6 



exception of water, and that any water not used at the table will be measured 

 and reported daily as a part of the ration. I further agree that I will continue 

 to be a member of the hygienic table for a period of at least six months, from 

 December 1, 1902, unless prevented by some illness, accident, or unavoidable 

 absence. I agree to continue the regular habits of my life, to indulge in no 

 unusual excess of labor or exercise, and if tobacco be used it shall be used at 

 such times and in such amounts as will be agreed upon between myself and the 

 Chief of the Bureau of Chemistry. 



I further agree that I will not hold the Department of Agriculture, nor any 

 person connected therewith, responsible for any illness or accident that may 

 occur during my connection with the hygienic table. 



In experiments of this kind it is evident that it is necessary to rely 

 to a certain extent upon the honor of the person under observation. 

 The only other method would be to exercise continued surveillance day 

 and night, which, under the circumstances of these experiments, was 

 quite impracticable. At the completion of an experimental period, in 

 retiring from the experimental table and passing to the recreation table, 

 the candidate was required to subscribe to the following certificate : 



I hereby certify on my honor that during the period beginning and 



ending , I have not partaken of any food or drink (except water 



reported) other than that furnished at the hygienic table of the Bureau of Chem- 

 istry, and that I have accurately recorded all the items of food and drink 

 received at the table. 



I further certify that I have not engaged in any excessive or unusual physical 

 exercise ; that I have followed, in so far as possible, the regular tenor of my 

 daily life in respect of work, exercise, and sleep ; that I have observed to the 

 best of my ability and recorded accurately the data relating to weight, tempera- 

 ture and pulse ; and that I have observed faithfully all the regulations connected 

 with the experimental work at the hygienic table. 



By thus placing the young men on their honor, by interesting them 

 in the work, and by giving them periods of rest duiring which they were 

 at liberty to eat moderately at other tables than those set in the Bureau 

 of Chemistry, practically the same results which would have been 

 obtained by an absolute control of animals experimented upon both 

 during the periods of eating and the intervening periods were secured. 



HOURS OF MEALS. 



The hours of meals were fixed as follows: Breakfast, 8 a. m., 

 luncheon, 12 m., dinner, 5.30 p. m. The members of the table were 

 urged to be as prompt as possible at meals, although in certain cir- 

 cumstances some latitude was allowed. Inasmuch, however, as the 

 food had to be weighed in advance of the meal time, it was desir- 

 able that all should be present promptly at the hour in order that the 

 food should not grow cold or stale. It perhaps would have been desir- 

 able to extend the meals over a longer period had it been convenient, 

 since the arrangement above described made a very long interval be- 

 tween the dinner, which was finished usually by a quarter past six, and 

 the breakfast of the next morning in all about fourteen hours during 



