August 16, 1918] 
poses it does not make much difference what the 
diluting flour is (p. 69). 
In comparing American and European extrac- 
tions, the water content of flours must be kept in 
mind. Here the flour contains about 13 per cent. 
of water, in Europe higher water content is per- 
mitted, 17 per cent. being common. In other 
words, our 72 per cent. extraction corresponds to a 
78 per cent. extraction in Europe (p. 76). 
The germ contains both ferments and bacteria, 
and is, therefore, prone to decomposition. The 
ferments split the fats, making them rancid. They 
act upon the protein also. Aided by bacteria, they 
produce the musty decomposition that is liable to 
occur in coarse flours, and does not occur in stand- 
ard flours under the same circumstances (p. 77). 
The common experience with whole wheat flour 
is that it spoils rapidly, even in the hands of the 
trade; and this is one reason why whole wheat 
flours are expensive (p. 81). 
Breads made from flours containing the endo- 
sperm and the germ fraction are not unusually 
good breads. The writer has eaten breads baked 
from flours of 81, 85, 88, 93 and 97 per cent. ex- 
traction in Germany, England and France (p. 82). 
European bakers have worked for over two years 
to produce good breads from these flours. It has 
not been routinely accomplished in any country. 
The methods of bread baking are very different in 
France, Italy, Germany and England. The stand- 
ards of what constitutes good bread and the tastes 
of the public are different. In not one of these 
countries have the bakers been able to meet the 
tastes of the consuming classes with breads made 
from flours containing the endosperm and the germ 
fraction. The loaf is smaller, the moisture content 
higher, often tending to sogginess, does not crust 
well, and remains, when all is said and done, an 
unsatisfactory bread. The revulsion against this 
bread has been audible in every country, the peo- 
ple have repeatedly petitioned that they be given 
less bread and better bread (p. 83). 
It has been the experience in the European coun- 
tries that breads prepared from higher extraction 
flours do not agree with many individuals, This 
holds as true of breads made from the 85 per cent. 
extraction as from the 93 per cent. extraction. 
Many children and adults fail to digest these 
breads. The result is discomfort and often colic, 
gaseous fermentation, and resultant disturbances of 
intestinal functions (p. 84). 
It is the experience of the nations at war in Eu- 
1 Note as Dr. Taylor explains, 81 European ex- 
traction would be 78 American basis. 
SCIENCE 
155 
rope that they would abandon higher extraction 
and return to mixed flours, prepared from stand- 
ard flour, provided this were possible. Breads 
made in England of Standard American flour di- 
luted with an admixing flour are much better than 
straight breads of 85 per cent. extraction flour. 
The Victory Bread of the United States is so su- 
perior to the war bread of the Allies and of the 
enemies as to be past comparison (p. 86). 
Dr. Taylor discusses, in a broad way, the 
mineral and vitamine contents of whole wheat 
and standard flours. He recognizes the com- 
mon deficiency of all cereals in failing to sup- 
ply certain fat soluble constituents which can 
be secured only through foods like milk, meat 
and leaf vegetables, and hence he can see no 
gain in the substitution of whole wheat for 
standard extraction flour. He says: 
In the diet of the nations at war there is a pro- 
fusion of vegetables, more than in peace time, that 
contain minerals, roughage and vitamines freely. 
Go where one will, in the United Kingdom, France, 
Germany, Switzerland or Holland, one finds the 
diet of the people to-day rougher, coarser and con- 
taining more vegetables and less concentrated food 
stuffs than in peace time (pp. 87-88). 
Under these circumstances, the plea for whole 
wheat flour in the American diet to-day fails of 
justification from this point of view. People 
should be allowed to select their roughage, whether 
in the form of fruits or vegetables, or in the form 
of whole grains. They should be allowed to select 
their mineral salts and vitamines in the same man- 
ner, and both are freely available. The legal dis- 
tinetion between food conservation and health 
propaganda must be kept in mind. It is argued in 
favor of whole wheat flour that its use might re- 
lieve or prevent constipation, rickets, scurvy, 
anaemia and pellagra. But the function of a food 
administration is to secure and conserve food, not 
treat preexisting diseases in a compulsory manner, 
applied to the majority who are not afflicted, as 
well as to the minority who may be diseased but 
still possess the right to select their treatment. In 
each country at war diet fads are being pushed at 
the food administration, who must confine them- 
selves to the specific functions defined by legisla- 
tive authorization (pp. 89-90). 
As Dr. Taylor is a member of the U. S. Food 
Administration, and of the War Trade Board, 
Washington, naturally any statements which 
he publishes, particularly at this time, are of 
