DIETETICS 347 



world, is in any way harmful, provided the other ordinary rules of 

 health are attended to at the same time. 



It has also been shown by investigations carried out in Indian prisons 

 that the more virile races of India c it animal food in which protein 

 figures largely; the less virile races, on the other hand, exist mainly 

 on a vegetarian and small protein diet. By transferring members 

 of the less virile tribes to a diet containing a larger amount of protein, 

 a great improvement in physique was observed. It is noticeable, 

 also, that the children of parents who have visited Europe are often 

 of better physique than their parents. This is probably because, 

 during the visit to Europe, their parents acquired the habit of taking 

 more protein in the diet, and, consequently, the growing children 

 have received more protein, especially animal protein, than did their 

 parents when young. It is quite possible that the small physique 

 of some races is due in part to a lack of protein in the diet of their 

 ancestors. The fat in animal food may be of no less importance. 

 The mighty Norsemen were great flesh-eaters. 



In regard to the selection of foodstuffs, the table* on pp. 347-350 

 give the analyses of the most important groups of foodstuffs, with their 

 approximate cost.* Certain valuable facts can be gleaned from them 

 for the recommendation of dietaries, especially to the less well-to-do 

 classes. Thus, it will be seen that the chief protein-containing foods 

 are lean meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, legumes (peas and beans), 

 certain nuts (almond, brazil, walnut), and the cereals. The chief 

 fat-containing foods are butter, margarine, fat pork, various vegetable 

 oils (olive), and nuts (almond, brazil, cocoanut, and walnut). The 

 chief carbohydrate-containing foods are the cereal grains (wheat, 

 barley, rye, oats, etc.), with certain fruits (banana, grape, cherry, etc.), 

 and the chestnut. As watery foods may be classed milk, fresh vege- 

 tables and fruits, fresh meat, fish, and shellfish. As relatively dry 

 foods may be grouped flours and meals, bread, biscuits, dried fruits, 

 nuts, cured meats and fish, cheese, butter, sugar. It is obvious 

 that the food value of a substance is to be gauged largely by the 

 amount and nature of the dry matter it contains. 



Certain foodstuffs, chiefly natural, can in themselves supply all 

 the necessary proximate principles of food: grains, meat, eggs, milk, 

 cheese, nuts. Other foodstuffs, chiefly manufactured, supply but one 

 kind of nutrient e.g., starches (sago, tapioca), sugar, butter, lard. 

 Vegetable foodstuffs (flours, meals, oats, sugar) are relatively cheap, 

 animal foodstuffs (beef, mutton, etc.) relatively dear. In supplying 

 extra calories it is to be noted also that carbohydrates are relatively 

 cheap, fats relatively dear. The tables show, for example, that one 

 shilling may purchase as flour, 11,646 calories; as meat, 2,400 calories; 

 as fish (large amount of waste), 495 calories. 



In regard to cost, it is a great waste of money on the part of the 

 public to buy many articles already packed for them. What they 



* These prices are the average prices which were in operation in 1913-14, and 

 \v -re obtained by visiting markets and shopping quarters, especially those' where the 

 poorer classes shop. Tn-.; prises of food hive doubled during the war (see also 

 graph, p. 361). 



