454 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



discontinue the work at Middletown and to transfer it to Washing- 

 ton, the respiration calorimeter and other apparatus wliich were the 

 property of the department was shipj^ed to Washington for installa- 

 tion in the new department building which was being constructed. 

 Coincident with this change in plans the Carnegie Institution of Wash- 

 ington made very generous grants for the establishment of a per- 

 manent nutrition enterprise of its own for which a splendidly 

 equipped laboratory was built in Boston, Mass., and the direction 

 of this institute assigned to Prof. F. G. Benedict, who had been as- 

 sociated with Prof. Atwater in Middletown. 



On the completion of the new building of the Department of 

 Agriculture adequate quarters were assigned to its nutrition enter- 

 prise and the respiration calorimeter and accessory apparatus were 

 installed. The rebuilding of the apparatus gave an opportunity to 

 introduce many improvements in construction and accessory appa- 

 ratus, Avhich make for ease and convenience of operation as well as 

 for accuracy. 



As at present organized, the nutrition investigation, like all of the 

 work of the Office of Experiment Stations, is under the general super- 

 vision of the Director of the office. Dr. A. C. True. The immediate 

 supervision of the enterprise is assigned to the writer as expert in 

 nutrition, and associated with him are R. D. Milner, assistant in 

 nutrition, and a laboratory staff. Provision is also made for the 

 editorial and administratiA'e work which the enterprise involves. 



SCOPE OF THE NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS. 



Briefly stated, the purpose of the nutrition investigations is the 

 study of various aspects of the problem of the value as food of agri- 

 cultural products, both animal and vegetable. Problems which are 

 of especial interest because of their relation to the general work of 

 the department are given preference, and the work involves coopera- 

 tion with other bureaus of the Department of Agriculture whenever 

 such a plan seems desirable. 



The nutrition investigations have now been continued for some 20 

 years, and during this time have included researches in various 

 branches of the subject, attention having been paid particularly to 

 studies of the kinds and amovmts of food consumed by individuals, 

 families, institutions, etc. ; experiments on the digestibility of food 

 materials; and researches into the fundamental laws of nutrition, in- 

 cluding, particularly^ investigations with the bomb calorimeter and 

 the respiration calorimeter. In addition to these, collateral questions 

 of a wide variety have also received much attention. A brief state- 

 ment of the general lines along which the inquiries have been con- 

 ducted follows: 



