I 1 4 HUMAN BIOL OGY 



excretion of nitrogen. When the body became used to it, 

 this decreased, but the proteid excreted by the kidneys 

 contained an abnormal amount of a harmful material called 

 uric acid. Uric acid, a substance which is present in 

 rheumatism and other diseases, is usually destroyed by 

 the liver. As the burden of destroying the alcohol falls 

 chiefly upon the liver, it is not surprising to find that it is 

 so weakened and injured by alcoholic drink that it cannot 

 fully perform its important functions. Bright's disease 

 and other diseases accompanied by uric acid are more 

 frequent among persons who use alcoholic drinks. 



Definition of Food. — A food is anything which* after being absorbed 

 by the body, nourishes the body without injuring it. Does alcohol or 

 tobacco come within this definition? 



Advantages of Good Cooking. — Taste and flavor may be developed : 

 parasites are killed ; taste may be improved by combining foods ; starch 

 grains are burst and the food softened. Thus digestion is aided. 



Disadvantages of Bad Cooking. — Proteid foods are hardened ; flavors 

 may be driven off; too many kinds of food may be mixed; cooked 

 vegetables are more likely to ferment than raw vegetables ; palatable 

 food may be made tasteless or soggy or greasy ; soda and other indiges- 

 tible ingredients may be added ; food may be so highly seasoned as to 

 cause catarrh of the stomach ; it may so stimulate the appetite that so 

 much is eaten as to overload the stomach. Food may be made so soft 

 that it cannot be chewed and is eaten too rapidly: for instance, bread 

 shortened with much grease. 



The Five Modes of Cooking. — Food may be cooked (i) by heat 

 radiating from glowing coals or a flame, as in broiling: (2) by hot 

 air, as baking in a hot oven : (3) by boiling in hot water or grease, as 

 frying: (4) by hot water, not boiling, as in stewing; (5) by steaming. 



Radiant Heat. — Toasting bread and broiling meat are examples. 

 The meat should be turned over every ten seconds to send its juices 

 back and forth, thus preventing their escape, and broiling the meat 

 in the heat of its own juices. Roasting is an example of this 

 method combined with the second method. The fire should be hot at 

 first in order to sear the outside of the meat and prevent the escape of 

 its juices. If the piece roasted is small, the hot fire may be kept up ; 

 but if it is large, a longer time is required, and the fire should be 

 decreased, otherwise the outside will be scorched before the central part 



