A Study of the Diet and Metabolism of Eskimos. 41 



Exp. II: 1.26, 1.21, 1.28, 1.17 Cal. per kg. and hour, mean 1.23. 

 Exp. Ill: 1.31, 1.32, 1.34, 1.24 Cal. per kg. and hour, mean 1.302. 

 Exp. IV: 1.12, 1.12, 1.19 Cal. per kg. and hour, mean 1.143. 



During exp. II the subjects slept for shorter hours (from 11 in- 

 stead of 10) than in exp. IV, which explains the somewhat higher 

 metabolism, while the two subjects employed in exp. Ill would 

 appear to possess normally a higher basal metabolism ("Grundumsatz"). 



During the hours of the day the metabolism is of course much 

 more variable but we find in almost all cases lower values for the fore- 

 noon (6 — 2) than for the afternoon (2 — 10). The mean for all sub- 

 jects and the hours 6 — 2 is 1.57, while for the hours 2 — 10 it is 1.70 

 Calories per kg. and hour. 



In exp. II the excess of food led to a production of fat as evidenced 

 by the rise of the respiratory quotient of the non protein metabolism 

 above unity. It is of some interest to note that the quotient did not 

 rise above unity during the first and second day when an excess of 

 carbohydrate was given, but only during the latter half of the third 

 day when the diet consisted chiefly of protein and fat. The respira- 

 tory exchange of this day taken as a whole indicates apart from the 

 protein catabolized an intake of 428 1. 0^ and an output of 432 I. CO^ 

 corresponding to a catabolization of 516 gr. glycogen (both subjects 

 together) while only about 400 gr. were available from the food of 

 the day. This would indicate probably that the quotient for the pro- 

 tein catabolized had not really been 0.803 but higher, indicating a 

 formation of fat direct from the protein, but we do not think that 

 the evidence for such a formation is binding, as an excess of carbo- 

 hydrate may have been available from the supplies of the preceding 

 day. In exp. Ill and IV the respiratory quotients do not present 

 any peculiarities which would allow definite conclusions to be drawn. 



The specific dynamic action of the food cannot be quantitatively 

 measured in our experiments but on the point of the specific dynamic 

 action of the protein inferences of some interest may be drawn. 



The production of heat per kg. and hour during the night periods 

 is in all cases higher than it would be when no food was being digested 

 and absorbed, but as we do not know the basal metabolism of our sub- 

 jects a quantitative comparison cannot be made. In exp. IV we find 

 the lowest figure 1.12 Cal. per kg. and hour. 



With regard to the dynamic action of the protein it must be borne 

 in mind that in all our experimental periods the TV excretion is high 

 compared with what is usual for civilized people, while in some it 

 is excessive (lowest value for 8 hours and both subjects 9.7 gr. N and 

 highest 35.6 gr.). We can only study therefore the influence of an 

 excessive catabolization of protein as compared with one which is 

 already considerable. 



