NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS AT THE GOVERNMENT HOS- 

 PITAL FOR THE INSANE, WASHINGTON, I). C 



By W. (). Atwater, Chief of Nutrition Invest ir/ations. 



Among* the various reasons for careful attention to the food siipph^ 

 of an institution, two are of particular importance. In the first place, 

 the comfort and well-])cing- of the inmates depend in great measure 

 upon their diet; and, in the second place, the cost of subsistence is 

 usually a very large item in the expenses of the institution. Hence, 

 an}'^ means of providing a more appropriate diet for the same expendi- 

 ture, or for reducing the cost of the diet, provided it be otherwise satis- 

 factory, is worthy of consideration. 



As a result of extended inquiries in this country and elsewhere, 

 which have been prosecuted with increasing activit}' in recent years, 

 the general principles of nutrition are to-day fairl}^ well understood, 

 and it is now feasible to make practical application of the results of 

 such incpiiry to the improvement of the dietetic management of insti- 

 tutions. It is possible to determine with tolerable accurac}^ the physi- 

 ological needs of the inmates for nourishment and, in the light of 

 experience and experiment, it is apparent that the knowledge gained 

 from a stud}^ of the diet with regard to the kinds, amounts, and costs 

 of food, the methods of handling the supplies, and of preparing and 

 serving the food will frequently show where and how improvements 

 may be made so as to render the diet more attracti\'e and palatable, 

 and often better suited to the physiological demands of the persons 

 nourished, while in man}' insttmces the cost may at the same time be 

 very much reduced. 



This is not meant to imply that it is impossible to provide a suitable 

 diet for an individual or a group without considering the results of 

 dietary studies and other similar investigations. Practical experience, 

 as accunudated through many generations, has shown in a general way 

 what amounts of food are recjuired and what are satisfactory condji- 

 nations. But it is coming to be more generally recognized that the 

 results of scientific investigation are a helpful guide in the conducting 

 of any enterprise. The proper feeding of individuals or groups is no 

 exception to the general rule. 



Having a very intcllig«>nt appreciation of such facts as these, the late 

 Doctor A. B. Richardson, superintendent of the Government Hospital 



503 



