124 
Proceedings of the Eoyal Society of Edinburgh. [Bess. 
It is in these families with regular incomes under 31s. that the most 
marked difference in favour of the 1911-12 studies is to be observed. At the 
present time their diets are about 500 Calories and 22 '7 grams of protein per 
man per day lower than in 1911. It is here, where the father has a regular 
but small wage, with no overtime work, that the rise of prices is felt most. 
2. Nature of Foodstuffs used. 
There is very little change in the commodities used since Miss Lindsay 
made her studies. Bread is still the “ staff of life.” An average of about 
' 40 per cent, of the total energy value in the studies comes from bread alone, 
and considerably more — 51 per cent, in 1911-12, and 48 per cent, in the 
war-time dietaries — was got from cereals. Oatmeal is used by twenty-nine 
of the forty families, but only in one case, that of the family almost at 
starvation level already remarked upon, does it supply a large proportion 
of nourishment, and this because of the deficiency of the other foodstuffs. 
Since meat became dearer there has been a tendency to use the cheaper 
cuts, and this leads to a slightly greater variety in the food. 
Here and there a house-mother puts into practice what she has learnt 
at “ war economy ” and other cookery classes, and utilises legumes, rice, 
etc. ; but this is not widespread, and these are still used in relatively 
small quantities. 
3. Cost. 
The cost of food per man per day in 1911-12 averaged 7’07 pence over 
all, and 6'07 pence for the poorer families. 
The average cost of the 1915-16 diets is 9‘6f pence per man per day, 
36*4 per cent, above that of 1911. The rise in the cost of living may be 
estimated by the smaller value which has been purchased for Id. in the 
latter series of studies. The average is what might be expected considering 
the rise of prices (see p. 128). 
In 1911-12 the yield was 453 Calories per Id., compared with 3505 in 
1915-16. This is equivalent to a 29*4 per cent, rise in the cost of food. 
Var iations in Cost of Food Materials during 1915-1916. 
The forty dietary studies extend over a period of a year, but they fall 
into three periods as follows : — 
(а) May-June 1915 
(б) November-December 1915 
( c ) Spring 1916 
No. of Families. 
18 
17 
5 
(a) Of the eighteen dietaries studied in June 1915, the average energy 
value purchased per Id. is 335 Calories . The value received by the different 
