626 METABOLISM 



this objection another method, which we may call the statistical, is avail- 

 able. It consists in taking the average diet of a large number of indi- 

 viduals and comparing the calorie value with the average amount and 

 type of work that they are meanwhile called upon to perform, and can 

 best be used where the diet is accurately known, as in public institu- 

 tions, the army, the navy, etc. The total food supplied is then divided 

 by the number of individuals, this giving the per capita consumption. 

 Obviously some get more than others, but when a sufficient number of 

 individuals is included, such errors become eliminated by the law of 

 averages. 



The reliability of this method is testified to by the remarkable corre- 

 spondence in the calorie value of the food consumed by farmers in widely 

 different communities: 



Calories 



Farmers in Connecticut 3,410 



11 " Vermont 3,635 



" " New York 3,785 



" " Italy 3,565 



" " Finland 3,474 



Average 3,551* 



*I,usk: The Fundamental Basis of Nutrition. 



The average inhabitant of various cities: 



London 2,665 



Paris 2,903 



Munich 3,014 



Konigsberg 2,394** 



**Rubner. 



Individuals in different callings: 



Farmers' families (U.S.A.) 3.560 



Mechanics' families (U.S.A.) 3,605 



Professional men's families (U.S.A.) 3,530 



Army (U.S.A.) 3,851 



Navy (U.S.A.) 4,998t 



fAtwater. 



In general, it is usually computed that a man 

 weighing 70 kg. requires in calories: 

 2,500 for a sedentary life, 

 3,000 for light muscular work, 

 3,500 for medium muscular work, 

 4,000 and upwards for very hard toil.J 

 tMcKillop. 



These figures apply to the average man, but in calculating the calorie 

 requirements of a family or a community we must make allowance for 

 the lesser requirements of women and children. Several dietitians have 

 compiled tables showing how many calories are expended according to 

 age and sex, and from the figures have calculated a generalized mean, 

 which shows in comparison with men the percentage that should be al- 

 lowed for women and children. The mean values are as follows : 



