uestion.

Says Professor Cajori, with reference to his results: "A few years ago a
rather extensive series of digestion experiments were inaugurated at
Yale University in an effort to settle the question of the
indigestibility of nuts and also to test out some of the commercial nut
products to find what effect roasting, boiling, and other processes that
nuts are subjected to had on their digestibility. Through the courtesy
of Dr. Kellogg of Battle Creek, it was possible to follow up these
experiments with a series at Battle Creek. It is of the result of these
tests that I wish to speak."

* * * * *

"Our digestion experiments show the following results: For protein
digestion of nuts--almond 89%, pecan 84%, pine nut 89%, English walnut
83%, Brazil nut 88%, and coconut 88%."

"How, then, explain the undoubted discomfort that many people experience
after eating nuts? I believe the explanation rests on the fact that our
common American way of eating nuts is not the rational way. We would not
consider topping off a heavy meal with eggs, meat, or cereals, or eating
these in large quantities between meals without realizing that we were
exposing ourselves to possible digestive discomfort. No more, then, can
we expect to eat nuts, which are even more concentrated or "heavy" than
meats or eggs, merely as an adjunct, without occasional discomfort.
Unpleasant results from so eating does not condemn the nut as
indigestible; rather it condemns our mode of using that nut. Further, we
must recognize that a nut is a hard compact substance, and that unless
completely masticated is not readily penetrated by the digestive juices
of the alimentary canal. This was very well brought out in our
experiments with dogs. The dog bolts his food and where there were large
fragments of the nuts in the food they appear unchanged in the feces,
while if the nut was ground fine before feeding it was readily digested.
Comparisons of nut butters and nut pastes with the whole nut also
brought out this point. The completely comminuted nut butters showed
consistently higher degrees of digestion than the whole nut."

Nuts should be used as a food staple, a major element in the bill of
fare, rather than as a dessert, and special care must be taken as to
thorough mastication, which is almost equally true of apples, bananas
and numerous other fruits which possess a firm flesh.

To overcome the objection that some people are un