Food and feeding / by Sir Henry Thompson, Bart. With an appendix.

  • Thompson, Henry, Sir, bart., 1820-1904.
Date:
[between 1900 and 1909]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Food and feeding / by Sir Henry Thompson, Bart. With an appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    needs. Thus the Irishman, if confined solely to a potato diet, would require for his support from twelve to fifteen pounds daily, which contain chiefly starch —a superfluous quantity, and an overload for any stomach—in order to obtain a barely sufficient quantity of nitrogen of which this tuber contains so little, with scarcely any fat. Hence he eats less of the potatoes, and obtains when he can milk, lard, bacon, or a herring to supply the deficiency. The Highlander, living mainly on oatmeal, requires a very much smaller weight, since this grain contains not only starch, but a moderate amount of nitrogen and fat, although not sufficient for his purpose ; hence it is usually supplied by adding milk, and fish or bacon also when he can obtain them. No doubt there is, as all observation in every department of natural history testifies, a great variety of results in comparing the individuals of any species, their wants, qualities, and endowments, etc. And no differences are greater in regard to such particulars than those which are manifested by man himself, the famous dictum notwithstanding, which declares his “ equality ” with his fellows, what- ever that may be taken to signify. And thus it may be admitted that some persons are stronger and more healthy who live very largely on vegetables, while there are many others for whom a proportion of animal food appears not merely to be desirable but absolutely necessary. On the other hand, the After all, there is great variety in the wants and tastes of individuals.