Introductory and Narrative of the Expedition. 



THE investigations described in the present paper were under- 

 taken in 1908 primarily with a view to elucidate if possible a 

 certain point connected with the catabolism of protein, namely the 

 probable splitting up of the protein in a nitrogenous and a non ni- 

 trogenous part and the possibility of storing the latter for later use 

 in the organism according to its needs. 



We thought that some insight into this process might possibly 

 be gained if the nitrogen and CO^ output and the oxygen intake were 

 determined in short consecutive periods after the ingestion of large 

 quantities of albumin. 



We should then be able to calculate the amount of carbon retained 

 and from the corresponding respiratory quotients conclusions might 

 be drawn with regard to the form in which it was stored. For obvious 

 reasons it would be preferable if such experiments could be made on 

 man, and if it were possible to feed a subject with albumin in excess 

 of his energy requirements we considered that we had a reasonable 

 chance of obtaining definite information. 



We had every reason to think that it would be possible to make 

 such experiments on Eskimos. We were told that the Eskimo was 

 able to eat a tremendous amount of pure meat in a very short time 

 (15 pounds in less than 14 hours) and the observations, which one of 

 us had occasion to make during a stay in Greenland several years 

 ago, seemed to corroborate such statements. If they were only ap- 

 proximately correct the complete metabolism of such a quantity in 

 24 hours appeared inconceivable and it would appear possible to as- 

 certain the form in which the material was stored. 



We were for a long time detained from attempting such an in- 

 vestigation by the large difficulties inseparable from making physi- 

 ological experiments of such a kind in an Arctic country with very 

 bad communications and on subjects who could at best be described 

 as semi-civilized. The very large number of analyses of food, urine 

 and respiratory gases which it would be necessary to make acted also 

 as a deterrent. 



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