METABOLISM AS AFFECTED BY GROWTH. 163 



series of boys studied by Du Bois and his collaborators, whose body- 

 surface areas were actually measured. If any attempt were made 

 to use the values found by Magnus-Levy and Falk, it would be neces- 

 sary to calculate the probable surface area based only upon the mea- 

 surements given by Magnus-Levy for the weight and height of the 

 children studied. Our analysis of the anthropometric data obtained 

 in our studies shows us that from the weight alone we can compute 

 reasonably close values for practically all children whose weight and 

 sex are given, 1 and confirm them by inspection from some of the data 

 actually obtained in our own series. Still, we do not wish to confuse 

 the comparisons made in figure 38 by introducing computed surface 

 areas, but do emphasize the fact that we are dealing here with a rela- 

 tively recent physical measurement of children, namely, the surface- 

 area by the Du Bois method. The values for Du Bois's 1916 and 1918 

 series for boy scouts have, for convenience, been included in figure 38, 

 but it should be stated that these points were not laid thereon until 

 after our smoothed curve was prepared. 



Though the range for our own values for surfaces, ages, or weights 

 do not justify extensive comparison with the 1918 series of boy scouts 

 studied by Du Bois, we have plotted the latter in figure 38 for purely 

 comparative purposes. It is seen that in almost every case the 

 values found by Du Bois in both series of experiments lie above our 

 smoothed curve. While a few of these lie fairly close to the curve, 

 most of them lie considerably above it, indicating a metabolism of 

 boys with these measured surfaces noticeably higher than that found 

 by us. 



Although it is probable that physiologists as a rule will not in the 

 future make the Du Bois measurements a part of their regular records, 

 such measurements are strongly recommended. At present the whole 

 question as to the best index of physical character to correlate with 

 measured metabolism is still in abeyance. As pointed out earlier 

 (see page 53), the Du Bois measurements have a specific value entirely 

 aside from that connected with the computation of the body-surface, 

 in that they give typical girths and lengths which are of importance 

 for indicating the several stages of growth. We strongly urge all 

 pediatricians to include these measurements in their records and 

 in detail. With the accumulation of a mass of data on this subject, 

 further comparisons may be made, with important deductions to be 

 drawn therefrom. Now that the Du Boises have given us an accurate 

 physical measurement of surface-area, and as this measurement more 

 probably approximates the true growth-changes than the measure- 

 ment of mere weight, the significance of surface-area measurements 

 per se should not be lost sight of by any worker in metabolism. 



1 See tables 12 to 15, pages 54 to 62. 



