A DIETARY STUDY AT THE BOSTON SCHOOL OF 

 HOUSEKElilTNG, 1901. 



By Susannah Usher, S. B., 

 Instructor, Boston Sdutol of Housekeeping, 



AND 



Bertha M. Terrill. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



For instruction in the practical application of dietary studies, a class 

 at the Boston School of Housekeeping- was required to plan menus for 

 its own meals for one week, the cost of the food materials not to 

 exceed 25 cents per woman per day, and the diet for the week to fur- 

 nish on the average the daily quantities of nutrients and energy called 

 for l)y the commonly accepted standard for a woman performing a 

 moderate amount of muscular work, i. e., 90 grams of protein and 

 2,4:50 calories of energy. A summary of this experiment which was 

 carried on under the direction of the instructors and fellows of the 

 Boston School of Housekeeping in 11)01 has been already published.'^ 

 A detailed account of the work follows: 



After the menus had been decided upon and a day for the beginning 

 of the study was fixed, account was taken of all the food materials on 

 hand before the study began. Record was also kept of all those pur- 

 chased during the week. From the sum of these the quantities left 

 on hand at the close were deducted and the difference taken as the 

 amounts used during the study. None of the foods was analyzed. 

 The nutritive value of all food materials was assumed from the aver- 

 ages for similar articles given in a previous publication of this Office.* 

 The percentages of nutrients assumed for the food materials are given 

 in Table 29 of the Appendix. 



This study continued seven days during the latter half of April, 1901, 

 the season being cold and very backward. The family or group in- 

 cluded in the study consisted of 16 women students. They were not all 

 present at every meal, while at several meals there were guests. As 

 is usual, an account was kept of the number of persons present at each 

 meal, and from such data were calculated the equivalent number of 

 meals for one person and the equivalent number of days. There were 

 297 meals served, which was equivalent to one woman for ninety-nine 

 days. 



«The Cost of Food. Mrs. Ellen H. Richards, Boston, 1901, p. 111. 

 b U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Bui. 28, revised. 



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