PART IV. j The Minimum Amount of most Economical Forms of Food. 68 1 



greater is the drain upon the assimilated carbonaceous [-i.e., starchy, saccharine 

 and oleaginous] aliments ; but the wick itself (to which for simplicity of illustration 

 I have compared the living tissues) is not wasted by this extra combustion to anything 

 like a corresponding extent. Even this waste, however, requires to be replaced as 

 well as the used-up carbonaceous material, and there is an instinctive inclination to 

 supply the general loss, but the food resorted to for the purpose depends very 

 much on the habits of individuals. 



74. No specially devised experiments appear to have been undertaken in this 

 country with a view to ascertain the amount of food and the relative proportion in 

 which the several alimentary principles should be given so as to ensure that they 

 should be utilized in the animal economy to the best advantage. The only data 

 available for the study of these points are those furnished by experiments which have 

 been conducted in Europe and chiefly in the persons of well-to-do individuals 

 accustomed to partake more or less largely of animal food, and consequently of a 

 food richer in nitrogenous principles than that of the poorer classes in this country. 

 The natural tendency of the teaching which is based on such experiments is to 

 exaggerate the amount of albuminates necessary when considering the requirements of 

 a population more vegetarian in its habits. It has been estimated that a dietary 

 composed of some 4^ ounces of dry albuminoid or nitrogenous food, of \^\ ounces of 

 carbo-hydrates (starch, sugar, etc.) and 3 ounces of fatty matters, is sufficient to 

 maintain a European, of an average weight of 150 to 160 lbs., in good health 

 whilst undergoing a fair amount of hard labour, and this scale has been suggested as a 

 standard for general adoption. The nutritive value of such a diet, expressed in terms 

 of nitrogen and carbon, is equal to about 316 grains of the former and 5,000 of the 

 latter. It has, however, been ascertained that the poorer class of in-door labourers in 

 England do not obtain anything like so much as this ; and that the diet of the 

 English soldier, when on home service, contains only 266 grains of nitrogen and 4,700 

 grains of carbon (Parkes). Moreover, Dr. Ranke, a well-known name in connection 

 with the subject of dietetics, found that he could keep himself and do a fair amount 

 of work on a diet containing 243 grains of nitrogen. His weight was 162^ lbs.* 



75. This is not the place to discuss in the abstract whether a diet, consisting 

 largely or not at all of animal food, is the best for general adoption ; nor does it fall 

 within the province of this memorandum to consider the most suitable dietaries for 

 training purposes or for the sick : the question is — what is the minimum amount of 

 the most economical forms of food which experience has shown to be compatible with 

 the exaction of a fair, average task-work, and at the same time to maintain native 

 prisoners in health. The scales of diet of which the most accurate information can be 



* The average weight of an English soldier may be taken as about 150 lbs., though this is probably a 

 low estimate ; hence, if 266 grains of nitrogen be sufficient for him, the proportion in a diet which should 

 suffice for a person weighing 110 lbs. would be 195 grains ; whilst, on a like computation based on 

 Br. Ranke's diet and weight, the amount of nitrogen would be 165 grains. 



