DISCUSSION OF RESULTS. 



165 



frankly consider for our own work that the factor 10.3 which was most 

 carefully determined by Lissauer is the one logically best adapted for 

 use in computing the body-surface of the greater number of infants. 

 We furthermore believe that Lissauer's formula would, in general, 

 more nearly fit the requirements of observations in clinics, where the 

 larger number of infants are under weight. On the other hand, as we 

 have already pointed out, it is distinctly questionable whether the 

 methods of measurement 1 have even yet been sufficiently refined or 

 are sufficiently numerous to give a reliable method for the computation 

 of the body-surface from the body-weight. 



Table 35. — Heat-production per square meter of body-surface (Meeh formula) for 



normal infants. 



Although we believe that the lack of consistency exhibited by our 

 infants in the heat-production per square meter of body-surface may 

 not be ascribed to the fact that these infants were distinctly under the 

 average weight, it is of special interest to select the relatively few 

 infants who are of normal average weight and note the relationship 

 between the heat-production and the body-surface. This has been 

 done in table 35, in which the heat-production per square meter has 

 been calculated for 6 of our normal infants of average weight. 



In no case were less than 4 periods used for averaging, and usually 

 the average was drawn from a larger number of periods, the range being 

 from 4 to 1 1 periods. Even with these selected infants, the variations 

 in the heat-production per square meter of body-surface range from 

 656 to 998 calories. It is thus evident that the disturbance noted with 

 our whole collection of infants in the relationship between the heat- 

 production and the body-surface is also apparent with selected infants 

 having a normal or approximately normal average weight. 



*As an interesting evidence of our initial belief in the importance and significance of the measure- 

 ment of body-surface and its relationship to metabolism, we should here state that extensive 

 preparations were made by us for the measurement of the body-surface of a number of infants, 

 and a method was developed for securing shadow photographs of infants in various positions, the 

 areas of the shadows being measured by a planimeter. It was our hope to establish thereby some 

 relationship with the body-surface as measured from the shadow photograph, and by actual 

 measurements of cadavers, and the body-weight and length. It is needless to say that with our 

 present views in regard to the significance of body-surface in its relation to metabolism, we have 

 not felt justified in continuing such a series of measurements. 



