FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 257 



FOODS— HUMAN NUTRITION. 



Influence of saccharin on the nutrition and health of man {U. 8. Dept. 

 Agr. Rpt. 9Jf, pp. 375). — The report of the referee board of consulting experts 

 is incltided, together with the results of investigations on which the conclusions 

 are based. 



Influence of saccharm on digestion, metabolism, nutrition, and general 

 health, C. A. Herter (pp. 9-228). — The experiments on the effects of saccharin 

 were made with 3 subjects under observation for from 129 to 164 days, and 

 were divided into various periods. During the foreperiod no saccharin was 

 talien. Five periods followed during which it was taken with the foods in 

 increasing amounts beginning with 0.3 gm. daily and increasing to 1.5 gm. per 

 day. An afterperiod followed during which no saccharin was taken. Clinical 

 records were kept, the urine and feces were examined, the nitrogen balance M^as 

 determined, and other similar experimental data were recorded, as well as the 

 results of studies of the effect of saccharin upon enzyms. " In no case was 

 any evidence obtained of any specific inhibiting action upon enzyms by saccharin 

 or by its sodium salt. Such quantities of these substances as might be em- 

 ployed for sweetening food are unlikely to affect the normal physiological 

 activity of the digestive enzyms." According to the author, " from a considei'a- 

 tion of all the data bearing on the subject of the action of saccharin we have 

 reached the conclusion that relatively large doses of saccharin (over 0.3 gm., 

 and especially above 1 gm. daily), if continued for considerable periods of time 

 (months), are liable to induce disturbances of digestion. On the other hand, 

 small doses of saccharin (0.3 gm. or less) may be taken daily during long 

 periods of time (months) by normal adults without any detriment to health 

 ascertainable by the available methods of study. 



" No evidence was attainable that the addition of saccharin to the food 

 altered the quality or strength of the food. On the other hand, it is obvious 

 that if saccharin be added to the food with intention of replacing glucose or 

 some other foodstuffs, this must be regarded as a substitution involving the 

 reduction of the food value of the sweetened product, and hence as a reduction 

 in its quality." 



The paper is followed by a collection of references to the literature of sac- 

 charin. 



Effect of saccharin on the health, nutrition, and general metabolism of man, 

 O. Folin (pp. 229-375). — Twelve young men were selected as subjects, of whom 

 7 drawn by lot received saccharin, while the other 5 served as controls. For a 

 period of about 5 months the men given saccharin took it almost uninterrupt- 

 e<lly with every meal in doses ranging from 0.05 gm. to 0.25 gm. at the end, the 

 intake amounting tlierefore to from 0.15 gm. to 0.75 gm. per day. Particular 

 attention was paid to gains and losses of body weight, the physical condition 

 of the subjects, the character and constituents of the urine, bacteriological 

 studies of the feces, and studies of gas production. 



The author summarizes his work as follows : 



" Considering the number of men involved, the length of the experiment, and 

 the amounts of saccharin given, the negative character of the results obtained 

 indicates that, so far as can be ascertained with methods at present available, 

 saccharin in moderate doses is not injurious to the health of normal, sound 

 adults." 



The main conclusions of the referee board of consulting experts (pp. 3-8), 

 based upon the above reports, were as follows: 



"(1) Saccharin in small quantities (0.3 gm. per day or less) added to the 

 food is without deleterious or poisonous action and is not injurious to the 



