NORMAL PROCESSES OF ENERGY METABOLISM 659 



of approximately the same body weight with two of their aged subjects. 

 Aub and DuBois determined the basal metabolism of six old men 

 between the ages of 75 and 85 years. The authors describe their subjects 

 as "in good condition and fairly well nourished, though 011 plain and some- 

 what scanty diets. Considering their ages, they were in good health, 

 though most of them suffered from arteriosclerosis, chronic interstitial 

 nephritis and emphysema, which 'normally' accompany advanced years." 



5.0 



347395 12 145 16 19 205 22 25 27 30 33 35 40 45 50 KG 

 82B 891 961 106 112 117 12? 127 133 137 142 148 155 160 CM. 



CALS. 

 4.500 



4,000 



3,500 



3.000 



2,500 



2.000 



1,500 



500 



2 34 5 6 7 8 9 10 II \i 13 14 IJYRS. 

 2'95" 2'M" 32" 3' 6" 3'8' 3'IO" 4 4*2" 4'4" 4'6" 4'8 4'lO" 5'l" 5'3'fT.I.IN 

 751621 27 32 36 41 45 495545 60 67 72 80 88 99 III LBS. 



Fig. 45. Metabolism in calories per day of boys from birth to 15 years of age. 



(After Lusk.) 



The average basal heat production was 35.1 calories per square meter 

 (linear formula) per hour, which is 12 per cent below the average for 

 men between the ages of 20 and 50. The respiratory quotients lay be- 

 tween 77 and 86, the average being 81. Since these subjects had been 

 on rather meager fare and were kept in the metabolism ward of BelleyuQ 

 Hospital for several days before the tests were made, the low metabolism 

 and rather low quotients are in part accounted for by these factors. How- 

 ever, since these conditions accord with the usual routine of life for sub- 

 jects of very advanced age the metabolism findings are such as would ordi- 

 narily obtain. 



