SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 693 



ments after the return to normal diet, the great increase in pulse-rate 

 accompanying the great increase in body-weight may legitimately 

 indicate that there was likewise a corresponding increase in the meta- 

 bolic processes, in all probability closely correlated with the actual 

 body-weight curves. It is important to note, however, that the body- 

 weight curves here have no particular significance 'per se other than as 

 a general index of the nutritional level upon which the body was living. 



Finally, attention must be again called to the pronounced accumula- 

 tive loss of nitrogen with low diet, averaging for these 9 men 175 grams 

 at the end of the 4 months of the experiment. 



In interpreting this loss, we must give consideration to the figures 

 obtained for Tow, although he was not included in the chart. Tom's 

 nitrogen loss was but 45.74 grams for the entire period, while the 

 average for the other 11 men was 175.0 grams. ^ If our theory with 

 regard to the nitrogen stimulation is sound, one would expect nor- 

 mally to find a less pronounced effect on metabolism with Tom than 

 with any of the other men. As the data were being prepared it 

 appeared that there was no profound difference between the men 

 on this basis. A more careful analysis of the data given for Tom 

 shows that the total metabolism of this subject fell off very markedly, 

 as indeed did the metabolism per kilogram of body-weight and per 

 square meter of body-surface. Hence we have with Tom identically the 

 same picture noted with all the other members of the squad, although his 

 loss of nitrogen was on the whole but one-fourth that of the average for 

 the 1 1 other members of the squad and but one-fifth that of 3 other mem- 

 bers of the squad. At first sight this would appear to be a distinct 

 argument against the nitrogen-stimulation theory. On the other hand, 

 we must point out that, at least during January, Tom was in a distinctly 

 poor physical condition. In fact, he was quite wretched during part of 

 December and was operated on for hemorrhoids. No member of the 

 squad seemed to find more difficulty in reducing his weight than he did. 

 He presented a distinctly exceptional case throughout the entire period 

 of observation. As frequently stated, he was the most sedentary in 

 habit of the men in the squad. In \iew of the direct findings with Tom, 

 therefore, we must advocate the nitrogen-stimulation theory with a 

 certain degree of caution. 



The picture presented by these men on reduced diet is similar in cer- 

 tain ways to that noted with diabetics who have been undergoing the 

 Allen fasting treatment. Prior to the Allen treatment the metabolism 

 is very high, being on the average 15 to 20 per cent higher than that of 

 normal individuals of equal height and weight. Following the Allen 

 treatment the metabolism becomes very much reduced. Not only 

 does it fall to normal, but is actually lower than that of normal individ- 

 uals of the same height, weight, and age. The dietetic regime of the 



^It should be noted that these figures are for the entire period of the experiment, while those 

 in table 71, p. 351, do not include the last week. 



