NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS. 443 



tute of Tuskegee, in cooperation with Prof. Booker T. Washington, 

 and at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute and the Alabama Experiment 

 Station, Auburn, in cooperation with Prof. B. B. Ross. The work 

 covered a study of the food consumption of the negroes in the neigh- 

 borhood of the " black belt" of Alabama, and of the chemical compo- 

 sition of the food materials used by negroes. The work was carried 

 on under the immediate supervision of Prof. W. O. Atwater and Mr. 

 Charles D. Woods, of Middletown, Conn., and was aided in many ways 

 by Pres. W. L. Broun, of the Polytechnic Institute, at Auburn. The 

 details of much of the work were in charge of Mr. H. M. Smith, of 

 Middletown, Conn., and Mr. J. W. Hoffman, of the Tuskegee Institute. 



The immediate purpose in conducting an inquiry into the food of 

 the colored population of Alabama was to obtain information as to the 

 kind, amounts, and composition of the food materials used. The 

 ulterior purpose was to get light upon the hygienic and pecuniary 

 economy of their diet, its deficiencies, and the ways in which it might 

 be improved and the steps which should be taken to bring about an 

 improvement. 



Twenty dietary studies were made with different classes of negro 

 families, from those who had felt the elevating influence of the Tuske- 

 gee Institute to families of plantation laborers in the poorest of cir- 

 cumstances. As a result of the studies it was found that the charac- 

 teristic "hog and hominy" diet in common use was markedly deficient 

 in protein, while furnishing, in many instances, a large amount of 

 energy. 



The investigations were not continued after the close of the fiscal 

 year ended June 30, 1896. The results of the investigations are 

 reported in Bulletin No. 38 of this Office on Dietary Studies with 

 Reference to the Food of the Negro in Alabama in 1895 and 1896, by 

 W. O. Atwater and C. D. Woods. 



CALIFORNIA. 



A series of investigations was begun in cooperation with the Uni- 

 versity of California in 1896, and is being carried on at the present 

 time. The work in charge of Prof. M. E. Jaffa has included dietary 

 studies of infants, athletes, professional men, fruitarians, and Chinese; 

 digestion experiments with an infant and a fruitarian, and analyses of 

 California food materials. Professor Jaffa has been aided by Messrs. 

 G. E. Colby, F. J. Snow, R. R. Bishop, and C. L. Biedenbach. Valu- 

 able aid in the work with the Chinese was also received from Mr. 

 W. N. Fong, instructor in Oriental languages at the University of 

 California. 



Besides the lines of inquiry just mentioned, Mr. W. C. Blasdale, 

 instructor in chemistry at the university, made a study of the compo- 

 sition of Chinese vegetable food materials. The work is being con- 

 tinued by Professor Jaffa at the present time. 



