BODY-WEIGHT. 209 



not necessarily those obtained at the end of the experiment, but the 

 actual minimum weights recorded during the whole period of the 

 observations. With Squad A these were found in the majority of 

 instances about December 20, 1917; with Squad B the minimum 

 weight was in every instance coincidental with the final weight taken 

 on January 28. 



When we compare the standard values with the minimum body- 

 weights for the members of Squad A (see columns a, d, and e in table 

 9), we find that at their minimum weight 8 of these men were dis- 

 tinctly under normal weight, while only 2 were more than 1 kg. over- 

 weight {Can and Kon). The greatest differences found for these sub- 

 jects are those between their initial and minimum weights; these 

 differences are given in colunm /. The greatest loss on this basis 

 is found with the heaviest man, Can, namely, 11 kg. The smallest 

 loss was with one of the lighter men, Tom, this being only 5.2 kg. 



With Squad B (see columns a, g and h, table 10), we find 6 of the 

 men were still above normal weight after the period of greatly restricted 

 diet, but the other 6 men had a weight below normal. The greatest 

 difference was shown by Tho, who was 8.7 kg. under normal weight. 



Since their loss in weight caused not a little anxiety on the part of 

 parents and friends of these young men, who at times feared that the 

 subjects were jeopardizing their health by too great a reduction in 

 weight, the minimum weights of the men in Squad A are compared 

 in table 9 with the acceptable weights for life insurance of men of 

 similar age and height. It is the custom of a large number of 

 life insurance companies to allow an underweight of 25 per cent on 

 accepted risks, without special consideration on the part of the com- 

 pany. Other companies, more conservative, make an allowance of 

 but 20 per cent. We have, therefore, computed for each of the men 

 in Squad A the normal weight less 20 per cent for comparison with 

 the minimum weight for these men. It is unnecessary to do this for 

 the men in Squad B, since their weight reduction at no time approached 

 the 20 per cent hmit. From the figures in column h, table 9, it can be 

 seen that no member of Squad A, including even Tom, who had the 

 smallest initial weight, reached the limit which would cause his rejec- 

 tion by a life insurance company on the ground of underweight. 

 When it is considered that the weight reduction for the whole squad 

 averaged but 12 per cent, it is evident that in reality there were no 

 grounds for apprehension, for even at this low weight the men were, 

 on the basis of body-weight alone, eligible as risks with the best life 

 insurance companies. 



INDIVIDUAL BODY-WEIGHT CURVES. 



The actual body-weights for these men under our standard condi- 

 tions were obtained on numerous dates. It seems desirable to plot 



