INTRODUCTION. 7 



basal conditions, and reported by Benedict, Enunes, Roth, and Smith, 

 in their summary of metabolism measurements for 89 men and 68 

 women.^ At this time Mr. Fletcher was 63 years old and appreciably 

 over-weight, having a body-weight without clothing of 82.1 kg., with 

 a height of 166 cm. The measurements of the metabolism gave a heat 

 production of 19.7 calories per kilogram of body-weight per 24 hours. 

 This is materially different from the average of 25.5 calories for the 

 whole group of 89 men and, in fact, is lower than that for any other 

 individual in the group. The nearest approach to this value was found 

 with Professor Otto Cohnheim, who visited the Laboratory at about 

 this time. With an age of 36 years, a body-weight of 83 kg., and a 

 height of 169 cm., Professor Cohnheim (in 12 observations on 3 days) 

 gave a heat production of 19.9 calories per kilogram and per 24 hours. 

 Although Professor Cohnheim was. much younger than Mr. Fletcher, 

 of a highly nervous temperament in contrast to the phlegmatic tem- 

 perament of the latter, and also a liberal meat-eater, the differences 

 in age, temperament, and dietetic habits were more than counter- 

 balanced by the decided overweight of the two men. It is evident 

 that this excess body-weight and adipose tissue had an effect upon the 

 heat production per kilogram of body-weight of both men. Neverthe- 

 less the fact remains that the value for Mr. Fletcher of 19.7 calories 

 is the absolute minimum for values obtained with 89 men reported 

 in 1914. 



Zuntz and Schirokich^ report a series of observations made with Mr. 

 Fletcher about three months previous to the experiment at the Nutri- 

 tion Laboratory, i. e., in February and March, 1912. The Zuntz- 

 Geppert apparatus was used. The investigators conclude that the 

 basal metabolism of this man was on a low plane which was coincidental 

 with a restricted and protein-poor diet, for the subject had been living 

 for 3 months on a diet of potatoes and butter. The post-absorptive 

 values showed a low output of approximately 19 calories per kilogram 

 per 24 hours. As Zuntz and Schirokich point out, this agrees very well 

 with the values found in the respiration calorimeter at Wesleyan Uni- 

 versity with young men fasting and at rest. The two fasting men 

 studied in the Zuntz laboratory, Cetti and Breithaupt, showed a higher 

 basal metabolism of from 29 calories with Cetti to 24 calories with 

 Breithaupt. While the Fletcher values are complicated by the factors 

 of age and weight, the experiments distinctly suggest a lower metabo- 

 lism with a low nitrogen intake. Although Zuntz speaks of the diet 

 as being restricted, the caloric intake of 2,750 calories in the first period 

 should certainly be sufficient to cover the needs of the subject. In the 

 second period the caloric intake of 2,116 calories is probably some- 

 what less than the actual requirements of the body. 



* Benedict, Emmes, Roth, and Smith, Journ. Biol. Chem., 1914, 18, p. 139. 



* Zuntz and Schirokich, Separate from Med. Klinik, 1912, No. 32, 5 pp. 



