176 Journal of the Mitchell Society [February 



adipose ?" "Are jou worried or tappj ?" "Married or single ?" 

 "How is your peristaltic wave?" "Is your indican high?" 

 "What are your bacterial flora ?" "Is the alcoholic proportion 

 of your diet excessive?" "What is your average opsonic in- 

 dex ?" "Do you 'Fletcherize' or bolt your food ?" "Are you a 

 commuter?" These questions may seem slightly fanciful, but 

 each and every one has a relation to what the ration should be 

 and the fate of such food products in the twelve yards of the 

 digestive tract. More seriously, Dr. Benedict, in his recent 

 studies of metabolism of man has said, "When we consider the 

 chemical complexity of man's organism, the considerable differ- 

 ences in size, weight and temperament and the marked changes 

 in diet and physical activity in the course of his daily life, it is 

 difficult to imagine him having a normal metabolism to which 

 all metabolism measurements can be referred. No two people 

 may be said to be alike, even in physical appearance, and it is 

 reasonable to suppose that when all the factors of life are taken 

 into consideration this lack of similarity will be even more ap- 

 parent. Different people, would, therefore, be expected, a 

 priori, to show marked differences in metabolism, and yet the 

 collection of statistics regarding the metabolic functions of in- 

 dividuals approximating uniformity in size, weight, physical 

 activity and general development will give results of distinct 

 value and interest." Observation of the results of Benedict in 

 the experiments of metabolism of man by the calorimeter meth- 

 od shows ^vhat a wide range of conditions the dietitian has to 

 deal with. 



There cannot be, of course, a fixed standard of food 

 in regard to either calorific or tissue-building functions without 

 noting all the data and specific idiosyncracies of the individual 

 under consideration. However, general laws may be laid down 

 under specific conditions of age, body weight, etc., as constants, 

 which may be applicable to new individual cases with remark- 

 able physiological accuracy. Benedict, in a striking series of 

 experiments has demonstrated very clearly that a change from 

 a diet poor in carbo-hydrates to one rich in carbo-hydrate is 

 accompanied by a considerable retention of water by the tissues 



