35 



gToiind of econoni}^ under the cireiinistances. It does not necessarily 

 follow that Subject F's ration would have been better adapted to his 

 needs if he had used the monej' spent on beverages and desserts for 

 the purchase of cheaper foods, because it might well be that such a 

 change would have lessened the very essential element of palatability. 

 It should be borne in mind that all the alterations suggested in favor 

 of greater economy (i. e., increased amounts of nutrients for the same 

 cost) in this case and the others are based on the assumption that 

 within wide limits one food is as acceptable as another to a hungry 

 man, and that the men studied were tr3Mng to nourish themselves 

 satisfactorily on a small sum. 



As has been noted with a number of the men. Subject F's ration was 

 noticeably lower for period 8 than for the other periods. Thus in 

 periods 1 and 2 the average was 83.9 grams of digestible protein and 

 2,94:0 calories of available energy, but in period 3 it was only <)3.8 grams 

 and 2,577 calories. This falling off was due chiefly to the decline in the 

 nutritive value of the combination meals (see p. 22) and the increased 

 use of fruits and desserts without a proportionate increase in the total 

 cost of the ration. For the three periods the ration averaged 77.2 

 grams of digestible protein and 2,824 calories availal)le energy per 

 diem, or 84 and 104 per cent of the amounts called for by the com- 

 monh^ accepted standard for a man of sedentary occupation. We have 

 here another instance of very low protein consumption coupled with a 

 rather plentiful energy supply. So far as we may judge from physical 

 examination and measurements at the end of the test period. Subject 

 F held his own with the demands, both intellectual and physical, of his 

 college life. In fact he showed the slight gain in weight (in this case 

 1.8 pounds) and in anthropometric measurements that was noticed with 

 the majority of the men, which seems to indicate, at least in the case 

 of a man whose normal body growth was completed, that there was 

 no physical deterioration. His scholarship was very high, if we may 

 judge from the fact that he passed his examinations with the grade of 

 A, the highest mark that is given at Harvard University. 



DIETARY STUDY NO. 407. 



Subject G was 22 years old, 5 feet 8.5 inches in height, and weighed 

 143.3 pounds, and, unlike all the subjects before considered, showed 

 a remarkably close approximation to the average for his age both in 

 stature and in physical measurements, being classed as fairl}' well 

 developed and nourished. He was a senior in the college and carried 

 five courses, none of which was generally considered to be very diffi- 

 cult. Of all the men, his period for sleep was the shortest, being 

 but 6^ to 6f hours. He spent 9 to 9f hours daily on his college 

 work, but had no outside duties to perform. It was onl}' during 



