608 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



of judicial temperament and fair-minded attitude, more interested in 

 the discovery of truth than in the acceptance of any theory. 



Born at Aml^ero-, Bavaria, in 1831, Voit's university education in 

 medicine, physiology, and chemistry was gained at the universities of 

 Munich, Wiirtzburg, and Gottingen, where he came under the influ- 

 ence of Pettenkofer, "Wohler, and other eminent teachers. His ability 

 was. recognized from the first, and he Avas made Bischof's assistant at 

 the University of Munich in 185G. In 18G0 he was appointed pro- 

 fessor extraordinarius in physiology, and in 1863 professor ordinarius 

 and custodian of the ph3^siological institute at the University of 

 Munich, positions which he held until his death. Many honors came 

 to Professor Voit in his long life. He was a privy councilor and a 

 member of many learned societies. 



Nutrition problems claimed Voit's attention from the first, and 

 some of his most important contributions were in that field. It was 

 through his efforts that the theoiy was developed and accepted that 

 the measurement and analysis of the body excretory products fur- 

 nishes data for judging of its metabolic processes. His earlier work, 

 and much of his later, had to do with the renal excretion of nitrogen 

 as a measure of protein metabolism. Of even greater importance is 

 the measurement of carbon, and Voit was early associated wdth Pet- 

 tenkofer in the development of the respiration apparatus which bears 

 their names. With the aid of this appliance he and his associates 

 studied the respiratory products and greatly added to the scope and 

 value of investigations upon metabolism of man and animals. As a 

 result of these and other investigations dietary standards were estab- 

 lished, which have been of the greatest use in the discussion of prob- 

 lems pertaining to the proper nutrition of individuals and groups. 



Although he was especially interested in problems of human nutri- 

 tion, Voit's work has been very important in connection with the 

 study of the related question of the proper luitrition of farm animals. 

 The methods which he devised and perfected were applicable also 

 to this line of research, and many of his investigations had a direct 

 bearing upon these problems, as, for instance, studies of the formation 

 of fat in the animal body, and the substituting value of protein, fat, 

 and carbohydrates. 



Voit was the inspiration of much of the American work on the 

 general subject of nutrition. The late Prof. W. O. Atwater was a 

 pupil and apostle of Voit, and was instrumental in adapting German 

 experimental methods to American conditions. With his associates, 

 he improved the respiration apparatus and greatlj'' increased its use- 

 fulness by the addition of devices for the measurement of the income 

 and outgo of energy. 



In association Avith Buhl and Pettenkofer, Voit founded the Zeit- 

 Hchrift filr Biologie., and always retained connection with this 



