Uniformity of workhouse dietaries : report to Gathorne Hardy of Edward Smith / [Edward Smith].

  • Edward Smith
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Uniformity of workhouse dietaries : report to Gathorne Hardy of Edward Smith / [Edward Smith]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Uran. Finest flour. Thirds flour. Review. Adultera- tion. pence per stone between brown and line flour; and brown flour was very generally used as a matter of economy. Now the price of brown flour is as high as that of households, and even of line flour; nay, in certain large towns it is regarded by the bakers as a luxury for the rich, and a fancy price is charged for the bread. The labouring classes have almost universally discarded it, and there seems a tendency to carry this so far as to exclude all but fine flour. The explanation of this is similar to that already given in reference to other grains. Experience has shown that the bran is a kind of husk which does not nourish, and that as brown bread is less agreeable to the palate than white bread, butter, cheese, or other savoury food must be eaten with it. Moreover, brown bread is very apt to produce diarrhcca in children and feeble pei’sons, and thus become an expensive and probably an injurious food. However agreeable, therefore, brown flour may be in change with white, and however valuable its laxative quality may be to those who eat more food than is required, or who need the daily use of an aperient, the universal experience of the poor has proved that it is not so desirable as white flour for their use. Hence, when its price was less than that of white flour, it is doubtful whether tliere was economy in its use ; but now that it is not less, but probably greater, it is manifest that to use it in workhouses would be to waste funds. There is some doubt as to the true economical value of the other kinds of flour. If the quantity of bread which can be made from a given weight of flour be taken as our guide, the finest flours must have the preference, because the fine quality of wheat from which they are always made, the admixture of southern wheat and the exclusion of all but the farina of the wheat, enable them to absorb and retain much water, and thus to increase in weight greatly. This quality, in addition to the very agreeable flavour of fine flour, now induces the wives of working men to prefer it even at the higher price which must be paid for it. On the other hand, the sharps which are found in seconds and thirds flour are richer in nitrogen than the farina, and have therefore in one direction an advantage in nutrition. This, conjoined with the lower price paid for those varieties of flour, render the seconds a more economical food than the finest flour. There is more ditficulty in arriving at the true value of “ thirds,” on account of the large but uncertain quantity of sharps present in it; and it is a quality which is open to much adultera- tion. On the whole I feel assured that the experience of the poor in this matter is based upon a good foundation, and that in our workhouses, as in the houses of the poor, the most economical quality of flour is good seconds. On a review of this subject I arrive at the conclusion that wheaten seconds flour should be universally adopted for the food of paupers, whether in or out door, and considering its high nutritive value with its present low price, it is true economy to allow it to form a very important part of out-door relief, and of workhouse dietary. The admixture of rye should only be allowed in the districts where it is still a part of the labourer’s ordinaiy food, and care should be taken that the price of the mixture of rye and wheat should be regulated accordingly. The adulterations of flour, against wliich precautions should be taken are as follows : 1st, too large an admixture of sharps whereby seconds is rendered thirds. The colour of the flour and of the bread is the ready test, but to render it perfect much experience is necessary. When a small quantity of flour has been well mixed with cold water and strained through very fine muslin, the sharps are left upon the strainer, and may be detected by the eye or by the aid of a good magnifier. The sharps may be distinguished from the farina in a dry state by the aid of the microscope.
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