98 



PHYSIOLOGY 



CHAP. 



of protein daily, i.e. less than half that which Voit considered the 

 average, and without any compensation through a larger consump- 

 tion of carbohydrates and fats. 



In February, when Fletcher was on an extremely simple diet 

 of cereals, milk, and sugar apportioned between two meals, food 

 which he selected himself and found sufficient for his requirements 

 and suited to his tastes, Chittenden ascertained for six consecutive 

 days the quantity, chemical composition, and heat value of the 

 food consumed, and also the amount of nitrogen discharged in the 

 urine and faeces, and obtained the results shown in the following 

 table : 



These results give a total daily consumption of protein not ex- 

 ceeding an average of 45 grnis., and also show that the quantity 

 of fat and carbohydrate taken was so small that the energy value 

 of the daily diet was little over 1600 calories. 



The importance of these figures is very striking when compared 

 with those of the average diet regarded as normal by Voit, which 

 contains 118 grms. of protein, and gives a total energy value of 

 3000 calories. 



The spare diet voluntarily chosen by Fletcher completely 

 appeased his appetite, and was more than enough for nitrogenous 

 equilibrium, and the maintenance of the whole organism, since 

 the nitrogen lost during several days was less in quantity than 

 that introduced with the food, and the total weight of the body 

 remained the same during the whole experimental period. 



In order to clear up the important question whether the 

 alimentary regimen of Fletcher was sufficient for the performance 

 of muscular work such as that of a workman or a soldier, Fletcher 

 was asked to perform, in the gymnasium of Yale, under the 

 direction of G. Anderson, the usual gymnastic exercises of a boat's 

 crew, tiring exercises which cannot be performed by untrained 

 persons without a painful sense of exhaustion lasting some time. 



