon or beef tea 



If pints whole milk 



