180 THE PROTEIN ELEMENT IN NUTRITION 



unabsorbed protein with the diets by means of which he obtained 

 his unique results. We need not refer further to this criticism, 

 as it does not apply to the people whom we are discussing, and it 

 really only holds good for the gaol dietaries, as pointed out by 

 us at the time. 



The second and more important criticism is that made by 

 Dr. Kellogg. His objections have been of very great service to 

 us, and have materially assisted in crystallizing our ideas as to 

 the best means of obtaining irrefutable evidence on the adequacy 

 or inadequacy of diets low in protein. Dr. Kellogg' s words were : 

 "The weakest part of the report* from my standpoint is the 

 remarks which the investigator makes in relation to the defective 

 nutrition resulting from the low protein dietary. I do not think 

 it is at all fair to attribute the lack of endurance often seen among 

 the Indians to the low protein diet. There are so many factors 

 which certainly should be taken into consideration. Among 

 these are their sexual excesses, the depressing effects of the very 

 hot, damp climate in which they live, and which predisposes to 

 lack of exercise, the injurious effects of excessive prolonged ex- 

 posure to the actinic rays of the sun, the cause of debility to 

 which Professor Woodruff of the United States Army has been 

 calling attention with some considerable show of evidence. Still 

 another factor of importance is the immature age at which these 

 people usually marry. Many of the Indians, however, are strong 

 and robust people. I understand that an Indian regiment made 

 up entirely of natives is the finest lot of men in His Majesty's 

 Service." 



It will be readily admitted that, unless these points can be 

 successfully met, there must remain a considerable degree of 

 doubt as to how much of the ill-effects can be ascribed to the 

 dietetic conditions, and how much to the disabilities enumerated 

 by Kellogg. 



We agree that the causes he advances have undoubtedly an 

 influence in retarding growth and lowering the general standard 

 of physique, and if there were no means of estimating their 

 influences, it would be impossible to state that they were not 

 quite sufficient to account for the poor physique of the Bengali. 

 Considerations of space forbid us discussing these objections in 

 the way we should like to do. A certain amount of information 

 will be found on the subject in a memoir dealing with the gaol 

 * Scientific Memoirs, Government of India, No. 34. 



