INGESTION OF MIXED DIETS. 327 



inanition. The reported experience of Germany and Austria at the 

 time of writing would seem to indicate that observations of this kind are 

 unwittingly being made there, but unfortunately it is probable that 

 these are without a scientific measurement of the basal metabolism. 1 

 The statistical and superficial evidence indicates that certain classes of 

 the Teutonic nations are subsisting on very low diets, so far as the 

 calorie intake is concerned. While definite information is lacking as 

 to their capacity to perform physical work on this low diet, the evidence 

 of scientists who have visited Europe is somewhat conclusive in leading 

 to the belief that there has been no proportionate loss in physical 

 prowess or ability to perform work by this reduction in basal require- 

 ments. It is evident that this should be made the subject of most 

 careful physiological research, 2 as apparently during fasting the organ- 

 ism becomes accustomed to existing upon a perceptibly lower level. 

 There is naturally a loss of weight which is, it is true, in some small part 

 made up of organized protoplasmic tissue and in large part of water 

 and fatty tissue, but it is hardly conceivable that the heat-producing 

 organism as such is proportionately reduced in capacity or size by the 

 fasting. It is probable, however, that the stimulus to cellular activity 

 is considerably lowered as a specific result of the fasting process. To 

 what extent this stimulus is regenerated by moderate amounts of food, 

 and how much the total metabolism may be influenced by the intro- 

 duction of foreign protein, even under conditions when there is a draft 

 upon body protein, are at present unsolved problems which should be 

 carefully studied. 



l Since writing the above we have been able to secure a copy of an article by Loewy and 

 Zuntz (Berlin, klin. Wochenschr., 1916, 53, p. 825) and find that studies of the basal metabo- 

 lism of both authors have been made with all the accuracy and painstaking care characteristic 

 of Professor Zuntz's work. A pronounced decrease in basal metabolism as a result of the en- 

 forced reduction in diet is noted in both cases. 



2 Such a research has but recently (February 3, 1918) been completed by the Nutrition 

 Laboratory and the data are now being elaborated for publication. 



