EFFECTS OF INANITION ON THE BODY AS A WHOLE 97 



failed in a man after loss of about 40 per cent in body weight from a fast of 60 

 days on water alone. 



Some data concerning the recovery from inanition in infants and children 

 have already been mentioned. Rapid recuperation after temporary retardation 

 of growth has been noted by Coudereau ('69), Pagliani ('79), Camerer ('93), 

 Filliozat ('09), Holt ('18), Czerny ('21), Goldstein ('22), and others. Quest 

 ('05) found that in infants a loss of more than 34 per cent in weight is usually 

 fatal, while Rosenstern ('n) has observed only 3 cases of nurslings surviving a 

 loss of over 32 per cent (the maximum being 35 per cent). Baudrand ('n) 

 distinguishes primary atrophy (constitutional, due to defect in the germ cell) 

 from secondary atrophy (due to inanition from extrinsic causes), only the latter 

 type being capable of recuperation. Thus in 73 underweight (not premature) 

 newborn, Opitz found that 28.7 per cent made quick recovery of normal weight; 

 27.4 per cent continued growth parallel to the normal curve; while 43.9 showed 

 continued retardation, the growth curve becoming progressively subnormal. 

 It is generally believed that children poorly nourished over long periods will 

 not attain normal adult size (Burk '98, and others) although this is difficult to 

 prove. Tobler ('13) observed a child weighing 4,500 g. at birth which upon 

 weaning at 7 months suffered a chronic malnutrition from dyspepsia, which 

 retarded growth until well into the second year. Although the digestive trouble 

 was later fully overcome, the child was permanently stunted in growth, with a 

 length of only 89 cm. and a weight of 10,500 g. at 8 years of age. 



Recent data published by the German public health office on the height and 

 weight of 69,000 Leipzig children of the Volksckulen (Jour. A.M. A., Nov. 4, 

 1922, 79:1623) indicate an increase in their average height in the period 1919- 

 192 1, especially for the ages 7 to 10. The increase in weight was proportionately 

 less, and was greater in 1919-20 than in 1920-21. The present weights are still 

 below those just previous to 1914 (prewar period). These children may yet 

 become normal, but it is quite possible that permanent dwarfing may occur as 

 a result of severe or protracted inanition during infancy or childhood, in accor- 

 dance with the results obtained by experimental inanition upon animals. 



