CHAPTER X. 

 THE SCIENCE OF DIETETICS. 



In order that a proper assortment of amino bodies may be 

 assured in the diet, protein is taken in excess of the quan- 

 tity necessary to repair the tissues. It has been thought 

 by some that the surplus thus taken by the average indi- 

 vidual is much more than need be, and that an unnecessary strain 

 is thus thrown on the organs which have to dispose of the excess. 

 It has been claimed by the adherents of this view that many of 

 the obscure symptoms headaches, muscular and back pains, 

 sleepiness, etc. that city folk are liable to suffer from, are due 

 to the presence in the blood of unnecessary by-products of ex- 

 cessive protein metabolism. Such opinions seemed to receive 

 very weighty indorsement some years ago when Chittenden pub- 

 lished a long series of observations showing that men in various 

 callings in life, could perform their daily work quite satisfac- 

 torily and apparently maintain their health after reducing the 

 protein of their diets to less than half of the usual amount. No 

 direct benefit could be claimed for this reduction except that 

 some of the men believed that they felt better and fitter and 

 more inclined for work, an improvement which admits of no 

 quantitative measurement because of the psychological elements 

 involved. Even although these observations were conducted 

 with all the care and accuracy of the highly trained scientist, 

 they have been considered quite inadequate to justify the claim 

 that man takes too much protein, but the observations have been 

 of immense value in compelling a careful review of the evidence 

 that the proportion of protein which habit has prescribed, as 

 being the proper one for us to take, is really the most suitable 

 for our daily needs. 



There are, however, differences in the protein content of the 

 diet according to the race and environment. This has been as- 

 certained by compiling the stardard diet for a community, that 



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