Sm,—The letter on " Dental Ill-Health " by your correspondent
John Porter in your issue of December 29th reminded me of a conversation with a German army officer some 3o odd years ago. I had seen soldiers carrying loaves of very dark bread, and asked an officer whom I met later, could he tell me what kind of flour was used for the army bread. He answered, a medium ground whole meal rye flour, and added, " we in the army find that the recruits with the finest physique and soundest teeth come from the country districts where whole meal rye bread is the rule in their diet, where a couple of white rolls for Sunday breakfast is an almost effeminate luxury. The most defective teeth come from the districts near the French border where the people eat emasculated white bread."
There used to be a large-scale bakery in Colmar in Alsace which produced a most delicious loaf made from wheat or rye. The grain was thoroughly cleansed, softened in water, sprouted, well crushed or mashed, any water that had been poured off added, aerated with air, no yeast, and baked in a very moderate heat for about twelve hours.
• J.P. should be able to get a 'whole wheat loaf made from Allinson or Artox flour which the respective millers claim to be stone ground.—
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