348 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLV. No. 1163 



England has already restricted the area 

 of land which can be devoted to promotion 

 of the beer industry. The commission 

 states that repeated experience shows that 

 alcohol is unfavorable to the marching 

 powers of troops. 



It is of especial significance that in the 

 stress of war the British state recognizes 

 that the laborer, in buying food for him- 

 self, is in the main buying energy to sup- 

 port himself as a machine. It seems to be 

 the crying need of the times that those who 

 purchase food shall be able to know what 

 food is, what they are getting for their 

 money, and whether in asking for bread 

 they are in reality receiving stones. 



Murlin was the first to suggest that the 

 government compel manufacturers to place 

 upon each can, or package, or barrel of 

 food sold, the calorie content available as 

 food fuel. Only in this manner can the 

 housewife be informed regarding the rela- 

 tive nutritive value of the beautiful pack- 

 ages she sees in the grocer's window. In 

 my judgment the time is ripe for this pro- 

 cedure. One knows, furthermore, that dif- 

 ferent proteins have different values, and 

 to this knowledge Dr. Mendel has con- 

 tributed not a little. I wish to repeat what 

 I said before the Washington Academy of 

 Sciences a year ago: 



The proteins of meat, fish, eggs and milk wiU 

 replace body protein part for part. Such proteins 

 may be classified as proteins of Grade A. Gelatin 

 has practically no power to replace body protein 

 and should be classified as protein of Grade D. 

 Wheat contains a mixture of proteins of Grades 

 A and D in which those of Grade A predominate, 

 so that wheat may be classified aa containing pro- 

 tein of Grade B, whereas from analogous reason- 

 ing corn may be said to contain protein of 

 Grade C. 



An ordinary dietary with a liberal allowance of 

 protein contains 15 per cent, of its calories in that 

 form. A can containing 15 per cent, of its calories 

 in protein should have a star placed with the letter 

 determinative of the grade of protein. For ex- 

 ample the label on a can of corn should read, 

 ' ' This can contains x calories, of which y per cent. 



are in protein of Grade C." A further desirable 

 statement would be as to whether the food-stuff 

 sold contained the natural mineral constituents 

 from the organic source from which it was derived. 

 I have repeatedly emphasized the desirability 

 that the government should give this information 

 vrith regard to aU food-stuffs sold in packages. 

 The determination of the heat of combustion of a 

 dried sample of food takes fifteen minutes. Prob- 

 ably three hours would suffice to make a complete 

 analysis by a government expert. The mantifae- 

 turer should send his sample can to the Bureau of 

 Chemistry at Washington, declaring that to be his 

 standard and requesting information regarding his 

 label. He should pay for this analysis as a paten- 

 tee pays for his patent. If at any time the gov- 

 ernment should find the manufacturer selling on 

 the market a material of different character than 

 the standard deposited with the government, the 

 manufacturer should be heavily fined. 



It seems that these doctrines might be 

 powerfully forwarded at the present time. 

 I believe that they are sound doctrines, 

 potent for accomplishing immeasurable 

 good. It has passed unnoticed that during 

 the current year the cereal products, such 

 as wheat flour, oatmeal, hominy and rice, 

 are all selling on the basis of the same value 

 per thousand calories. The world's neces- 

 sity has caused this. 



A year ago I prepared a table represent- 

 ing the cost of 2„,,i 00 calories in various 

 foods and a comparison of the cost of these 

 to-day is presented in the following table : 



WEIGHTS OP VARIOUS FOODS NECESSABY TO PUENISH 



2,500 CALORIES AND COST AT 91ST STREET AND 



SECOND AVENDE, NEW YORK CITY 



(A man of sedentary occupation requires 2,500 

 calories daily.) 



