246 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



(suitably diluted but not as alcoholic beverages) on respiration and gaseous 

 metabolism. Alcohol sometimes acted to increase the sensitivity of the 

 respiratory center, as shoAvn by a drop in the alveolar carbon-dioxide tension ; 

 sometimes alcohol was without action on the respiratory center. Alcohol 

 did not have any broncho-constrictor action and seldom any broncho-dilator 

 action, as shown from determination of the dead space of breathing. The 

 respiration rate was not appreciably affected by alcohol nor was the type of 

 respiration changed unless there was restlessness. The heat production, as 

 indicated by the oxygen consumption, was ordinarily unchanged by alcohol; 

 in about one-fifth of the experiments there was a rise in heat production of 

 from 5 to 7 per cent. About 45 per cent of our experiments indicate a relative 

 acceleration in pulse-rate after taking alcohol as compared to taking the 

 control solution; in 55 per cent of the experiments this relative acceleration 

 did not occur. Study of respiratory quotients obtained indicates: (1) 45 c.c. 

 of alcohol is not burned at a faster rate than 30 c.c; (2) probably 20 to 40 per 

 cent of the total metabolism is due to alcohol; (3) if the rate of combustion 

 continues at the same rate as in the first 2 or 3 hours, it requires 8 hours before 

 all of the 30 c.c. alcohol and 12 hours before all of the 45 c.c. alcohol is com- 

 pletely burned. Alcohol diminished the volume of air breathed per minute 

 in a majority of cases; this was due to diminished carbon-dioxide production. 



(5) Physiology of the new-born infant. Fritz B. Talbot. Am. Journ. Diseases of Children, 



13, 495 (1917). 



The essential points of this paper may be summarized as follows: The 

 respiratory quotients of new-born infants indicate that the supply of glycogen 

 in the body is quickly used and that the energy is obtained in large part 

 from the body-fat until the breast milk " comes in." The energy requirements 

 of new-born infants are smaller per unit of body-weight than in older infants. 

 The total calories of the basal metabolism of a new-born infant may be calcu- 

 lated from the formula : Total calories = length X 12.65 X body-surface. Chill- 

 ing from exi^osure or a water bath depresses the metabolism and with it all 

 the body functions. A new-born infant should not be bathed in water and 

 great care should be taken that it is not chilled. Warm oil should be used 

 to clean the body. Since a new-born infant is starved until the breast milk 

 "comes in," weak or premature infants should be fed shortly after birth, 

 preferably with the milk of another woman; but when this is lacking, a 5 per 

 cent solution of some sugar, such as lactose, should be given as a temporary 

 expedient. 



(6) Twenty-four-hour metabolism of two normal infants with special reference to the total 



energy requirements of infants. Fritz B. Talbot. Am. Journ. Diseases of 

 Children, 14, 25 (1917). 



The purpose of this investigation was to determine how much extra energj^ 

 was expended in the ordinary muscular activity of an infant during a 24-hour 

 day. Normal infants in the Directory for Wet Nurses of the Boston Infants' 

 Hospital were selected. The experimental periods began about 7 p. m. and 

 continued for the subsequent 24 hours save for brief intennissions when the 

 infant was removed and fed. The records in the 24-hour experiments were 

 made in short periods, so that it would be possible to select periods of absolute 

 quiet ("basal" metabolism) as well as periods of activity. Two experiments 

 are reported; one of the infants remained inside the respiration chamber for 

 a total of 22 hours and 31 minutes, the other 23 hours and 10 minutes. Mus- 

 cular activity caused an increase of 67 and 70 per cent respectively in maximum 

 heat-production as compared with basal heat-production. A rough estimate 



