698 VITALITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH RESTRICTED DIET. 



PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



As a result of the extensive scientific findings recorded in the several 

 chapters of this discussion, this research as a whole, we hope, makes 

 some important contributions not only to abstract science, but cer- 

 tain of the data supply legitimate bases for practical use in periods of 

 stress such as obtained during the recent world war. The fundamental 

 possibility of completely lowering the nutritional level so as to produce 

 profound alterations in the gaseous metabolism, blood pressure, pulse, 

 and practically all physiological functions opens a new field for the study 

 of physiology at a low nutritional level. The fact that the whole pic- 

 ture was presented with striking clearness by Squad B after a rela- 

 tively few days of low diet makes it not only possible but practicable 

 to duplicate the experimental conditions easily and to refine the study 

 of any one of the many scientific problems presented by this research. 

 Several of these have already been indicated in our text. We regret 

 particularly not having secured some evidence with regard to the 

 stimulating effects of foodstuffs at this lower level, for such study 

 should contribute materially to an explanation of the cause of the excess 

 heat production following food ingestion. It is not impossible that 

 many factors which are now studied on the normal nutritional level 

 would be considerably accentuated by being superimposed on the lower 

 level. A complete study of the character of the blood nitrogen is of 

 course imperative. Further and more intricate studies of pulse and 

 blood pressure, and their reactions to posture and both moderate and 

 severe work, should also prove profitable Hues of study. 



Without attempting to catalogue any considerable number of these 

 abstractly scientific problems, we would call attention to the possibil- 

 ities of the therapeutic use of this procedure, since we have here 

 two pronounced factors which are popularly supposed to influence 

 perturbed metabolism. One of these, the removal of an excessive 

 amount of nitrogen by the simple method of producing undernutrition, 

 should have most important bearings upon many pathological condi- 

 tions. Second, the profound lowering of the total metabolism, which 

 has already been found in the Allen fasting treatment for diabetics to 

 have great therapeutic effectiveness, will doubtless be extended to 

 other pathological cases. These are problems primarily for the clini- 

 cian. The dietetic procedure is extraordinarily simple, is in no par- 

 ticular sense strenuous or painful, and the condition of lowered nitro- 

 gen and lowered metabolism can be rapidly produced in a few weeks. 

 The untoward influence of both procedures upon norma' healthy man 

 is so slight as to indicate that danger, if any exist, must be remote. 

 The beneficial effects in many pathological cases of removing large 

 amounts of surplus nitrogen and of lowering the metabolism percep- 

 tibly will, it is confidently believed, be demonstrated in the near future. 



