THE TRUTH ABOUT PORRIDGE
[To The Editor of the Seweeron.] The Scotsman is so fine a type of physical and mental fitness because he is bred on North Country oats, owing to the happy accident that only oats from the north will make good porridge." I trust you will excuse my sending you a comment on this extract from " Country Life and Sport," by Sir W. Beach Thomas in your issue of February 27th last. I find in my diary :-- (1) That the incidence of pauperism is. according to the published statistics of 1924, in Scotland nearly 40 per cent. higher than in England and Wales.
(2) That the death rate per 1,000 of the population was, in 1925, in Scotland 17, but in England and Vales only 12.2.
(3) That the infant mortality per 1,000 in 1925, was in Scotland 07.7: but in England and Wales 75 only.
(4) In 1921 the rejections per 1,000 men examined for the Army were : In England and Wales .. .. 360.62 In Scotland .. 385.'7Q
The number of men per 1,000 of the male population approved for the army ranged in the six English commands from 121 to 262 ; while in Scotland it was 119 only.
(5) The American Government, in the enquiry lately instituted by its appropriate department into the subsequent career of immigrants into the United States of the several European nationalities, placed the English first in the attain- ment of prosperity and contribution to the advancement of the country : but the Scots several places lower down, beneath the Germans and other nationalities.
It would seem, therefore, that the results of an oat diet are not quite what they are assumed to be.- -I am, Sir, &c., E. B. B.
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