METABOLISM AS AFFECTED BY GROWTH. 101 



While such a method of intermittent study may still be considered 

 as the ideal method, since it not only supplies an index of the individual 

 variations for the same child from age-period to age-period, but also 

 variations for different children at the same age and weight, it became 

 necessary for us, hi the absence of " ideal" conditions, to rely upon the 

 accumulation of a considerable mass of evidence for not only the 23 

 children who were studied more or less continuously, but likewise a 

 large number of isolated observations on other children. This col- 

 lection of more or less isolated data, when combined with the semi- 

 continuous observations, makes possible the charting of a considerable 

 mass of material regarding the metabolism of children in the period 

 from birth to puberty, thus supplying an excellent index of the general 

 trend of the metabolism of a child. 



By this method of procedure it is perfectly legitimate to consider 

 values obtained with the same individual with changes in age and 

 weight of some magnitude as representative of a new child at the indi- 

 cated age and weight. The basal metabolism of an adult, as measured 

 from month to month and from year to year in the decade from 20 to 

 30 years of age, does not vary greatly as a result of a change in age, 

 and there is usually in this tune no material change in weight or height. 

 With children, on the other hand, the rapid growth and changes in 

 stature and weight make it wholly illogical to average the values 

 found for any child during a considerable range in age and to consider 

 that the result represents the true average value for that child. In 

 other words, a child of 1 year is one individual, but a child of If years 

 is still another individual. Accordingly, in grouping the children for 

 general consideration, a definite method of selection was followed in 

 determining the degree of change in either weight or age which would 

 make it desirable to consider the child as a new individual. (See 

 page 131.) 



In analyzing our experimental data, we naturally turn first to the 

 picture presented by the results for individual children with whom 

 observations were continued for several months or years. Following 

 this treatment of the data, we may properly proceed to summary 

 tables and charts giving the results for all of the children studied, 

 including not only those data representing long periods of time, but 

 also the shorter isolated determinations of the basal metabolism made 

 upon a large number of children of different ages who were usually 

 observed on but one or two closely following days. 



METABOLISM DURING GROWTH AS SHOWN BY THE INDIVIDUAL CHILD. 



OBSERVATIONS WITH SUBJECT No. 145. 



Of the 23 subjects that were studied over relatively long periods of 

 time, No. 145 (a girl) has been selected for detailed treatment to indi- 

 cate the method of procedure which was followed with all of the chil- 



