286 MEMOIRS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



and caring for the food and solid and liquid excreta. Hi* diversion was found in reading, 

 writing, and occasional conversation by telephone with persons outside. In the "work 1 ' experi- 

 ments the subject engaged in the active muscular exercise of riding a stationary bicycle for eight 

 hours or thereabouts per day. The wheel of the bicycle was belted to a dynamo connected with 

 an electric lamp, so that the muscular power which was applied to the pedals was converted 

 partly into heat by friction hut mainly into electrical energy and then into heat. The apparatus 

 was calibrated so as to serve as an ergometer for measuring the external muscular work. 



In interpreting the results in their bearing upon the physiological action of alcohol, it should 

 lie particularly noted that the whole amount of alcohol ingested per day was small and that 

 furthermore it was taken in 6 doses, 3 with meals and 3 between meals. The object of the 

 experiments was to study the action of alcohol under conditions calculated to secure the 

 minimum of influence upon the nervous system. With such small doses, the equivalent of a 

 glass of wine each, and thus distributed, two of the subjects were able to detect practically no 

 sensible effect of the alcohol, while the third, J. F. S., felt nothing more than at times a slight 

 "tingling" in the ears. There was in some cases an apparent though slight quickening of pulse 

 rate, but practically no lowering of body temperature was observed. In such freedom from 

 nervous disturbance it was believed that the normal nutritive action w T ould be best observed. 



There is the more reason for emphasizing this last point, because in the majority of the 

 published experiments with men and animals for the study of the effects of alcohol the quantities 

 of the latter have been much larger. Doses of 1 to H grams per kilogram of body have commonly 

 been considered small, and those of 2 to 3 grams per kilogram have been common and generally 

 taken on an empty stomach. Often the amounts have been such as to cause the symptoms of 

 drunkenness. In our experiments, on the other hand, the whole amount per day was only 

 about 1 gram per kilogram body weight; the individual doses were only about one-sixth of a 

 gram per kilogram, and half of them were taken with meals. This fact doubtless accounts for 

 a not inconsiderable share of the difference between the results of our experiments and those 

 found by a number of other investigators. 



While the quantities of alcohol were small, the energy sufficed to make about one-fifth of the 

 total energy of the diet in the "rest," and one-seventh of the total energy of the diet in the 

 "work" experiments. 



It is to be especially noted that these experiments were not made to test the effects of alcohol 

 upon muscular or nervous activity or power, nor do they lead to any conclusions regarding the 

 effects of alcohol when taken habitually or in large quantities. 



The <iLx,rr,<l i;snlfs. — The results, as shown by the statistics of the experiments, may be 

 briefly stated as follows: 



1. The quantities of alcohol eliminated by the lungs, skin, and kidneys varied from 0.7 to 

 2.7 grams, and averaged 1.3 grams per day (see p. 258). This corresponds to an average of 1.9 

 per cent of the whole alcohol ingested. Accordingly over 98 per cent of the ingested alcohol 

 was oxidized in the body. There is, however, reason to believe that 99 per cent would more 

 nearly represent the proportion actually oxidized. 



2. The experiments give data for comparing the availability and fuel value of alcohol with 

 those of the nutrients of ordinary food. The word "availability " as here applied to the ordinary 

 nutrients, expresses the proportion which is digested and made available for the building and 

 repair of tissue and the yielding of energy. This proportion is the difference between the total 

 amount and that excreted by the intestine. In like manner the available alcohol would be the 

 difference between the total amount ingested and the amount excreted by the lungs, skin, and 

 kidneys, practically none being excreted by the intestine. The available energy of the ordinary 

 nutrients is the total energy (heat of oxidation) less that of the material unoxidized. For fats, 

 carbohydrates, and alcohol it is the heat of oxidation of the total available material. For the 

 protein it is the same, less the heat of oxidation of the unoxidized residue excreted by the kidneys. 

 The available energy is taken as the measure of the fuel value. The following table compares the 

 coefficients of availability and the fuel values of the protein, fats, and carbohydrates of ordinary 



