The value of water as a food and as an aid to digestion is discussed on page 41. CONDIMENTS Without doubt, highly spiced foods are undesirable. They tend to weaken digestion, by calling for an undue secretion of digestive juices, which, if prolonged, tires out the glands. A reasonable amount of condiments such as pepper, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, sage, thyme, ginger, mustard, cinnamon, mace, horseradish, vanilla, dill, etc., may be used as appetizers, because the pleasing thought of them may incite the flow of gastric juice; but if one has not cultivated a taste for them this thought will not be pleasing and they are then better omitted from the diet. The taste is undoubtedly a cultivated one, and should not be encouraged in children. The child rarely cares for condiments and it is better that he continue to relish his food for its natural flavor. Condiments are not foods. PRESERVATION OF FOODS All food for preservation should be kept in a clean, cool, dry, dark place. Reduction in temperature to near freezing, and removal of moisture and air stop bacterial development. Drying, cooking, and sealing from the air will preserve some meats and fruits, while others require such preservatives as sugar, vinegar and salt. The preservative in vinegar is acetic acid. All preservatives which are actual foods, such as sugar, salt and vinegar, are to be recommended, but the use of antiseptic preservatives, such as salicylic acid, formaldehyd, boracic acid, alum, sulphur and benzonate of soda, all of which have been used by many canning merchants, is frought with danger. The United States Department of Agriculture holds, that by the use of such preservatives, unscrupulous dealers may use fruits and vegetables not in good condition. There can be no doubt that, wherever possible, the best method for the housewife to preserve food is to do her own drying, canning, preserving and pickling of fruits and vegetables, which she knows are fresh, putting up her own preserves, jams, jellies, pickles, syrups, grape juice, etc. Since economy in food lies in the least amount of money for the greatest amount of nutriment, the preparation of simple foods in the home, with a care that no more is furnished for consumption than the system requires, is the truest economy in health and in doctor’s bills. It is not more brands of prepared food which are needed, but purity of elements in their natural state. A dish of wholesome, clean oat meal has more nourishment and more fuel value than the average prepared food. _In the effort to emphasize the importance of pure food in amount and quality, pure air and pure water must not be overlooked. Much infection is carried by these two elements. Pure air, containing a normal amount of oxygen, is absolutely necessary that the system may digest and assimilate the foods consumed._ COOKING