144 METABOLISM AND GROWTH FROM BIRTH TO PUBERTY. 



Although but few measurements with girls are available for this 

 comparison, they have been plotted in figure 29 and the corresponding 

 curve derived from our observations on girls has been applied. While 

 the points all lie above our curve, they are for the most part somewhat 

 closer to the line than was found with the corresponding values for 

 boys. Almost no data are available for girls at the lower weights. 



Cals. 



TOTAL CALORIES REFERRED TO WEIGHT. 



GIRLS. 



2 kg$. 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 



FIG. 29. Basal heat production of girls per 24 hours referred to body-weight 



(earlier investigators). 



From an inspection of figures 28 and 29, it would seem that the girls 

 as a whole adapt themselves more readily to basal conditions, especially 

 as to activity, than do the boys, since our series with girls more nearly 

 corresponds with the scattered observations in the earlier literature 

 than the comparison for the boys. The great irregularity in the group- 

 ing of points around the curves when total calories are referred to age, 

 which is found in all three charts on this basis, leaves no doubt that the 

 physiologically sound method of reference in metabolism measure- 

 ments should be to weight rather than to age, for, as previously 

 pointed out, although changes in age and weight are more or less 

 closely correlated, the predominating factor influencing the basal 

 metabolism of the growing child is undoubtedly change in weight, 

 the change in age influencing the metabolism only indirectly as related 

 to change in weight. The absence of some age influence per se is, 

 however, by no means proved. 



