Bulletin No. 54. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. L'5U N ivm X IN 18 9 7 BY ARTHUR GOSS, M. S. RV. NEW MEXICO COLLEGE OF AND MECHANIC ARTS WASHTXOTON: OOVERX.M KXT PRINTING OFFICE. 1898. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS ON THE FOOD AND NUTRITION OF MAN. 1 (haits. Pood and Diet. By W» O. Atwater. (Four cuarta, 26 by 40 inches.) Price per H.t, unmonnted, 75 oentsj mounted, ii. Bul. 21. Methods and Results pf Investigations on the Chemistry and Economy <>f Food, By W. O. AtwateT. Pp.222. Price, 16 cents. ' ui.28. The Chemical Composition <>i American Food Materials. By W.O.Atwater and C. D. Woods. Pp.47. Price, 6 cents. '. Dietary Btndies at the University of Tennessee in L&95. By C. K. Wait, with <<»in imnts by W. < >. At water and C. I >. Woods. Pp. id. Price, j& cents. Bui. 31. 1 Hetarv studies at the University of Missouri in l *!>.">, and ] tats Relating to Bread and Meal Consumption in Missouri. By ll. B. Gibson, S. Calvert, and l>. W . Ma\. with comments by W. (). At water and ( '. I). Woods. Pp. 24. Wee, 5 cents. Bui. 32. Dietary Studies at Purdue University, Lafayette, Iml., in 1895. By w. K. Stone, with comments l>v W. < >. At water and ('. D. Wood-. Pp. 28. J'riee, iit-. 1'iul. 35; Food and Nutrition investigations in New Jersey in 1895 and 189<>. By E. B, Voorhees. Pp.40. Price, 5 cents. Bnl. 37. Dietary Studies at the Maine State College in 1*9.~,. By W. H.Jordan. Pp. f>7. Price, 5 cents. Bnl.38. Dietary studies with Reference to the Food of the Negro in Alabama iu 1895 and 1896. Conducted with the Cooperation of the Tnskegee Normal and Industrial Institute and the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama. Reported by W. 0. Atwater and c. D. Woods. Pp. 09. Price, 5 cents. Bul. 40. Dietar\ studies in New Mexico in 189."). ByA. Goss. Pp.23. Price, 5 cents. Bol. 43. Losses in Boiling Vegetables and the Composition and Digestibility of Potatoes and Eggs. By H. Snyder, A.J. Frisby, and A. P. Bryant. Pp.31. Price. ."» cents. Bnl. 41. Report of Preliminary Investigations on the Metabolism of Nitrogen and Carbon in the Unman Organism with a Respiration Calorimeter of Special Construction. By \Y. O. Atwater, C. D. Woods, and F. G. Benedict. Pp. 64. Price, 5 ceuts. Bnl. 16. A Digest of Metabolism Experiments iu which the Balance of Income and Outgo was Determined. By W. O. Atwater and C. F. Lang worthy. Pp. 131. Price, 2;"3 cents. Bnl. 46. Dietary Studies in New York City in 1895 and 1896. By W. O. Atwater aud C.D.Woods. Pp.117. Price, 10 cents. Bul. 52. Nutrition Investigations in Pittsburg, Pa., 1891-1896. By Isabel Bevier. Pp. 48. Price. 5 cents. Bul. 53. Nutrition Investigations at the University of Tennessee iu 1896 and 1897. B\ C. E. Wait. Pp.46. Price, 5 ceuts. FARMERS' BULLETINS. Bul. 23. Foods: Nutritive Value and Cost. By W. <>. Atwater. Pp. 32. Bul. 34, Meats; Composition and Cooking. By C. D. Woods. Pp. 29. Bnl. 71. Milk as Pood. Pp. 39. 1 For those publications to which a price is affixed application should be made to the Superintendent of Documents, Union Building, Washington, D. C, the o nated by law to sell Government publications. Bulletin No. 54. 250 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. \ in r IN 18 9 7 BY ARTHUR GOSS, M. S., PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY', NEW MEXICO COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1898. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Experiment Stations, Washingt07i, D. C, May 15, 1898. Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on food and dietary investigations in New Mexico, made by Arthur Goss, M. S., pro- fessor of chemistry in the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts and chemist of the Agricultural Experiment Station of New Mexico. The work here reported is in continuation of that recorded in Bulletin No. 40 of this Office and consists of a study of the composi- tion of a side of New Mexico beef and a dietary study of a poor Mexi- can family living near Las Oruces, N. Mex. In connection with the study of the composition of meat a considerable number of analyses were made. These investigations constitute a part of the nutrition investigations in charge of this Office. They were conducted under the immediate supervision of Prof. W. O. Atwater, special agent in charge of nutrition investigations, in accordance with instructions given by the Director of this Office. The New Mexico College and Station have cor- dially cooperated with the Department in this work. In the analytical work valuable assistance was rendered by A. M. Holt, M. S., assistant, chemist of the station. Professor Goss's report is respectfully submitted with the recommen- dation that it be published as Bulletin No. 54 of this Office. A. C. Trie, Director. Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture. 3 CONTENTS Page. Outline of the work 7 Analytical study of a side of New Mexico range beef 7 General conditions influencing beef raising in New Mexico 7 Methods of analysis ". 9 Results of analysis 12 Comparison of the composition of beef from different parts of the United States 14 Dietary study of a poor Mexican family 14 Conditions of life 14 Details of the study 15 Discussion of results 18 ILLUSTRATIONS. Plate I. Fig. 1. A row of adobe houses in New Mexico; Fig. 2. Mexican fam- ily at dinner in front of their adobe house; Fig. 3. Mexican women preparing tortillas 14 Fig. 1. Diagram showing cuts of beef used in this investigation 10 5 NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS IN NEW MEXICO IN 1897. OUTLINE OF THE WORK. The nutrition investigations carried on by the New Mexico Experi- ment Station during the past year, herewith reported, include analyses of native beef and a dietary study. The larger part of the available time was devoted to the analytical study of a side of beef, taken from a steer representing as fairly as possible the average animal raised upon the New Mexico cattle ranges, for the purpose of obtaining data for a comparison of average New Mexico range beef with beef from other sections or from animals grown under different conditions. The dietary study is a continuation of work previously reported 1 and was made with one of the families studied in the earlier investigation. The family was regarded as typical of the ordinary Mexicans of limited income, who make up the greater portion of the common laborers of New Mexico. ANALYTICAL STUDY OF A SIDE OF NEW MEXICO RANGE BEEF. GENERAL CONDITIONS INFLUENCING BEEF RAISING IN NEW MEXICO. The location, climatic conditions, and surface conformation of New Mexico are such that the greater part of the Territory is pastoral rather than agricultural. From the general conditions under which cattle are raised in this Territory, marked differences in the composi- tion of their flesh as compared with that of animals raised in other localities might be expected. A large area of the Territory is elevated table-land or mesa, varying in height from between 6,000 and 6,500 feet above sea level at the north to 4,000 feet in the south. This region is traversed by irregular and broken ranges of mountains and furrowed by rivers and streams, along which is found the only arable land. Climate and rainfall. — The climate is exceedingly dry, so much so that meat left in the open air dries without putrefaction. The annual rainfall is very slight, the average for eight years being less than U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 40. 8 1 1.', inches. The average rainfall for Maine Tennessee, and Texas is approximately 46, 5*, and 29 inches, respectively. The rainy season. which is usually confined almost entirely to the late summer months, begins sometime between the middle of July and the middle of August and lasts only about four weeks. To one unfamiliar with New Mexico conditions the apparently barren stretches of mesa which Burround the valleys appear utterly worthless. But wherever there is sufficient water, either in streams or springs, grass is abundant, and under the influence <>f the summer rains plains that were apparently entirely bare will turn green and become valuable pasture land in a very short time, liven the seemingly dry barren mesa produces much valuable forage and supports large numbers of sheep and cattle throughout the entire year. The climate is such that shelter is not required. Xntir, grasses and foragt plants.— The majority of the wild forage plants of New Mexico are grasses. They may be divided into two different groups — those which grow in the moist and alkaline soil of the valleys and those which are found on the mesa and which depend solely on the scant rainfall for their supply of moisture. To the first group belong several rapidly growing annual grasses, among the most important being the grain-vine mesquite, bunch grass growing upon the alkali "flats" which will support little else . and salt grass. This salt grass or alkali grass forms a thick sod on the marshy alkali "flats" and "draws" which are of frequent occurrence in this western country. Provided there is sufficient water it grows well even when the alkali covers the surface of the soil with a thick white crust. Of the second group, i. e.. the mesa grasses, the most important are the gramas, Bfost of the species are perennial, but the "six-weeks grama" produces an abundant and valuable crop during the short rainy season. In addition to the grasses two other plants — prickly pear and sotol — furnish an occasional supply of nourishment for the range animals. The prickly pear is a fleshy cactus, the stems of which are covered with barbed spines. Before feeding the spines are removed by burn- ing. It is used in several regions of the West when fodder is scarce. 1 Sotol is a plant resembling the yucca. The outer spiny leaves are cut away with a heavy knife exposing the central core of the plant, which contains no spines and which is the portion eaten by stock. Sotol contains a larger amount of nutrients than prickly pear, but neither of them is of any great value as a stock food when used alone. With the increase in numbers on the ranges the cattle have acquired the habit of eating plants, such as prickly pear and sotol. whi(di would ordinarily be rejected. These coarser plants are utilized when feed is 'In Australia and in North Africa and other Mediterranean regions this plant has been fed to a considerable extent, and u regarded very favorably. In Australia it is nsnallj oooked by steaming. short to tide over the cattle until the summer rains again cause the grasses to spring up. As a result range cattle are generally in very poor condition in the spring aud are never very fat. The following table gives the composition of the above-mentioned forage plants: 1 Table 1. — Composition of some of the Xetv Mexico range grasses and forage plants. Ordinary grama crass (Bouteloxia oligostachga) . . Black grama grass (Jf. eriopoda) .Six weeks grama grass (B. polystachya) Tall grama grass (jj. racemoxa j Bunch grass (Sporobolus airioides) Vine mesquite grass {Panicum obtusion) Salt grass ( Distichlis kjncata) I'rickh, pear (Opuntia camanchica) Soto! ( DasyUrion wheeleri), bead or inner portion, green '. Timothy hay 1 (average of 68 analyses) Water. Pro- tein. Ether extract. Nitrogen- l'ree ex- tract. Crude tiber. Per ct. Per ct. Per ct. Per ct. Per ct. 6.1 7.4 1.7 44.1 30.3 4.8 5.3 1.7 45.6 32.0 4.8 9.8 1.9 42.0 30.9 6.4 6.3 1.8 41.3 34.8 6.4 7.0 1.8 42.5 33.5 4.3 8.9 2.5 45.6 30.4 5.5 6.6 2.0 45.7 28.6 72.7 1.1 .4 16.4 3.1 65.0 1.6 .8 22.5 8.5 13.2 5.9 2.5 45.0 29.0 Ash. Per ct. 10.5 10.8 10.7 9.4 8.9 8.4 11.6 6.4 1.6 4.4 1 U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 11. The grasses were analyzed in the air dried condition because this is their condition on the range during the greater portion of the year. They spring up during the summer rains, and after the growing season is over they cure as they stand, making a fair quality of hay upon which the stock feed until the return of the rainy season. On the whole, the hay from the range grasses analyzed compares very favorably with that grown in other parts of the country. It will be seen that, probably owing to the exceptionally dry climate, the New Mexico hays contain a very small proportion of water. They contain an unusually high percentage of ash, which is doubtless due to the large amount of soluble constituents, or alkali, present in New Mexico soils and in those of the arid region in general. The ash content of some of the plants grown in the arid regions is very remarkable. Samples of prickly pear analyzed at New Mexico Station have been found to con- tain more than 30 per cent ash in the dry matter. METHODS OF ANALYSIS. For the purpose of the investigation, a range steer 2.J years old, rep- resenting as nearly as possible the average animal at this time of the year (spring), was selected. After slaughtering, one side was divided into fifteen different cuts as outlined in the diagram (fig. 1, p. 10). The methods of preparing the samples for analysis, of partial drying, and of determining the moisture and ash were the same as those com- monly employed. Considerable trouble was encountered in grinding the samples. Most of them could be ground fine enough to pass a one- half millimeter sieve, but a few, like the leg, containing much tendon and similar tissue, could not be made to pass through so fine a mesh. New Mexico Experiment Station Bnl. 17. 10 The methods of analysis were for the most pari the same as ordina- rily employed, in the ease of the nitrogen and fat determinations slight modifications of the regular methods were made. Pol /// meat — The tat was determined by extracting the water-free material in a Soxhlet extractor witli anhydrous ether. Before begin- ning the analysis of the samples from the side of beef Selected for Investigation, a series of tat determinations were made with samples of round and sirloin steak in order to ascertain how Long the extraction Kii;. I.— Diagram showing outs «>t beef used in this investigation. should be continued. The results of these determinations are given in the following table: Table 2. —Length of time neoessarif for complett extraction of fat from beef with tthev. pie. Name i i out F:it re moved in first 24 hours. Pal re- inuvi <1 in 24 hours. Totalfal removed hours. Bound steak : l't i- et nt. 0.21 .17 Per cent. 8.08 7.91 - - Average Sirloin >t.;ik : 7.89 .lit 54 1; 1.41 1 B 1 1.77 Average Sirloin -t«':ik : l'ir-t il> t. rniinatiui) L.48 1.70 Ml 7.M 8.06 7 73 .19 T20" 7 '.'2 5.90 11 These results showed that it was necessary to extract witli ether longer than twenty four hours, and in all subsequent work extraction was continued for forty-eight hours, it being assumed that practically all the soluble material was removed in that time. In view, however, of the observations of Argutinsky, 1 Dormeyer, 2 Bogdanow, 3 Sclinlz, 4 B. Voit and Krummacher, 3 Polimanti," Nerking, 7 and Frank this ques- tion of the extraction of fats from animal tissue by ether demands further investigation. But there is hardly reason to assume that when the material is finely ground and extracted with anhydrous ether for forty-eight hours, the amount of fat which fails to be dissolved and extracted by the ether or the amount of material other than fat in the extract can be large. The so-called fat, i. e., ether extract, is never absolutely pure fat. In the case of meat, in addition to very small quantities of other sub- stances, the ether extract contains some nitrogenous material. In sev- eral cases the dried ether extract was transferred to Kjeldahl digestion flasks and the nitrogen in it determined in the usual manner. The average amount of nitrogeu found, as will be seen by reference to Table 5, page 13, was 0.03 per cent. This is equivalent to 0.21 per cent of protein (using the factor 6.25). This amount should be deducted from the total ether extract and added to the protein when great accuracy is desired. The amount of nitrogen, however, is so small that in ordinary prac- tical work it could be safely neglected. Although care was taken to secure a clear filtrate in the fat flask, it is possible that the small amount of nitrogen came from particles of meat carried through mechanically in the two days' extraction to which the samples were sub- mitted. It is possible that the ether extract contained small amounts of lecithin and other nitrogenous compounds which are soluble in ether. Nitrogen in meat. — The Kjeldahl method was used for the determina- tion of nitrogen. One gram of substance was taken for analysis. To insure accuracy, all the measuring vessels used were carefully calibrated and all the reagents were tested. [n order to determine the length of time necessary to digest the samples of meat with the sulphuric acid and mercuric oxid, samples of sirloin steak (No. 548) weighing 1 and 2 grams were digested for one- half, one, two, three, and four hours, respectively, with 30 cubic centi- meters sulphuric acid and 0.7 gram mercuric oxid. 1 Arch. Physiol. [Ptiiiger], 55, p. 347. - Ihid., 61, p. 341 (E. S. R., 7, p. 919) ; 65, p. 90. fi Ihid., 65, p. 81 (E. S. R., 8, p. 713) ; 68, pp. 408, 431 (E. S. R.. 9. pp. 618, 681). « Ibid., 66, p. 145 (E. S. R. ? 9, p. 373). 5 Ztschr. Biol., 35 (1897), p. 555 (E. S. R., 9. p. 917 ) . 6 Arch. Physiol. [Pfliiger], 70, p. 366 (E. S. R.. 9, p. 1020). 7 Ihid.. 71, p. 427. * Ztschr. Biol., 35 (1897), p. 549. 12 The percentages of nitrogen obtained wen- as follows: dmoumtt of nitrogen found in meat digested different length* of time. Samples weighing l gram: Percent -half hour 13. One hour 18.57 Two boon 13.61 Three hours 13. 67 POO! DOUH 13. ♦£ Sample weighing l' grams: One horn 13.51 These results indicate that, as Atwatei and Woods have already pointed out, 1 it is necessary to digest meats somewhat longer than veg- etable Bubstances. In the comparative test reported digesting three hours was apparently sufficient, but for the sake of safety the diges- tion was continued tor four hours in the analysis of the side of Deed RESULTS OF ANALYSIS. The ordinary methods, with the modifications and precautions noted above, were used in the analysis of the different cuts. The results are given in Tables 3, 4, and 5. Table 3 shows the weight of the different cuts and the percentage of waste and nutritive ingredients, together with the fuel value of each cut. The composition and fuel value of the edible portion of the different cuts are shown in Table 4. In Table 5 the results are calculated to a water-free basis. The fuel values are computed by assuming the fuel value of a pound of protein or carbo- hydrates to be 1,860, and that of a pound of fat to be 1,220 calorics. Table 3. — Composition of *ide of beef from a New Mexico range tleer. Refer Portion taken for analysis. Refuse Water. Neck 519 Chuck nl> Standing rib 524 Navel Shoulder Front of Bhonlder 12 13 31 10 f ■J 10 4 /'. /■ <•' at n i 16.7 31.7 64.3 J. I 39.8 50.0 Pt r ct. 18.3 63.1 :.•_'. l 25. 5 66.6 46. 1 59.2 Pro tein. Fat. Fuel Ash. value per pound. Per ct. 6.0 18.1 14.7 9.5 12.5 10.8 15.5 1.2 Per tt. 0.3 Calories. HO 386 3(15 185 5;»:. 270 235 315 US Average >'i fore quarter. :;7.4 Sirloin Sirloin steak Rump Round >tt-ak Hock, hind leg <>r shank Qpper 1.0 .9 1.1 S 1.0 .9 1.1 . s .7 . 7 1.2 .0 1.2 3t»5 420 450 495 30.7 55.1 ~5l7T 55.3 19.9 1.6 Hi. 6 9 11 .'.1 4.0 3.3 4 2.5 1.1 400 M0 315 555 566 1 . 8. 1 »«i't. Agr., Office <>i Experiment Stations Bol. 1 1. ]». 13 Table &.— Composition of edible portion of «ide of beef from f land, upon which they raise the greater part of their food, is paid in grain. The houses are all built of adobe or sun-dried brick, with an earth floor and a Hat roof made of sticks and brush covered with mud, and generally contain but one room about 20 feet square. There are usually a single door and oue or two unglazed windows. That the houses and the household furnishings are of the simplest and most primitive kind may be seen from the accompanying illustrations. Figure 3 (Plate I) shows the particular family whose dietary was studied at dinner. To the left may be seen an oven in which some of the cooking is done. The greater part of the cooking, however, is done over an open fire in one corner of the house. In general the diet of such families consists almost entirely of vege- table foods, meats being very rarely purchased. The family studied used no meat during the fourteen days of the experiment previously reported and but 1£ pounds during the present study. "Frijoles, 71 or beans, " chili" (a variety of red pepper), and u tortillas," i. e., cakes made from flour or from the small blue corn, which is pounded in stone mortars by the women, make up the greater part of the food eaten. In the dietary reported, "fideos," a native product resembling macaroni, was also used to some extent. The amount of fat in the vegetable food eaten is comparatively small. The deficiency is made up by the use of lard or lard substitutes used freely in cooking. The total income of the family derived from the irregular employ- ment of the man for short periods at various kinds of work upon the ranch, did not exceed $100 per year. DETAILS OF THE STUDY. The dietary study was carried on by the methods described in pre- vious publications 1 of this Office. Exact account was taken of all the food materials in the house (1) at the beginning of the experiment, (2) purchased during its progress, and (3) remaining at the end. The last subtracted from the sum of the first two showed the amount of food consumed, due allowance being made for the waste. Account was kept of the number of meals taken by the family and by visitors. The composition of the food was calculated from analyses of ]Sew Mexico foods reported in a previous publication. 2 It was believed that additional analyses were not necessary, since the foods consumed dur- ing this and the previous dietary study were essentially the same, The waste was analyzed. As a rule a woman requires less food than a man, and the amount required by children is still less, varying with the age. It is customary to assign certain factors which shall represent the amount of nutrients 1 U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bill. 46. 2 U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 40, in required by children <»r different ages and by a woman as compared with an adult man. These factors, which are based in part apou experi- mi ulal data and in pari upon arbitrary assumption, are as follow Factor* u ee d in calculating wicalt ooutumed in dietary itudiee. One meal of woman equi valent to 0.8 meal of man at moderate muscular labor. One meal of boy 11 t»> L6 years of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.8 meal of man. One meal of girl L4 to 16 yean of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.7 meal of man. ( me meal <>t' child 10 to 13 yean of age, inclusii e, equivalent t<> meal of man. One meal of child »; to 9 yean of age, inclusive, equivalent to 0.6 meal of man. ( me meal of child 2 to 5 j ears of age, inclusive, equivalent to <». t meal of man. One meal of child under 2 yean <>f age equivalent to 0.8 meal of man. By means of the preceding factors it is easy to calculate the number of meals for one man which would be equivalent to those actually eaten by the different persons. This value divided by three gives the equiva- lent number of days for one man. The total quantity of nutrients con- sumed divided by the equivalent number of days for one man gives the quantities "per man per day," the unit by which dietaries are ordi- narily compared. the study began May 9, 1897, and continued 14 days. Tin- meinhers of the family and number of meals taken weir as follow^: Meals. Man 29 years old 12 Woman 23 years old (42 meals X 0.8 meal of man), equivalent to ... 34 Boy :> years old (42 meals x 0.5 meal of man >. equivalent to 21 Man ( visitor | 60 years old 9 Children (visitors) equivalent to 2 Total number of meals taken equivalent to 108 Equivalent to 1 man '.M\ days. In the following tables are given the results of the dietary study. Table 7 shows the amount, cost, and composition of the different food materials used, together with the composition and estimated value of the waste. In Table 8 is shown the relative proportions of the several classes of food materials in the dietary and the nutrients furnished by each class. Table 1) shows the amount, composition, fuel value, and cost of the food purchased, wasted, and actually eaten. Table 7. — Food materials and table ami kitchen wastes iii dietary study No. < Imposition. Total cost. Weight oeed. Kind of food material. Pro- tein. Fat, Carbohy- drates. Total food mate- rial. Pro- tein. ■p . Carbohy- ! AM MAI. FOOD. EUbs Per ct. .'{. (i Per cent. $0.10 .40 Grams. <;," ; " ,li -' 1 ''7 1 Pw . . I ,y. rial' ,,i " * F mat.- rial. I',,. U in. 1 .,t Carbohy- drates. Coat PJ K. BMTAOU "i I' •■ PAL D. Per.et Per.et Per.et. Percent, 2.0 4.4 07 Per.et 3 6 5.9 06.9 14 4 Total animal 7.8 4.4 87. € 18.0 74. 6 , 73. 1 29. 4 83. 8 13^8 22.8 & ll'ii 4476 5.4 24.1 Sugar* and starobea... Total vegetable 92.1 95.6 32.4 100.0 74 1 Ci.ll.r 7.6 Salt .3 Total 100. 1 1 III 1 Table !>. — Nutrients and fuol value in food purchased, rejected, and eaten in dietary study Xo. Kind of food material. Cost. I'rot. in. Fat. Carbohy- drates. Fuel value. Food purchased : $0.50 2.06 dram*. 134 2,943 drams. 1,748 839 1 Calories. 16, BIO Vegetable 20, 557 104. 158 Total Wast, 2. :>g .04 3,077 52 2.5*7 23 20, 557 289 120.960 1,020 2.52 3,025 2,564 20. 265 119,340 PER MAN l'EK DAY. Pood purchased: .OH .057 4 82 49 23 470 Vegetable 571 2,890 Total .071 86 1 72 1 571 8 3, 365 Waate 45 .071 85 " 563 3, 320 I'KKCKNTAOKs <>K TOTAL Fool) PURCHASED. Food purchased: l'< /• cent. 19.5 80.5 Per cent. 4.4 95.6 Per cent. 67.0 32.4 Per cent. Per cent. 13.9 100.0 86.1 Total 100. 1.6 100.0 1.7 100.0 .9 100.0 1.4 100.0 Waate 1.3 98.4 98.3 99.1 98.6 98.7 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS. For purposes of comparison, the results of this dietary study and those previously made in New Mexico, 1 together with the average results of the dietary studies of Degrees in Alabama- and the proposed I.S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment stations Bui. 40. •U.S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bnl.38. 19 American dietary standard for a man at moderate muscular work, are given in the following table: Tablk 10. — Summary of result* of dietary studies in New Mexico and Alabama compared with the dietary standard. ; l'.T I n;i I per da>.] Cost^- Nutrients. Fuel ralne. Nutritive ratio. Of food. Of bever- ages, etc. Protein. Fat . Carbohy drates. Dietary No. 225. — Mexican family of the poorer class, 1897 Cent 8. 7 6 9 6 Cents. 1 2 2 1 Grams. 84 104 98 89 Grams. 71 71 65 77 Grams. 563 701 561 625 3,320 3, 960 3,305 3,645 1 : 8.6 Dietary No. 163.— Same fam- ily as above, 1896 1: 8.3 Dietary No. 164.— Mexican family in moderate circuin- 1: 7.2 Dietary No. 165.— Mexican family of the poorer class, 1896 .' 1: 9.0 7 8 H 68 62 125 73 132 572 436 3, 320 3,270 3,500 1: 8.3 111.8 Standard for men at moderate 1: 5.8 From this table it will be seen that the amount of food consumed was somewhat less than was the case in the dietary study made in 1896, the fuel value per man per day being reduced from 3,900 to 3,320 calories. This reduction in heat value was caused by using smaller amounts of protein and carbohydrates, the fat being exactly the same. The nutritive ratio, however, remained practically unchanged. The food accessories in this dietary consisted of coffee only, for which 21 cents was paid out of a total food expenditure of $2.78 during the period. That the family were accustomed to make the most of what they had is shown by the small amount of waste in this dietary. The waste was estimated to cost but 4 cents. This is an example of care- ful management that might well be imitated by others in more favored circumstances. It is interesting to note that the Mexican family obtained for 7 cents more protein, more carbohydrates, and a greater fuel value than the negro family for 8 cents. The negro family, however, had more fat. This difference is due to the use of large amounts of fat pork (an expensive source of protein) by the negro families, while the Mexican family used but little meat and derived the protein in their diet almost entirely from vegetable sources. It must be understood that the dietary standard here given is not in any way absolute, but represents what is considered at present, as the result of careful investigation, to be the closest estimate possible as to the actual amounts or relation between the amounts of protein, carbo- hydrates, and fat required to properly nourish a man engaged in moderately hard work. A diet made up on this basis should enable a man to do each day a fair amount of work and at the same time to keep his body in a well-balanced and well-nourished condition. 20 The great trouble with the dietarj of the Mexican family aa well ai thai of the negro la thai the amount of protein is too small. Approxi- mately stated, tin* food of the Mexican family furnished but two thirds Of tin* ainounl of protein called for by the standard, and the food of tlie negro families furnished but one-half the protein that is considered to be Deceasary, according to the best knowledge at the present, for proper nourishment. At the same time the Mexican as well as the negro families ate an undue proportion, but not amount, of the fuel ingredients. A proper ratio is generally considered to he established when the quantity of protein is to the quantity of fuel ingredients — starch, sugar, and fat — as 1 t«» 5.8 or thereabouts. In both the negro and Mexican families the dietaries are delicieut in protein and in fuel ingredieuts. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA "i inn iiiii ii inn mi 111 mi Him ii ii 3 1262 08927 7577