648 



LECTURE XXVIII. 



In order to get a better idea of what these values mean, we will state 



that l 



100 grams of protein are contained in 



5000 grams potatoes, 650 grams fat pork, . 



4200 grams human milk, 620 grams yolk of hens' eggs, 



3000 grams cabbage, 600 grams fat beef, 



3000 grams cow's milk, 500 grams lean beef, 



1250 grams rice, 430 grams peas. 



800 grams wheat, 

 For each 100 grams of protein there is present 



There has been much discussion as to whether the amounts of abumin 

 given above as representing the average albumin requirement are too high 

 or not. It has been found possible under certain conditions to get along 

 with less protein. It is a question, however, whether these results 

 obtained in single experiments, which, moreover, cover as a rule but a brief 

 period of time, should be used for determining the ordinary requirement. 

 Aside from individual peculiarities which unquestionably come into play 

 here, there are certain external conditions which are to be considered as 

 exerting an influence in a way that it is difficult to define accurately. 

 The food requirement is different with different nations according to the 

 climate in which they live. It is certain that habits also play a part. 

 The human and animal organism must also be independent, within certain 

 narrow limits, of the amount of protein in the food. The amount of 

 protein which the organism receives from day to day changes considerably 

 when the diet is a varied one. The amount of non-nitrogenous material 

 which the organism receives, and which is almost invariably sufficient in 

 quantity, enables the organism to be satisfied with as little as 100 or even 

 90 grams of protein per day. It would of course be wrong to base a definite 

 standard of the food requirement upon the investigations which have been 

 made up to the present time. It would be possible to formulate this 

 requirement more sharply if we knew more precisely the conditions under 

 which the values were obtained in different cases. Even the body-weight 

 as such is not an exact factor. A very muscular individual will require 



1 These values are taken from Konig's " Die menschliche Nahrung- und Genussmittel, 

 etc." They refer to the food in its natural condition. 



