NUTRITION LABORATORY. 273 



olism of man in Publication No. 279 of the Carnegie Institution of Wash- 

 ington (1919). (See abstracts 4 and 5.) The data for a large number of men, 

 women, and new-born infants are briefly discussed analytically, and their 

 relationships graphically illustrated. The frequencies of total heat production 

 and heat production per square meter of body-surface, and the coefficients of 

 variation on the basis of total heat production per 24 hours, are given, the 

 latter being greater than that for stature, less than for body-weight, and 

 approximately the same as for pulse-rate. To show the relationships be- 

 tween physical characteristics and basal metabolism, a comparison is made 

 by the use of correlation coefficients. Those between body-weight and 

 metabolism are higher than the coefficients between stature and metabolism 

 while those between the metabolism and body-weight and body-surface, 

 respective^, are approximately of the same magnitude. By the use of partial 

 correlation formulae this increase is shown to be not merely an interrelation- 

 ship, as both stature and bodj^-weight have an independent significance in 

 indicating the daily heat production. The relationship between metabohsm 

 and age is also discussed. As a result of this analysis of metabolism data 

 multiple prediction equations are suggested for predicting the daily caloric 

 output of individuals of both sexes from body-weight, height, and age. 

 Graphic illustrations are given of the ways in wliich these equations may be 

 practically apphed. 



(7) The energy loss of young Vv'omen during the muscular activity of light household work. 

 Francis G. Benedict and Alice Johnson. Proc. Am. Phil. Sec, 58, 89 (1919). 



To supply exact information regarding the energy requirements for light 

 household work, the Nutrition Laboratory has begun a study of the heat out- 

 put of women in various domestic activities. A preHminary report of the 

 observations was given at the meeting of the American Philosophical Society 

 in April 1919. The subjects thus far studied have been young women from 

 the domestic science department of Simmons College, approximately 200 

 women taking part in the experiments. The apparatus used for determining 

 the carbon-dioxid production was the group respiration chamber, previously 

 referred to in the annual reports, with which 25 or more individuals can be 

 studied simultaneously. 



In all, 12 experiments were made, covering 48 periods 20 or 25 minutes in 

 length. To provide a standard for computing the increase in energy required 

 for the particular household occupation studied, the energy loss of the groups 

 of young women while sitting quietly reading 2 hours after a light breakfast 

 was determined at the beginning of every experiment in from 1 to 3 periods. 

 As a result of 23 rest periods on 12 experimental daj^s, it was found that the 

 average heat output per kilogram per hour was 1.12 calories. This average 

 figure of 1.12 calories has a specific interest in that it indicates the probable 

 heat production of women sitting quietly under ordinary Uving conditions 

 with a moderate amount of food in the stomach. 



In the thi'ee experiments when the women read aloud, the increments found 

 were 3, 1, and 5 per cent, respectively, with an average of 3 per cent. With 

 the subjects singing, the increments were 17, 34, and 16 per cent, respectively, 

 with an average of 22 per cent. In the two experiments with the women 

 doing plain sewing (hemming), increments of 16 and 10 per cent were found, 

 with an average of 13 per cent. One experiment was made with a group of 

 women standing quietly, which gave an increment of 9 per cent. With a 

 group of women sweeping, increments were obtained in two experiments of 

 139 and 161 per cent, with an average of 150 per cent. Three experiments in 

 which the subjects dusted chairs showed increments of 126, 121, and 156 per 



