Evening Star Newspaper, September 6, 1925, Page 45

ILLUSTRATED N FEATURES Part 5—8 Pages WASHING' MAGAZINE TON, D. C., SUNDAY SECTION MORNING, SEPTEMBER 6, The Sunday Star 1925. FICTION AND HUMOR Organized Research Throws Light on Many Home Problems BY GEORGE H. DACY. OWN to the “N-0" Bullding of the former Government hotel group, directly opposite Union Station Plaza, 200 white rats first lieutenants of scien- tific research—live in metal cages and answer puzzling food riddles which have perplexed experimenters since trained investigators have focused their investigations upon the thousand and one riddles of the modern home. Just picture, if you can, the riot calls which would have been rung a couple of y o if this army of white rats 1 given the run of the spacious buildings then occupied by more than 700 Government girls. White rats, however, unlike their gray-coloted cousins, are the orderlies of science—emissaries of research that 2id in the solution of human food problems. These little cated for y in tech that they have for y bilitie in which th animals have been do- 0 long and used suc- experimentation 1 all about the and ravage ott of destructic Lverage If science’s wh ated and left would pe only il the species perished. bably vou are surprised live in the buildings and ly occupied by the Gov- nment girls. The Bureau of Home wmics of the Department of Agri- ture now ha headquarters in N-O” Building. That is the “how- f the mute sleuths of science wre used in s h and research, t and conquest, in order that you I may eat more nutritious and satisfactory meals. Under the leadership of Dr. Louise wnley, a score or more of specialists attacking the everyday problems the home. Their investigations are unifying our national standards of liv- They are directing the con- mers' dollars' toward the purchase food products which will provide balanced meals at the mini- outlay. They are protect- re generations against the nutrition. They are in- s of food research which eviously have bee little known as our Arctic and Antarctic zones. Briefly, the work of the Bureau of }Home Economics is studying foods and ition, textiles and clothing and the economics ot consumption and house- keeping here is no other organiza- tion of specially educated experts in the world comparable to this impor- tant integral part of the Sam family. | The various state departments of do-| mestic science and the home econom- branches of our leading colleges sities co-operate with the mainspring which functions so efficiently in Washington. ¥+ "THE present lines of experimenta- tion which are under practical headway comprise studies of food se- lection and meal planning from the standpoint of health and economy, chemical composition of food materials, home methods of, food preservation, utilization of new food produc of soft wheat flour in home baking, vitamin content of foods and compara- tive cooking qualities, grades and va- rieties of foods. Additional research concentrates pon such riddles as texfile_composi- tion and construction from the stand- point of the consumer, simplified meth- ods of clothes making, the hygiene of clothing, renovation and repair, cos- tume design and other related art problem Your fa and household bookkeepin; being survey Gd‘ under the mighty microscope of mod- | ern scien Standards of living, costs of living, consumption statistics and family budgets and accounts are being scrutinized most painstakingly by spe- cialists, And then those intricate puzzles concerning t'~ evaluation of housekeeping service economic rela- tionships within the (amily and the economic value of housework are being pried into. If there is a skeleton in the family cupboard, or if villains of inefficlency are locked away in the domestic strongbox, the detections and deductions of science are going to fer- ret them out and hang them on high in the neighboring market p but estigate the matter, you science, as applied to is nothing more than nized common sense mobilized for household task Some of the vest- ments in which this first-aid service for newlyweds and untrained as well as master hom ke clothes itself may appear rather. formidable and high-falutin’, but when reduced to brass hey are nothing more than sergeants of service, designed to he kinks out of baffling conun. of the kitchen, dining table and 12 Toom Maybe some rats were to to rustle their matter of time rats ms its If you will fouble to in will find th: tacks vouthful Jackie Brown r that You know is bowlegged. conception has it that this r has bowlegs because he was ed to walk too soon. Science, vever, says oth . Its investi ertained that Jackie's wre crooked because he did not dequate amounts of caleium osphorus in his food. His teeth wer » defective for simi- | ns. Plenty of milk, spinach, carrots, orange juice, prunes foods prevent such physi- The Bureau of Home Econo- inves these conditions of and Jill, Tom, Dick and and then, by country-wide edu- strives to rectify errors in the rations of common and ther in th our ¢ matter of con- dinary Kitchen. the ration of the soldier is ore of our national b very, the itchen layout, not infrequently, is| e hub of home happiness. There Is | 0 other room in yYour house which vitally influences the health and being of all the members of your mily. Whether 1ord is served ciean, whether hot dishes are hot and cold hes are cold, and in some o ther there is aa appetizing va in your meal: depend in large sure on your kitchen facilities. ok o ow §ATI ACTORY food service de sends on direct connection be- tween the family ras nd the dining Doctor Stanley and her scien- assistant. ave devised an ef- two-way cupboard as the im tant link between the room where u dine and the g'icc where the food i prepared. This cupboard an he of whatever dimensions you wish. It ovides staxage for dishes and china nnd also is & cnannel of communica 10n between kitchen and dinirg room. You can pass warm meats and vege- ibles and your other choicest viands directly from the oven's pleasing heat ) the dining T The dishes us they :rc used can Le returned throush = same passageway to the Kitchen, This xrrangement VES many m! of tiresome travel for e housewife. 1t a sink for’ washing the dishes is placcd adjacent to the pa e kit ‘her. side, many additional ed. The skiil of a Handy yAndy and the thcughtful plannins f | cience lighten your wife's regular steps are loves to in- | that | take the time and |- ; Government Bureau Devotes Its Attention to the Ki.nds of Foods That Will Give Efficiency to Members of the Family, || Studies the Question of Quality in Fabrics for Durable and Satisfactory Clothes, and Provides Other Valuable Information || for Those Who Desire Well Managed Homes—Hundreds of White Mice Used in Experiments—Unequaled Collection of | || :Sewing Machines Among the Adjuncts of a Household Economics Laboratory. Textile ‘Lest‘ifl.g labovat vy~ of lack of time to do t! of too many steps a tice. Ciiter in the I ntiul and conf tchen by equipment tel Raw food place, the cooking I s patch of work. Such be dignified by the laboratory,” . where Many living rooms of discontent for the ample, this chair was that sofa was picked gravings, the compa: and i branches of the family lihors, and make this matter of leav- ing .the dirt have drifted together to done at the food is served at a third, and the dishes are washed at a fourth station, Such system spells the speedy dis- hem -on account forgotten prac- n can be avoided | rouping the es working ¢-n- repared at one nother, a kitchen may name of “‘food ience shakes hands with culinary art. look as though they had grown like Topsy—a source wife. - Fer ex- a wedding gift, up at a sale, ss cupboard | Aunt Jane presented those steel en- antimacassars painted cases from the four points of and hand- rom as many the furnishings and now fill the dishes undone becatss ' room to overflowing. Some pieces are lovely, others ugly, as judged by crit- jcal art canons. The real test is whether this heterogeneous collection of gifts, heirlooms and bargains makes the room comfortable, healthful, con- venient and an attractive center of thé *amily life. If so, preserve: if not, discard. Here are only a few of the home conundrums which keep the home eco- nomics experts at work: What are the best combinations of walls and woodwork, floors and floor coverings and heating and ventilating systems, s0 that American homes will be the most comfortable and beloved in crea- tion? What lighting system {s pref- erable to eliminate obnexious glare? Do the furnishings of the living room satisfy the needs of all the family? Do the character, color, design and finish jof the furniture suit the kind of home and room that they are in? Is the color scheme restful without being monotonous and harmonious without following a stilted scheme? Is the liv- ing room really livable? ‘When Washington women go shop- ping, are there any tests or fixed rules which they can follow in the se- lection and purchase of material, be it silk or satin, cotton or cashmere? The national Home Ecqpomics Bureau has investigated these Mairs, and presents the advice and suggestions that follow. Ravel out a few yarns from the fabric, taking samples both from the warp and filling, from stripes, checks and different parts of the pattern. Un- twist these yarns and observe and test the fibers singly or in bunches. Cot- ton fibers will appear short, dull and fuzzy. When a match is applied the fibers burn rapidly with a yellow flame, which leaves only a small amount of gray ash. Linen fibers are long, rather stiff and lustrous. They burn like cotton, but leave blunt ends. A linen fdbric always feels cool to the touch. _A drop of moisture will spread much® more rapidly on linen than on cotton. Of course, the final and determining test is to examine the fabrics' under a pboard between diwin % g room anol Ratchen devised, and. designed by Bureau of Econowmics. Carning old foods 4 wew methods microscope. The different structures of the fibers then readily identify the varieties of fabric. ‘Wool fibers are short and kinky, smolder when burned, leave an irregu- lar lump of ash and smell like burning feathers. You can almost invariably identify a plece of wool by drawing a fiber between your teeth. It gives a very characteristic sensation. Fur- thermore, wool will dissolve when boiled for 15 minutes in a solution containing one tablespoonful of lye to a pint of water. Cotton, on the other hand, will not disappear when simi- larly treated. Silk fibers are long, smooth, stralght and have a bright luster. When ignited, they burn quickly, smell like burning wool and leave a hard, round cinder. Heavily weighted sk will leave an ash the exact shape of the fiber or yarn, because only the silk burns_off. . Artificial silk is much more lustrous than real silk, is stiffer and harsher and burns like cotton. Some artificlal silk is very much ‘weakened when moistened in water. It pays to make this test. . Some- times surface designs.are.put on with paste. By rubbing the fabric skly between the hands starch and other stiffening agents can be femoved and detected. - Hold the fabric up:to the light and observe the firmness. Pull the yarns apart with the fingernails. If they slip easily the fabric will pull at the seams. Tear a sample to note its strength. Pull out specimens of both the warp and filling threads and com- pare them.” A fine warp will not stand the strain from a heavy filling and hence such’a fabric fs not strong. This is also true where a heavy cord occurs opposite a very fine thread, as in the case of some dimities and mus- lins, Despite the- fact that the United States provides more and better food for its inhabitants than any other mation; th!s':ur p:‘n food h"t and sanitary systems of handling foods have been perfected, and that we try to safeguard health through food con- trol, the national percentage of mal- nutrition among our youth is truly alarming. The undernourished child never has a fair chance in life. He is handicapped like a race horse bur- dened with many leaden weights. His body may outgrow the visible evi dence of malnutrition, but invisible attributes of inefficlency remain. His resistance may be lowered so that he easily “catches” all the jtinerant dis- eases. His mental equipment does not sum up to standard as it should. The Department of Agriculture says that a well nourished child has an erect, sturdy, well developed body, with straight legs, flat shoulder- blades; full, rounded clest; strong, white teeth ard firm, rosy flesh. The expression ‘of his eyes and face de- notes a kees, happy mind. All his movements show vigor and energy without undue nervousness. The body of the undernourished child exhibits just the opposite quali- tles, and his listless attitude toward |life or his extreme nervousness or ir ritability shows that he is subnormal His body is likely to be stooped, not well padded with h and the flesh itself pale and The chest is flat and narrow the shoulder blades protrude in “wings.” His bow legs or knock-knees enice that his food has not provided th proper materials for adequate bone ormation. T teeth are often uneven and s of de while the | bre sant. There ave dark cirel nd his eves, and his expre: | sion is dull or wistful. He is finicky | about his and te |are common. His school wor to be erratic a E N zive e foods for new foc make our homes more con educe the monotonous to with their upkeep, to find out |13 knowable about our clot s of every day use e’ standards ated I that agement—the many assi of Hom:e akes. styles in | If so, it will profit you t N-O" ¥ A1l have sent dem r most imprc Stanley’s department | hitional pu s. As a consequence. re literally crc of * mech:; woman This is nst | might wish t h | exhibit o { under the Once and for the have co-operated with a remarkable display needlework appliances. Altogether, there different types of sewing machines in the coliection. Thousands of vis ftors from all parts of this o and from many foreign land visited the “Home Ec" headquarters to inspect the mach All the housekeepers of Washington are in | vited to come to the show, which is a permanent institution. Of course, you ot take sewing along and g down out the comparative efficiency different styles of appz cannot use the machines you machinery and cc | can study the aif |and compart matic needles are housed is complete, from the S operated L which its sun of autom: two score your that you this exhiblt equipment you can o to the handle these engage in whatev desire. There is D canned and preser home kitchen m other members of respecti er sewing tests y poison you and the vour family, unless and_skil search to run to earth the causes of all such accidents. It has, through extensive publicity campaigns, disseminated the news about the best methods of can ning and preserving foods, fruits and vegetables to all parts of the count Experiments are constantly in pr ress at th, b “N-O” Building. ratory in e material the world ned and yonder famous Arlington operated by Uncle side of the Potomac There is den room as an access: kitchen and food experts serve occasions for Jardine and prominent foods, and old foods prep ways, are prominent fa; on these menus. One of the popular pass c boards led as the connect link betieen the kitchen and lunchroom am on River. tration lunch aboratories. Tt als on spe y of Agricult New new the food ad this lunch- room they experienc difficulty in s s and testir out the results of their culinary profi- clency by the taste and flavor route. _In the food-testing laboratory one interesting machine Is g special devic used scientifically in determining the accurate volume of a loaf of bread * % x % A SCTACULAR feature of the re search program is the experimen- tation mice, like birds in g with 200 white mice. These luxury, with plenty lded cages, live in to eat d noth ing to do between times but sleep and enjoy themselves. They are being used in comparative studies vf the different vitamins, and in feeding tests, to ascertain the impc ance of each of these essential products in the human ration. The comparative food importance of the green and white leaves of vari s vegetables is being investizated. Ce: tain cages of rats are being fed an exclusive milk and wheat diet. Others are being fed oth tures of food in which present is ir | terested. tab is kept on | progeny -of parents that are fed iso- lated ratior These Government white rats are answering complicated questions of fqod utilization whic previous to the current experime: 5 have gone unanswered since the dawn days of research, All the equipment to be found in commercial textilé chemist’s labor: tory is in daily use in the Bureau of Home Economics, where textile tests of all kinds are under way. Home laundering pu now hold the s center. The effects ferent materials, the tures at which to clothes, the standardi ing machine directions, the use of so called “starch improvers,” the prop use of such finishing agents as gum arabic and glues are being investi gated. The matter of how to fit garments so that they will fit has long been of critical concern, particularly among American farm women. The national experts are devising practical methods of fitting rments made. at home. Novel machiines known as fadometers | are used in stud, .. “be effect o nght on different textiles. A tensile strength apparatus is used in investi- gating the durability of different basic varns, that are of predominant portance in clothes making. ‘ Housekeeping “Floors and Floor Coverings moval of Stains From Clothing and Other Textiles,” “Honey and lts Use in the Home," Children"—these arc a few many explorations into the r Lunches,” and_“Food for “Corn and Its Food Value, research which the Federal - gators have made latter] They stand ready at any time to answer the { perplexing questions of Washington housekeepers and of housewives throughout the country. mi science at Technical best wash different ation of h- im- of the alm of Young “School in