28 



It is easy to suggest changes whereb}- the value of the ration might 

 have been increased without increasing the cost. The amount spent 

 for meats, beverages, and cereals is about 35 per cent, that for vege- 

 tables about 80 per cent, and for fruits about 25 per cent higher than 

 the average for the ten men studied. In the case of cereals this 

 increase was profitable, since they are economical foods at the Ran- 

 dall Hall prices, but, as noted before, meats are an expensive source 

 of nutrients, while beverages and fruits yield very little protein and 

 energy. Thus for an expenditure of about 7.4 cents, or 17 per cent 

 of the total cost of the diet, the fruits and beverages together fur- 

 nished only about 6.5 per cent of the total digestible protein and 

 about 7 per cent of the total available energy, whereas the same sum 

 expended for breadstuffs would have increased the diet b}' nearly one- 

 quarter of the total nutrients involved. A further economy could 

 have been brought about by devoting part of the sum expended for 

 meat, especially during period 2, to combination meals and by using 

 cheaper meat foods, such as beef stew, beef potpie, meat croquettes, 

 and hash, in place of rump steak, sausage, ham cakes, and various 

 sorts of fish. In the class of vegetable foods not onl v w^as the amount 

 spent 80 per cent higher than the average, but the quantities of protein 

 and energy procured per unit of money were less. A smaller expendi- 

 ture for vegetables and the selection of baked beans, baked or hashed 

 brown potatoes, and sweet potatoes in place of the more expensive 

 potato salad, French fried and lyonnaise potatoes would have been 

 more economical. In the case of breads the quantities of digestible 

 protein and available energy obtained for 1 cent amounted to but 65 

 and 70 per cent, respectively, of the average amounts obtained by the 

 ten subjects. The quite general use of toast and griddlecakes in place 

 of the more economical white bread was the probable cause of this 

 condition, which aU'ects the value of the ration very materially, since 

 breadstuft's furnished over 20 per cent of the total nutrients. The 

 quantity of protein furnished by the dairy products per money unit 

 dropped in period 2 to 60 per cent, and in period 3 to a little over 35 

 per cent of that in period 1, owing to a decrease in the amount of milk 

 used and an increase in the amount of cream. 



The weight of Subject D, at the end of the investigation, was 120.5 

 pounds, showing a gain of 1 pound in about six months. Such a dif- 

 ference might easily have been occasioned by the daily fluctuation in 

 intestinal contents, etc., so we may infer that the weight was practi- 

 cally constant throughout the college year. Examination showed that 

 his general physical condition, which was rather below par at the out- 

 set, had not changed. Anthropometric measurements also disclosed no 

 changes. 



The standing of Subject D in his studies was creditable. His courses 



