99 



consists of cells with starch and but little else, the germ being at 

 the base of the seed where a wrinkled spot may be observed 

 externally. This germ, though very small, is highly nutr tious, 

 but it is usually discarded by millers, as it is apt to impart a 

 colour which detracts from the whiteness of the flour. This white- 

 ness, however, indicates its defect in nutrition, for it is due to 

 starch which contains no nitrogen. 



If the bran — which includes the cerealin layer — be removed, 

 this valuable layer is lost. Consequently, to secure the full value 

 of the wheat the entire grain should be ground up, such being 

 best of all, provided it be sufficiently finely ground and very care- 

 fully sifted to remove all extraneous matters as p'eces of chaff, 

 scale, etc., often to be found in coarsely ground whole meal. 



The following are a few samples of the carbonaceous product** 

 of vegetables having the same ingredients, namely, carbon, hydro- 

 gen and oxygen, the carbo-hydrates being C 6 H 10 0 5 ; cellulose, 

 starch, inulin (in Jerusalem artichokes), lichenin, gum, dextrin, 

 levulin, mucilage. These are all carbo-hydrates. Of sugars, there 

 are saccharose, i.e., cane sugar C 12 H 22 0 1:L ,laevulose (fruit suga*-] 

 C 6 H 12 0 6 and glucose (grape sugar), also C 6 H 12 0 6 . 



Of wax and oil, are stearin, palmit'n and olein. These have 

 the three elements in largest proportions, thus olein is C 3 H 5 

 (C 18 H 33 0 2 ) 3 or, in percentages, C, 77.4; H, 11.8; O, 10. S. 

 There are numerous acids all composed of carbon, hydrogen, ani 

 oxygen, but in varying proportions. Such are formic, acetic, 

 palmitic, stearic, oleic, lactic, oxalic, malic, tartaric, etc. 



Besides this long list, there are several other things composed 

 of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. 



Nitrogenous products. These are composed of the same three 

 elements together with nitrogen. Asparagine, in the asparagus, is 

 an example, and they are summed up as " albuminoids," forming 

 the most important substances of food. 



Alkaloids form an important nitrogenous group, many being 

 useful to us, others are poisonous. For example, tea, coffee, 

 Paraguay tea, and cocoa. Though of quite different families, 

 all contain the same, which gives the peculiarity to these drinks. 

 Of poisonous alkaloids, there are coniine of hemlock, nicotine of 

 tobacco, morphine of poppy, strychnine, atropine of belladonna, 

 etc. 



These are all made by the action of Life by inducing chemical 

 changes among the elements of plant food, all having doubtless 

 some useful purpose in the plant, but it cannot be traced in every 

 case. 



Let us briefly consider what combinations of these products 

 are best able to build up and restore waste in animal life ; what 

 may be called the most nutritious diet or the typical food. This 

 should consist of the three ingredients, farinaceous (starch), 

 oleaginous (oil or fat), and albuminoids or nitrogenous (proteids). 

 Nature seems to have suggested the following associations, with- 

 out our cooks knowing the reason why — bread, butter and cheese ; 



