METABOLISM AS AFFECTED BY GROWTH. 



169 



on the body-surface chart in figure 39. Further evidence at these 

 weights is absolutely necessary for intelligent discussion. The accumu- 

 lation of such data is now in progress at the Nutrition Laboratory. 



FIG. 43. Basal heat production of girls per square meter of body-surface per 24 hours 



referred to body-weight. 



Points inclosed in squares signify puberty established. For No. 239 compare point inclosed in 

 diamond (prepubescence) with point inclosed in square at 39.2 kg. (puberty). 



Although the tendency is for the highest metabolism per square 

 meter of body-surface to be noted at about 10 kg., some of the lowest 

 values found in the entire series are also obtained about this tune. 

 A large personal element in basal metabolism is therefore apparent, 

 certainly with the younger children. The general form of the curve 

 is somewhat different from that on the same basis shown for the boys, 

 but this is not the place for a special discussion of sexual differentiation. 



COMPARISON OF HEAT PRODUCTION PER SQUARE METER (MEASURED), REFERRED TO 

 BODY- WEIGHT, WITH EARLIER DATA (COMPUTED). 



As brought out in preceding sections, certain difficulties occur in 

 comparing the results of our study, in which the basal metabolism 

 was directly determined and the surface-area actually measured, with 

 those of earlier investigators, who, aside from Du Bois, were unable to 

 measure the body-surface. Since, however, data were obtained in the 



