Food-Grains of India. 



extracted by means of ether or of benzene from two cereals and 

 two pulses. 



Wheat Oil 



Rice Oil 



Pease Oil 



Bean Oil 



If we accept Carbon 76, Hydrogen 11-5, and Oxygen 12-5, as 

 representing the average composition of the oils in question, 

 we shall probably not be far wrong. 



It should be noted that many oils expressed from seeds or 

 fruits are added to the other staple articles of Indian diet. 

 Amongst these may be cited the oils and fats expressed from 

 the coco-nut, and the fruits from other palms ; from safiflower, 

 niger, and sunflower seeds amongst the composites ; from 

 mustard, rape, and gold of pleasure seeds amongst the cTucifers ; 

 from linseed, and from sesame seed. These oils do not differ 

 appreciably from the oils extracted from cereals and pulse, so 

 far as their food value is concerned. On the other hand, 

 animal oils and fats, such as clarified butter or milk-fat, 

 contain no free fatty acids, consisting wholly of the glycerine 

 compounds of stearic, palmitic, oleic, butyric, and other allied 

 acids. 



Uses of Food. — A very little reflection will show that the 

 office of food in the body is threefold. The daily and con- 

 tinuous material losses of the body must be made good ; this 

 is accomplished by food as a building and reparative material. 

 Secondly, the warmth of the body must be maintained by food 

 as a warming material or fuel. Thirdly, food must constantly 

 supply the amount of energy necessary for the performance of 

 the external and internal work of the body. The human 

 body has often been likened to a locomotive steam- engine. 

 With some important differences there are striking analogies 

 between these structures. In the one case there is food, 

 in the other coal ; in the one case there is an incessant and 

 considerable consumption of material which has become part 



