Page 6 Advertisements Column 4

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3752, 11 February 1913, Page 6

COOKING m HEALTH. Comparisons Of Cost and Time Occupied in COOKING and HEATING WITH ELECTRICITY “ Gfti The following comparisons and deductions are made from Lectures delivered in the Lecture Hall of the “Society of Medical Officers of Health,’’ at No. 1 Montague. Street, W.C., London, October, 1912: — The Lectures were delivered by Doctor F. S. Toogood, assisted fay Doctor R. Dudfidd, Doctor Joseph Priestley, and Mr. William Lawton, the Executive Secretary of “Medical Officers of Health.” On the first day, after Dr. Toogood and Mr. Lawton had lectured, Dr. Lyster dealt specially with the subject of the importance of good food and cookery in the treatment- of tuberculosis; and not only in the treatment, but in the prevention. Here the subjects of cooking by Gas and Electricity, and the economical comparison came in, in reference to which at the second day’s lectures Dr- Toogood referred to a letter Mr. Lawton had received from the Controller of the Sales Department of the Gas Light and Coke Company, in reference to Dr. Lyster’s remarks as to the value Of good cooking in the treatment of tuberculosis. He also pointed out that the Company had 456,532 gas consumers; and in addition “to lighting appliances, has in use 351,939 cooking stoves, griiiers, gas fires, and waterheaters.” “In the same lecture Dr. Toogood referred to the wasteful manner in applying heat, showing how with coal fires they are usually iit a long time before they c;;o wanted, and remain burning long after the ccoking is finished. He recalled how on one occasion he went over the Oxford Colleges, and just before Hall dinner he noticed an enormous fire—it must have been two yards across and a yard high, but of course not very deep. This great fire was being used to cooking one chicken and one leg of mutton. Waste like this, or the more ordinary kind, is not found with the gas cocker.” “Presently, Dr. Toogood came to the results of a number of experiments made specially for the lecture as to the relative values of gas and. electricity in cooking. “These are the figures the Dr. presented in more exte. ■--d form:— “It was explained by Dr. Toogood that these tests were carried out with joints of similar weights, and as nearly similar in other respects as it was possible to get them. The “Bastian” Electric Cooker and the “Bungalow” Gas Cooker were used. Taking the average cost of the three joints, it is seen that the figure was 2.32 d for electricity, and 0-53 d, or a fraction over one halfpenny, for gas, i.e., electricity for cooking purposes is about 4.4 times as expensive as Gas, on these London prices. IF WE TAKE THE DETAILS OF DR. TOOGOOD’S TESTS AS FAIR, IN QUANTITY AND TIME, AND REDUCE THEM TO GISBORNE PRICES, TAKING ELECTRICITY AT 4d. PER UNIT. AND GAS AT THE PRESENT PRICE OF 6s. 3d. PER 1000 CUBIC FEET T THE AVERAGE COST OF COOKING THE FOREGOING JOINTS BY ELECTRICITY WOULD BE A LITTLE OVER 9’d., AND THE TIME 104 MINUTES, WHILE THE COST OF COOKING BY GAS WOULD BE I’d., AND THE TIME 77 MINUTES, OR A SAVING T X FAVOR OF GAS BY ABOUT So PER CENT. IN MONEY, AND OF 3-5 PER CENT. IN TIME. THE SAVING OF 45 MINUTES IN THE COOKING OF A LEG OF MUTTON WOULD BE A MATTER OF GREAT MOMENT IN HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. Continuing liis lecture, Dr. Toogood pointed out that for boiling water, even in a kettle specially constructed, to get the best contact in electricity, "to boil water by electricity was four and a half times as expensive as gas, and it took twice as long to boil.” “Mr. Lawton, the Executive Secretary of the Society of Medical Officers of Health, succeeded Dr. Toogood, and demonstrated, before the audience, trials with water-heating, using an electric ring and gas ring. . “The demonstration was the boiling of a quart of water on the gas ring, and on the electric ring- In both cases the water was cold. The water was boiled by gas in eight minutes, whilst it took twenty-three minutes to boil the same quantity of water by electricity. The gas consumed 1.5 cubic feet, and electricity was 0.3 of unit, or in other words, the cost of boiling this quart of water by electricity was six times greater than the cost of boiling it by gas, and the saving of time fifteen minutes in favor of gas. “Mr. Lawton then made two batter puddings, baking one in the gas cooker, or oven, and the other in the electric-heater. This trial was only made to see what would happen. The pudding baked in the gas oven was properly baked, but that in the electric heater turned out a ghastly failure. “In concluding the tests and demonstrations, Mr. Lawton complained of the want of some means of adjusting fho temperature for electric heating and cocking, at any degree, as reliable as the handy gas tap, The following are some of the deductions from the foregoing tests, and demonstrations, of practical value, which should appeal strongly to every head of a family who is seeking to obtain the highest vaiue for every shilling expended in fuel, for cooking and heating, and in the shortest time, and also at the lowest expenditure of labours—--Ist: That Gas is more economical as a heat producer than coal, coke, or electricity, and for cooking is vastly cheaper. 2nd. That cooking by gas is more reliable, mero efficient, and does its work in far less time than electricity—viz., two-thirds. i 3rd. That- gas for cooking is absolutely under control, and there need be no waste. 4th- That in cooking with gas, there arc no ashes, dust, soot, or dirt, nor cutting of wood, nor carrying of coal. sth. Therefore every housewife who seeks to conduct the cooking, and heating departments, of her house, on the highest hygienics, as well as the Idea! principles of household economy, should instal the best Gas Cooker and Gas Heater, both fire and radiator, as well as gas light, all of which are obtainable at the CfSBOeiE GAS 00’S. Offices-GREY STREET. A