Ill 



THE THEOEY OF HUMAN NUTRITION 



117 



The bodily growth of the child increases most rapidly during 

 the period from 1 to 15 years of age. It is during this period, 

 also, that the largest amount of nourishment is required in pro- 

 portion to the weight. W. Camerer (1904) carried out upon his 

 children a complete series of investigations into the metabolism 

 from the age of 2 to 24 years. The diet consisted of milk, bread, 

 rice soup, roast meat, and eggs. 



The total results obtained are shown in average figures in the 

 following table : 



We will confine ourselves to pointing out the most important 

 conclusions to be drawn from these results : 



(a) The daily intake of food in proportion to the weight of 

 the body diminishes steadily with increasing years, until it 

 assumes a permanent value when the girl weighs 40-45 kgrms. 

 and the boy 50-60 kgrms. 



(&) The daily intake of food is greater in boys than in girls 

 at every age investigated, and the exchange of material is more 

 intense in boys than in girls. 



(c) The energy- value of the daily diet per unit of body -surface 

 or weight steadily diminishes with age in both sexes. More or 

 less important deviations are noticeable at the beginning of 

 menstruation and puberty respectively. 



The successive investigations of Hasse, Uffelmann, and others 

 led to conclusions agreeing in essentials with those of Camerer. 



Whilst the amount of nourishment required gradually increases 

 during the anaplastic stage, the reverse holds good for the cata- 

 plastic stage. As virility gradually merges into old age, the 



VOL. v I 2 



