284 



ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERT. 



FOOD ESTIMATED IN HORSE POWERS. 



Dr. Frankland has made some researches into the calorific val- 

 ues of food. From the calorific value of any article of food it is 

 assumed that its working energy in the human body may be cor- 

 rectly estimated, on the basis that heat required to raise 1 pound 

 of water 1° of F. represents a mechanical force sufficient to raise 

 772 pounds to the height of 1 foot. This can readily be reduced 

 to horse-powers. 



The following table embodies some of the results of Dr. Frank- 

 land's computations : — 



Actual Energy of 10 Grains of the Material in its Natural Condition, 

 when completely burnt in Oxygen, and when Oxidized into Carbonic 

 Acid, Water, and Urea, in the Animal Body. 



LBS. LIFTED ONE FT. HIGH. 



It will be understood, of course, that to obtain these results in 

 the animal body, the materials must be completely absorbed, and 

 fully oxidized into carbonic acid, urea, etc. 



Estimated in this manner, it may be said that a daily subsistence 

 diet of 2 oz. of dry nitrogenous food, and 13.2 oz. of dry carbo- 

 naceous, calculated as starch, and a daily working diet of 6 oz. of 

 nitrogenous matter, and 26 oz. of dry carbonaceous, have the fol- 

 lowing mechanical energies : — 



Subsistence diet, 

 Working diet, 



LBS. LIFTED ONE FT. HIGH. 



When oxidized 

 in the body. 



6,319,783 6,307,078 



13,349,405 13,311,290 



When burnt 

 in oxgen. 



