
FOOD INVESTIGATIONS. 123 
_ Second—The best thing to do for the people is to show them 
that they can improve, explain the advantage and teach them 
how to do it. The work will be slow. Doubtless the surest 
method is teaching the young. But it is possible to do a great 
deal. 
Third—The way to go about it is to find out, first of all, how 
the people actually live, what are their actual dietary practices, 
in what details improvement is most feasible, and how the im- 
provements may best be introduced. 
For the latter are needed not only studies in the home and 
the ordinary analyses in the laboratory, but a large amount of 
abstract research which will reveal more clearly the funda- 
mental laws of nutrition. 
LINES ALONG WHICH INVESTIGATIONS NEED TO BE MADE. 
The field is new and there is much to be done. It would be 
far beyond the purpose of this Bulletin to attempt to outline all 
that needs to be undertaken. Among the more important ~ 
questions to be studied are the following: 
Calorimetry.—Considerable work has been done with the 
bomb and respiration calorimeters, as already stated. ‘This is 
really the most important investigation the Station is under- 
taking. It belongs to the higher realm of scientific research. 
Like other abstract inquiries it is the necessary foundation of 
the most useful knowledge. <A large amount of such research 
has been and will continue to be carried on by the Station. 
Digestibility of Food.—Very few accurate experiments upon 
the digestibility of the food by man have been made and, with 
the exception of a small number in this laboratory, none have 
been carried on in this country so far as the writers are aware. 
The Preparation of Food for Use. Cooking.—This is a sub- 
ject of great importance. It includes both the commercial 
preparation of food by the manufacturer and the preparation in 
the household. The actual practice of cooking in different 
households, the effects of cooking upon digestibility and nutri- 
tive value, and the ways for improvement, are themes of 
especialinterest. The field of inquiry is large. Very little has 
been done init. Scientific investigation of the highest order is 
needed. 
