Changes in Diet to be Gradual. Changes in the dietary to be made by degrees.

I may here advert to a belief which appears to be widely entertained, viz. that fish contains certain elements which adapt it in an especial manner to renovate the brain, and so to support mental labour. There is no foundation whatever for this view: the value of fish to the brain-worker is due simply to the facts already referred to, viz. that it contains, in smaller proportion than meat, those materials which, taken abundantly, demand more physical labour for their complete consumption, and which without this produce an unhealthy condition of body, more or less incompatible with the easy and active exercise of the functions of the brain.

Having enunciated some general principles, which it is important should first be established, I shall offer some illustrations of the manner in which they may be applied. This brings us to the second division of the subject, viz. the selection of food and the best modes of preparing it for general use; in other words, a sketch of the elementary principles of cooking with typical illustrations. Dealing first with that of the agricultural labourer, our object is to economize his small pittance; to give him, if possible, a rather more nutritive, wholesome, and agreeable dish - and it is assumed that he can have but one - than his means have hitherto furnished. But here there is little scope for change; already said to live chiefly on bread and cheese, with bacon occasionally, two indications only for improvement can be followed, viz. augmentation of nitrogenous matter and of fatty matter, to support the body and to furnish heat and force. A fair proportion of meat, one of the best means of fulfilling them, is not within his reach. First, his daily bread ought to contain all the constituents of the wheat, instead of being made of flour from which most of the mineral elements have been removed; a subject to be considered at some length hereafter (see pp. 78 - 80). But beans and peas are richer in nitrogen than wheat, although not so easily assimilated, and contain less fat, the last being in small quantity, while maize has three times their proportion of fat. Hence all of these would be useful additions to his dietary when they can be well digested, being cheaper than wheat in the market, although the retail demand being at present small, they may not be so in the small shops. It may be remembered how well the "Erbswurst," which derives its value, for men whose powers of digestion are sharpened by hard labour in the open air, from the legumes combined with animal fat, supported the work of the German armies during the winter of 1870 - 71. It consisted of a well-cooked puree of peas, mixed with a considerable proportion of bacon or lard, and dried so as to be portable, constituting in small compass a perfect food, especially suitable for supporting muscular activity and exposure to cold. It probably nearly equalled in value preserved meat,, prepared by salting or other processes for transport, being not only less bulky, but more convenient for use without delay at any time. By no means to be depended on as a staple, or to take the place of fresh meat, it was a most valuable supplement when the latter was not available. It was better also, because it was relished cold, or could be converted in a few minutes into good soup with boiling water. But for our labourer probably the best of the legumes is the haricot bean, red or white, the dried mature bean of the plant whose pods we eat in the early green state as "French beans."* For this purpose they may be treated thus: Soak, say, a quart of the dried haricots in cold water for about sixteen to twenty-four hours, after which place them in a saucepan, with two quarts of cold water and a little salt, on the fire; when boiling remove to the corner and simmer slowly until the beans are tender; the time required being about at least three hours, This quantity will fill If the water is hard, a little soda should be added to soften it.

The dietary of the working man.