138 A BIOMETRIC STUDY OF BASAL METABOLISM IN MAN. 



A discrepancy in Von Hoesslin's reasoning should be pointed out 

 here, in that the value of 1600 calories was that found during feeding 

 and thereby unquestionably included the stimulating effect of the 

 meat. Consequently the true basal value would be somewhat lower 

 and the decrease on the tenth day is undoubtedly somewhat less 

 than 41.5 per cent, but in any event probably of much greater 

 magnitude than the 6.15 per cent computed on the ratio of the body 

 surfaces. 



Again, v. Hoesslin points out that Rubner's own dogs show the 

 same decrease in metabolism with inanition. Rubner introduced a 

 table to show "dass sich der Stoffwechsel bei Hunger fast gar nicht 

 andert." Yet this table shows a decrease in the metabolism in absolute 

 terms of 33 per cent, in relation to body-weight of 20 per cent, and in 

 relation to body-surface of 25 per cent. 



In an experiment upon a dog which was confined to the laboratory 

 for several months and which did not lose weight, 39 the metabolism 

 decreased very considerably (19 per cent). When the dog was again 

 allowed country life, her metabolism returned to essentially its original 

 value, but the body-weight was unchanged. Here evidently is con- 

 stancy in body-surface area, but variation in heat-production per 

 square meter. 



Information with regard to the metabolism of human individuals 

 who are well or poorly nourished is, for the most part, obtained by 

 observations on different subjects. But during prolonged fasting we 

 may observe in the same person changes in the plane of nutrition 

 fully comparable to those roughly characterized as poorly or well 

 nourished. It is thus seen that during prolonged fasting simulta- 

 neous measurements of the body-surface and the basal metabolism 

 of the subject have an unusual value. A 31 -day fasting experiment 

 made in the Nutrition Laboratory has a particular interest in this 

 connection. 40 



A study of the relationships of body-weight, body-surface, and 

 basal metabolism during fasting is all the more important when it is 

 remembered that it is commonly believed that the fasting animal 

 rapidly adjusts itself to the minimum metabolism. The results of 

 earlier experiments on the dog, the cock, and the guinea pig 41 indicate 

 that per kilogram of body- weight the fasting metabolism is constant. 

 With the fasting man the metabolism per kilogram of body-weight was 

 not constant. Furthermore, calculation of the metabolism per square 

 meter of body-surface on the basis of the Meeh formula the only one 

 available at the time of the experiment indicated a large loss in heat- 

 production during the progress of the fast. Realizing the desirability 



39 Lusk, Journ. Biol. Chem., 1915. 20, p. 565, 



411 Benedict, Carnegie Inst. Wash. Pub. No. 203, 1915. 



41 Armsby, The Principles of Animal Nutrition, New York, 1906, 2d ed., p. 346. 



