Horace Fletcher, the Great Masticator

Jan 25, 2023

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Horace Fletcher is best known for starting a food fad in that came to be known as Fletcherism. This early 20th century fad involved, in part, chewing your food A LOT.

Research:

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Crowninshield, Francis W. “Manners for the Metropolis: An Entrance Key to the Fantastic Life of the 400.” New York. D. Appleton and Company. 1909. Via Babel Trust. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31175009622302
Feltman, Rachel. “Fact: Horace Fletcher became a millionaire lifestyle influencer by telling people to chew as much as possible.” Popular Science. 4/26/2021. https://www.popsci.com/story/science/weirdest-thing-fletcherism-wawa-genetic-testing/
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"Horace Fletcher." Dictionary of American Biography, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/BT2310013484/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=e3d11c0e. Accessed 13 Dec. 2022.
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New York Times. “HORACE FLETCHER DIES IN COPENHAGEN; Dietetics Expert Was Originator of a System for Proper Mastication of Food. HIS EXPERIMENTS AT YALE Official Food Economist Taught ‘Fletcherism’ to 8,000,000 Starving Belgians During the War.” 1/14/1919. https://www.nytimes.com/1919/01/14/archives/horace-fletcher-dies-in-copenhagen-dietetics-expert-was-originator.html
Temple, Holly Eliza. “Repast: Horace Fletcher, the Original Food Faddist.” This Is Mold. 5/21/2021. https://thisismold.com/profile/repast/repast-horace-fletcher-the-original-food-faddist
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Roach, Mary. “How Many Times Should You Chew Your Food?” Adapted from Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal. Slate. 4/10/2013. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/04/excerpt_of_mary_roach_s_gulp_how_many_times_should_you_chew_a_bite_of_food.html
Fletcher, Horace. “Menticulture; or, the A-B-C of True Living.” Chicago. A.C. Mcclurg & Company. 1895.
Fletcher, Horace. “Happiness as Found in Forethought Minus Fearthought.” New York. Frederick A. Stokes Company. 1898.
Fletcher, Horace. “That Last Waif, Or, Social Quarantine: A Brief.” New York. Frederick A Stokes Company. 1898, 1909.
Fletcher, Horace. “The New Glutton, Or, Epicure.” New York. Frederick A Stokes Company. 1899, 1903.
Fletcher, Horace. “A.B.C. of Snap Shooting.” San Francisco. Published by the Author. 1880.
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Chittenden, Russell H. “Physiological Economy in Nutrition.” Popular Science Monthly Volume 63 June 1903. “The Influence of Diet on Endurance and General Efficiency.” Popular Science Monthly Volume 71 December 1907. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Popular_Science_Monthly/Volume_71/December_1907/The_Influence_of_Diet_on_Endurance_and_General_Efficiency
Chicago Tribune. “New Orleans Celebrites.” 3/29/1896. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349889192/
The Courier-Journal. “Horace Fletcher, Famous Dietician, Never Grew ‘Old’ Because He Knew How One Should Live.” The Courier-Journal. Louisville, KY. 6/22/1919. https://www.newspapers.com/image/118906814/
The Times-Democrat. “French Opera Debt.” New Orleans Times-Democrat. 3/27/1894.

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