280 The Sugar-Beet in America 



analyzed, and it is thus shown that more blood traverses 

 an active or working muscle and more sugar disappears 

 from it than is the case with a muscle at rest. 



"To decide the question of the value of sugar as a 

 source of energy for the working muscle, much careful 

 laboratory work has been carried on. It has been found 

 that an increase in the sugar content of the diet, when 

 not too great and when the sugar is not too concentrated, 

 lessens or delays fatigue and increases working power. 

 Increased amounts of sugar were found to increase the 

 ability to perform muscular work to such an extent that 

 on a ration of 500 grams (17.5 ounces) of sugar alone a 

 man was able to do 61 to 76 per cent more work than on a 

 fasting diet, or almost as much as on a full ordinary diet. 

 The addition of about half this quantity of sugar to an 

 ordinary or to a meager diet also considerably increased 

 the capacity for work, the effect of the sugar being felt 

 about a half an hour after eating it, and its maximum 

 effect showing itself about two hours after eating. The 

 coming of fatigue was also found to be considerably de- 

 layed on this diet, and taking 3 or 4 ounces of sugar a 

 short time before the usual time for the occurrence of 

 fatigue prevented the appearance of it. Lemonade, or 

 other similar refreshing drink, and chocolate have been 

 suggested as mediums for supplying in small doses an extra 

 amount of sugar to men called upon to perform extraor- 

 dinary muscular labor. The application of these re- 

 sults to the food of soldiers who may be called upon for 

 extraordinary exertion in marching or fighting is very 

 evident. Practical tests of the value of sugar in pre- 

 venting or delaying fatigue, made in both the German and 



