IN RELATION TO THE WAR. 487 



essentially founded upon a lowering of the basal metabolism. Dr. 

 Allen's diabetics, practically wrested from the jaws of death, present 

 a remarkable picture. The curtailment in diet, with the low stimulus 

 to cellular activity, has certainly in their case been a lifesaving 

 benefit. 



A research of this kind ofifers almost unlimited field for specu- 

 lation not only in pure physiology but likewise in its practical appli- 

 cations to everyday life. We believe it was made with a sufficient 

 number of men to rule out the personal equation. Indeed, the in- 

 dividual picture presented by each man is strikingly uniform with 

 the general picture presented of the group. There are no excep- 

 tions. 



I find myself in a novel situation as a public advocate of far- 

 reaching dietetic alterations. Recalling my earlier objections to 

 Professor Chittenden's inferences from his experiments, I realize 

 that, although abstract science and propaganda are more or less in- 

 compatible, in time of stress old beliefs may well be challenged, 

 earlier concepts discarded, and conservatism permitted to exercise 

 a less restraining influence ; hence a public avowal of change in point 

 of view and an admission of the errors of earlier judgment are not 

 only desirable but absolutely necessary. While still maintaining 

 that the published records of Professor Chittenden's experiments 

 left the desirability of a propaganda for lower protein and energy 

 open to serious fundamental criticism, I am now convinced that his 

 data on protein intake justified many of his public statements and 

 recommendations. His conjectures regarding calorie needs seem in 

 no small part substantiated by the results of this new research. 



Although some of our men were under twenty-one years of age, 

 the data obtained in our experiments have no bearing on the period 

 of growth ; the diet of the growing child should under no circum- 

 stances be reduced. Neither are the results applicable to the con- 

 ditions of severe muscular work as, for example, in the army. 

 They may, however, legitimately suggest practices for patriotic 

 civilians not performing severe muscular work ; that these standards 

 represent the optimum needs for peace times requires further evi- 

 dence for substantiation. It is quite clear that a civilian body of 

 men c6uld readily withstand a siege on half rations without difficulty 



