April 13, 1917] 



SCIENCE 



349 



Experiments from my laboratory with 

 R. J. Anderson have recently demonstrated 

 that the same amount of energy is used by 

 a dog in running three miles in an hour 

 whether the work be done eighteen hours 

 after food ingestion, that is to say, after 

 the food has been digested and absorbed, 

 or whether it is done immediately after 

 the ingestion of glucose in large quan- 

 tity. If, however, meat in large quantity 

 is given, the extra heat production follow- 

 ing upon work amounts not only to the 

 quantity demanded for the work accom- 

 plished, but also there is added the con- 

 siderable quantity of heat produced by 

 the stimulation of metabolism through the 

 substances formed in the breakdown of 

 protein. Meat, therefore, is not the great 

 provider of energy for the accomplishment 

 of mechanical work, but rather carbo- 

 hydrate food, such as bread, macaroni and 

 rice, all of which are found in the dinner 

 pail of the laborer. These furnish fuel 

 without waste, fuel for accomplishment of 

 the day's work. Fat undoubtedly behaves 

 in a similar fashion, though experiments 

 to demonstrate this have not yet been in- 

 stituted. Meat in quantity is not neces- 

 sary for the maintenance of vigorous mus- 

 cular power. It is gratifying to the palate, 

 but Chittenden has been justified in his 

 belief that small quantities only are essen- 

 tial to repair the wear and tear on the 

 protein content of the organism. 



During the recent rise in the cost of food- 

 stuffs I compiled, at the request of an officer 

 of the State Board of Health, the follow- 

 ing low-cost meatless dietary of high calorie 

 value designed for a family of five persons, 

 the father at work and the mother doing 

 household work. Potatoes, with their valu- 

 able alkaline salts, had to be excluded 

 from the diet because of their prohibitive 

 price. The diets were based on menus 

 given in the excellent book, "Feeding the 



Family, ' ' recently published by Mrs. Mary 

 Swartz Rose. The cost amounted to $1.16 

 daily for 14,400 calories, or eight cents per 

 thousand calories, which is not a high price. 



LOW-COST MEATLESS DIETARY OP HIGH EFFI- 

 CIENCY VALUE FOE A FAMILY OF FIVE 

 PERSONS, FATHER AT WORK AND 

 MOTHER DOING HOUSEHOLD WORK 



Essentials. — Do not buy meat until you 

 have bought three quarts of milk a day. 

 Milk contains valuable tissue-building food, 

 valuable salts and invaluable vitamines 

 which help to sound health. 



If you buy bread remember that day-old 

 bread is much cheaper than freshly baked 

 bread and is just as good a food. 



The menus may be arranged as follows: 



Breakfast 

 Corn meal musli,2 fried (-1- milk for children and 



corn syrup for adults). 

 Bread (or toast). 

 Oleomargarin. 

 CofEee (for adults). 

 Stewed prunes. 

 Orange juiee for baby. 



Luncheon or Supper 

 Pork and beanss (bean soup for young children). 

 Bread. 



Oleomargarin. 



Tea with milk and sugar for adults. 

 Milk for yoimgest children. 

 Cereal coffee or cocoa for older children. 

 Sliced bananas with sugar.* 



Dinner 

 Lentil soup.o 

 Boiled riee.8 

 Tomato catsup. 



2 Or oatmeal, or hominy, or farina, or buckwheat 

 cakes. 



3 Or creamed dried beef on toast. 



* Or stewed dried peaches or the bananas may be 

 boiled in their skins. 



B Or potato, or bean, or pea soup. 



« Or spaghetti, or macaroni (with cheese) or 

 baked split peas with bacon. 



