While it would be a question of the greatest difficulty to de-
termine exactly how much of each of these numerous mineral
elements we need, it suffices us to know that they are most im-
portant, and it would seem reasonable that we should have all that
natural foods contain. The condition of the blood depends upon
the character of the food supplied to the digestive organs. In
compounding that marvelous stream, which carries life to every
tissue and organ of the human body, nature obtains her building
materials from food, just as she obtains food from soil, water,
and air.
The different mineral ingredients present in the internal se-
cretions of the human body have their definite functions to fill in
the maintenance of good health, and are not present there through
blind accident. The Master Architect who made the human body,
and who declared that "the blood is the life," placed these food
essentials called vitamines, and the various mineral ingredients, in
the fruits, the grains, the nuts, and the vegetables ; and these ele-
ments must be in the food in order for the body to take them
from the food. The removal of one or more of these constituents
from our food may mark the beginning of disaster to the body.
30
SCIENCE of FOOD W COOKERY
In their absence, the body may make use of others until the handi-
cap asserts itself ; then the physician is sought, or perhaps resort
is had to some drug, in a vain effort to correct the disorder.
THE BODY'S INTERNAL DEFENSES
If we put a drop of blood under a microscope, a seemingly
countless number of small corpuscles come into view. Most of
them are red, but some are white. They have a well defined work
to do in the defense of the body against intruding germs of dis-
ease. The white corpuscles are always present in inflamed parts,
and take into themselves foreign particles in the blood, minute
organisms known as bacteria. These little corpuscles are called the
"soldiers" of the body; for they play a prominent part in the cure
of diseases, and in their prevention in persons exposed to infection.
Together with them in the blood, in which they circulate, and
as part of their structure, we find the before mentioned mineral
elements — iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, etc. This is al-
ways the case when pure blood is examined. The blood corpuscles
so necessary -to our welfare are never without iron; and when the
iron is removed, these little warriors die. The constancy with
which these mineral elements appear in the soil, in plants, in all
natural foods, and in the tissues of the human body, reveals the
fact that they are absolutely essential to life. In the face of this
great truth, we see vast commercial enterprises built up for the
sole purpose of removing them "from our food. Notwithstanding
this, the blame for the prevalence of disease and broken constitu-
tions is usually thrown upon God.
When the diet is composed largely of refined foods, no matter
how much nourishment the food might otherwise contain, the
system cannot make the best use of such nourishment, because of
the absence of those elements necessary to its assimilation. Dr.
William Edward Fitch, major Medical Reserve Corps, U. S. A.,
says on this point:
"It is known at the present time that life cannot be maintained
on foods deficient in inorganic salts. It is also recognized by
research workers that something more is essential for the main-
Page 15
Presented as published in 1921. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
While it would be a question of the greatest difficulty to determine exactly how much of each of these numerous mineral elements we need, it suffices us to know that they are most important, and it would seem reasonable that we should have all that natural foods contain. The condition of the blood depends upon the character of the food supplied to the digestive organs. In compounding that marvelous stream, which carries life to every tissue and organ of the human body, nature obtains her building materials from food, just as she obtains food from soil, water, and air.
The different mineral ingredients present in the internal secretions of the human body have their definite functions to fill in the maintenance of good health, and are not present there through blind accident. The Master Architect who made the human body, and who declared that "the blood is the life," placed these food essentials called vitamines, and the various mineral ingredients, in the fruits, the grains, the nuts, and the vegetables ; and these elements must be in the food in order for the body to take them from the food. The removal of one or more of these constituents from our food may mark the beginning of disaster to the body.
In their absence, the body may make use of others until the handicap asserts itself ; then the physician is sought, or perhaps resort is had to some drug, in a vain effort to correct the disorder.
THE BODY'S INTERNAL DEFENSES
If we put a drop of blood under a microscope, a seemingly countless number of small corpuscles come into view. Most of them are red, but some are white. They have a well defined work to do in the defense of the body against intruding germs of disease. The white corpuscles are always present in inflamed parts, and take into themselves foreign particles in the blood, minute organisms known as bacteria. These little corpuscles are called the "soldiers" of the body; for they play a prominent part in the cure of diseases, and in their prevention in persons exposed to infection.
Together with them in the blood, in which they circulate, and as part of their structure, we find the before mentioned mineral elements — iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, etc. This is always the case when pure blood is examined. The blood corpuscles so necessary -to our welfare are never without iron; and when the iron is removed, these little warriors die. The constancy with which these mineral elements appear in the soil, in plants, in all natural foods, and in the tissues of the human body, reveals the fact that they are absolutely essential to life. In the face of this great truth, we see vast commercial enterprises built up for the sole purpose of removing them "from our food. Notwithstanding this, the blame for the prevalence of disease and broken constitutions is usually thrown upon God.
When the diet is composed largely of refined foods, no matter how much nourishment the food might otherwise contain, the system cannot make the best use of such nourishment, because of the absence of those elements necessary to its assimilation. Dr. William Edward Fitch, major Medical Reserve Corps, U. S. A., says on this point:
"It is known at the present time that life cannot be maintained on foods deficient in inorganic salts. It is also recognized by research workers that something more is essential for the main-