MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. . 351 



tance, and in the hands of such a distinguished authority as Professor 

 Chittenden we may expect a continuation of the experiments, with 

 corresponding additions to the knowledge obtained. 



As illustrating the great need that had existed for such investiga- 

 tions, it may be briefly stated that the generally accepted standard of 

 Voit for an adult man of average bodily weight (70-75 kilos), doing 

 moderate muscular work, called for 118 grams of protein, or albu- 

 minous food, daily, of which 105 grams should be absorbable, 56 

 grams of fat, and 500 grams of carbohydrates, with a total fuel value 

 of over 3000 large calories. The standards recommended by others 

 were not less, and Atwater, in this country, has recommended a dis- 

 tinctly higher proteid factor and fuel value. Experiments by Siven 

 had indicated that nitrogen equilibrium might be obtained on a much 

 smaller allowance of nitrogenous nutrients, of which a large propor- 

 tion might be non-proteid. He was able gradually to reduce the total 

 nitrogen of his food to 4.52 grams, or 0.08 of a gram of nitrogen per 

 kilogram, live weight, which corresponds to about 28 grams of pro- 

 . teids instead of 118. Jaffa had also, in a dietary study of a child on 

 a diet of fruit and nuts, observed a gain of nitrogen by the subject 

 with only 0.041 gram of food nitrogen per kilogram, body weight 

 These results, standing alone, could scarcely be expected to revolu- 

 tionize a well-settled judgment, but they certainly pointed strongly to 

 the possibility of making great dietary changes. 



Within a few years Mr. Horace Fletcher, in experiments on him- 

 self, demonstrated to his own satisfaction, and later to the satisfaction 

 of a number of distinguished physiologists, that he was able to main- 

 tain himself in perfect health upon a much smaller allowance of food 

 than the standard calls for, including a great reduction of proteids. 

 His experience, and the observations of Professor Chittenden on him, 

 seem to have furnished the initiative for experiments conducted during 

 the last year and a half by Professor Chittenden, and described in a 

 book issued last month, entitled "Physiological Economy in Nutri- 

 tion, with SiDCcial Reference to the Minimal Proteid Requirement of 

 the Healthy Man." It is not my purpose to review this book, but its 

 perusal since handing in my title for this paper furnishes the most 

 ample proof of the necessity for investigation contended for. Pro- 

 fessor Chittenden and four other professional men, thirteen men of 

 the United States hospital corps, and eight of the Yale University 

 athletes, engaged in active training, were subjects for these experi- 

 ments, which extended over periods of time measured by months, or 

 even over a year in some instances. While there were certain indi- 

 vidual differences, the exceedingly significant result was demonstrated 

 in every instance that the food taken could be so reduced in quantity 



