118 PHYSIOLOGY CHAP. 



sharpness of the senses and the metabolic activity of the organs 

 gradually diminish. In consequence of the lessened digestive 

 power of the alimentary canal old people are forced to reduce the 

 quantity of food taken and to choose the most easily digested and 

 best-cooked kinds of nourishment. Konig advises the aged not 

 only to add the necessary condiments and nerve stimulants to 

 their food, but also to take wine, and quotes the old saying, " Wine 

 is the milk of the aged." I am'so convinced that this is extremely 

 bad advice, inspired by physiological and hygienic notions which 

 have been discarded and are opposed to daily observation, that I 

 should feel that I was neglecting a duty if I did not say frankly 

 that my views are diametrically opposed to this theory. Eggs, 

 milk, farinaceous foods, such as maccaroni, the time-honoured and 

 wholesome food of the Italian people, white meats of fish and 

 poultry, tender vegetables, ripe fruit : such are the articles of diet 

 amongst which the aged may choose the sparse diet necessary to 

 prolong their lives. Every sensible old man, who has inherited a 

 sound constitution, may and should hope to preserve, if not his 

 muscular strength, and the vividness of his imagination, at all 

 events his most essential mental functions, and his critical powers, 

 and to live to be a hundred. He can do much to attain this end 

 not only by the methodical, calm, and moderate exercise of all his 

 functions, but also by temperance and a suitable choice of diet, a 

 choice guided rather by personal experience of his digestive powers 

 than by his tastes. 



Even the advocates of Voit's generous diet admit that the 

 food of old people should be much less abundant than that of the 

 middle-aged. Tigerstedt considers that the diet of all those, who 

 from either old age or the special state of their health are no 

 longer able to perform muscular work, should be composed of 

 67 grms. of protein, 28 fat, and 377 carbohydrate, with a total 

 energy-value of 2064 calories taken, and 1858 calories utilised. 



As a result of an investigation of the metabolism of three 

 persons no longer able to work, who were allowed complete liberty 

 in the choice of their food, both as regards quantity and quality, 

 Tigerstedt and Sonden found 61-79 grms. of protein consumed 

 ( = 9-8-12-6 grms. of nitrogen in the urine), 73-77 grms. of fat, and 

 195-205 grms. of carbohydrate, with a total of 1815-1823 calories 

 utilised. 



The researches carried out by Ekholm into the exchange of 

 material of ten old men of from 68 to 81 years of age gave the 

 following results expressed in outside figures: 48-96 grms. of 

 protein ( = 7'8-15'4 grms. of nitrogen in the urine), 0-50 grms. of 

 fat, 216-383 grms. of carbohydrate, totals of = 1398-2114 calories, 

 or an average of 1806 calories utilised. 



Scientific researches into the metabolism of old people, who 

 have long been accustomed either to vegetarianism or Fletcher's 



