Dr. Hutchinson, an eminent English authority, believes that the proportion of animal foods (meat, eggs, milk, fish, game, etc.), to vegetable products, should not be more than one part of the former to three of the latter, for persons approaching old age. But he suggests that even this proportion be gradually reduced in favor of carbohydrates.

It is an established fact that during the latter third of a person's life the softer foods such as fruit, well cooked cereals, light mixed animal and vegetable soups, and poultry and fish, are particularly valuable and appropriate.

But after all, there is much truth in the saying that every man must learn from his own experience what food agrees with him and what does not. Hard and fast rules cannot be laid down for universal adoption. However, some statements of a common sense character can be given which will appeal, I believe, to every man and woman who wishes to obtain the best results from diet during the period of advancing age.

It stands to reason that every one should eat slowly, masticate the food so completely that it will be reduced to a liquid before it is swallowed. Eat too little rather than too much. Do not drink liquids of any kind during the process of eating.

The highest authorities in medicine, physiology, and science say that meats - red meat in particular - should be used sparingly, or what is better, should be eliminated from the dietary of the aged. The reason for this is that meat is too hearty a food, having little or no carbohydrates. There are many satisfactory and valuable substitutes for meats at reasonable prices in nuts, and various compounds of nuts and milk. There are also excellent soup stocks made from vegetables and nuts.

Physiological chemistry assures us that legumes - peas, beans, and lentils, when dried and well cooked - are more nutritious than beef. The white of eggs contains seventy-eight per cent, of water and twenty per cent, of proteid, and the yolk fifty-two per cent, of water, sixteen of proteid, and thirty per cent, of fat. It will be seen, therefore, that eggs are almost a perfect food; and when they are soft-boiled, or soft-scrambled, or used raw in warm milk, are not difficult to digest.

Wheat is called the king of grains and its bread the staff of life. The explanation of this is that wheat is said to supply nearly every element required for the development of the human body. For this reason the bread question is of paramount importance to persons whether young or old.

Chemical experiments made by the United States Agricultural Department relative to the nutritive value and digestibility of the various breads in common use show that the digestibility of white bread averages 93.37 per cent.; whole wheat bread 91.50 per cent.; and graham bread 86.94 per cent. Experiments also reveal the fact that bread eaten with milk has its digestibility increased about fifteen per cent.

Professor Atwater gives the nutritive value of white bread at 9.2 per cent and whole wheat at 9.7, while the same flour transformed into breakfast food has a nutritive value of 12.1 percent.

It is conceded by all physiologists and hygien ists that the starch of toast is more readily digested than the starch of bread, which accounts for the fact that zwieback - bread twice baked - holds such a high place in the dietary of those who require a palatable and an easily digested form of bread. Bread, raised with yeast, is far more healthful and digestible when stale, than when fresh; and whole wheat bread is more laxative than the white.

In many matters pertaining to diet every person who is reasonably well informed touching the principles of hygiene, and is captain of his palate, must be a law unto himself. It must be stated, however, that there are some commandments which ought not to be broken.

Vegetables and fruit should not be eaten at the same meal. They are incompatible and usually cause indigestion.

It is not rational to use nuts in "topping off" a meal at which meat is eaten, because they are a highly concentrated food, and therefore are too hearty for such a purpose. The nourishing value of many nuts is much greater than any kind of meat.

Use as few fried foods as possible. In most cases they are an abomination. The frying-pan, as too often employed, is a menace to family health.

A liberal quantity of fruit, either fresh or stewed, and not too acid, should be eaten at breakfast and supper, preferably, of course, at the beginning of the meal - with whole wheat or brown bread - for the plain reason that the lighter and more easily digested foods should first enter the stomach. A few writers on cookery have the peculiar notion that fruit should come last at a meal, but they do not explain why.

Beware of sour pickles and strong condiments, such as spices, mustard, and vinegar. There is no health in them.

Never add sugar to milk or cream in eating cereal foods. To disobey this injunction is to waste good material and cause more or less fermentation in the stomach.

Do not drench the stomach with hot or very cold drinks at meal time as they retard digestion. Washing down food with any kind of drink is pernicious.

The drinking of tea and coffee should be done sparingly, and never while eating. There is no food element in these drinks. Analyses show that whatever of nutrients may be found in the genuine or cereal coffee grain, they disappear almost entirely in the beverage. There is no doubt that it would be far better for the digestion and nervous system of most persons well advanced in life, if milk in some form, or the better grades of cereal compounds, were used as a substitute for genuine tea and coffee.

Our diet should be as simple as possible, yet wholesome. We should not eat much fat. That which is found in nuts and butter and cream, is abundant. Rich food in the form of pies and cakes, should be avoided. There is no food value in them, but much harm.

Elderly persons - or persons irrespective of age - for that matter - who are constipated, should strictly observe certain rules pertaining to diet and drink. Laxatives or cathartics cannot alone cure constipation. Unless disease has attacked the bowels - and this does not frequently occur - food, water, and exercise will effect a cure in almost every case. For years I was afflicted with habitual constipation which was unusually severe. Pills, massage, enema, and all other so-called constipation cures were of no avail, except to afford temporary relief.

When heavily burdened by the ill-effects and obstinacy of my trouble, and almost disheartened, I began to "read up" on foods and drinks as they relate to constipation, and the result was hardly less than marvellous. In the course of two months I was cured, and I think I can confidently say that the cure is permanent.

I began by drinking two glasses of water, of moderate temperature, half an hour before breakfast, two in the middle of the forenoon, and two in the afternoon. For breakfast, I ate plenty of stewed fruit - usually prunes - with whole wheat or Boston brown bread, followed by one of the easily digested and nourishing cereals. Supper was much the same except that occasionally I added a soft boiled or scrambled egg. For dinner, I used vegetable soup, a few nuts, but chiefly nut compounds - of which there are several valuable ones - and these took the place of meat. I ate very few potatoes for the reason that they contain much starch. I made a pretty free use of succulent vegetables, but taking only one kind at a meal. Whole wheat or coarse brown bread was used, and pastry discarded. The food was masticated to a liquid. In the meantime I gradually reduced the quantity of laxatives, and in eight weeks was able to discontinue their use altogether.

I still continue the simple, but nourishing diet, and, in yielding real enjoyment, every meal is as good as a feast.

Eminent physiologists agree that the following foods should be used for the relief of constipation, especially when the trouble is associated with advancing years: Coarse brown or whole wheat bread, shredded wheat, toasted wheat or com flakes; fresh green vegetables - particularly spinach, Spanish onions, asparagus, lettuce, rhubarb; prunes, figs, apples, peaches, berries; buttermilk, apple cider; honey; English walnuts and almonds. Water should be used in abundance, but not during a meal.

Foods to be avoided in cases of constipation are: Hearty meats, eggs - specifically, if hard boiled or fried; milk; pastry and puddings made of starchy foods, as rice, sago, and tapioca; fried foods and rich gravies; cheese; fresh white bread; pickles and other strong condiments; and tea.

During the past few years an amazing variety of prepared breakfast foods has been thrown on the market. Some of them are compounds and others consist of the pure grains. As these cereal foods occupy an important place in the dietary of many people, a table giving the chief component parts of some which are best known, with a comparison of their food value with that of beef, will be of interest. These analyses were made at the United States Experiment Station of the Iowa College, and by Professor Atwater, to whose work for the Department of Agriculture, I have already referred: