BORIC ACID AND BORAX. 13 



member thereof. I agree, during my attendance at the table of observation, to use 

 no other food or drink than that which is provided for me, with the exception of 

 water, and that any water not used at the table will be measured and reported daily 

 as a part of the ration. I further agree that I will continue to be a member of the 

 hygienic table for a period of at least six months from December 1, 1902, unless 

 prevented by some illness, accident, or unavoidable absence. I agree to continue 

 the regular habits of my life, to indulge in no unusual excess of labor or exercise, 

 and if tobacco be used it shall be used at such times and in such amounts as will be 

 agreed upon between myself and the Chief of the Bureau of Chemistry. 



I further agree that I will not hold the Department of Agriculture, nor any person 

 connected therewith, responsible for any illness or accident that may occur during 

 my connection with the hygienic table. 



In order that the observations which they were expected to make 

 upon themselves should be as methodical as possible, blanks were pre- 

 pared for the entry of the data relating to the character and quantity 

 of food eaten at each meal, and also relating to the temperature, respi- 

 ration, weight of the body, and other data of a personal nature which 

 would be of value in studying the problems under consideration. 

 Samples of the blanks employed for this purpose are given in the 

 appendix. 



HOURS OF MEALS AND BILL OF FARE. 



The hours of meals were fixed as follows: Breakfast, 8 a. m. ; lunch- 

 eon, 12 m.; dinner, 5.30 p. m. The members of the table were urged 

 to be as prompt as possible at meals, although in certain circumstances 

 some latitude was allowed. Inasmuch, however, as the food had to 

 be weighed out in advance, of the meal time, it was desirable that all 

 should be present promptly at the hour in order that the food should 

 not grow cold or stale. It perhaps would have been desirable to 

 extend the meals over a longer period had it been convenient, since 

 the arrangement above described made a very long interval between 

 the dinner, which was finished usually by a quarter past 6, and the 

 breakfast of the next morning in all about fourteen hours, during 

 which no food could be taken while, on the other hand, all of the 

 meals were included within a space of about ten hours. An earlier 

 breakfast, say at 7 o'clock, and a later dinner would have been desira- 

 ble, but the employment of the young men and the other conditions 

 of the environment made any different arrangement from that adopted 

 inconvenient to the majority of those under observation. 



Further than this, it should be mentioned that the hours selected for 

 the meals were those which are customary for persons engaged in the 

 civil service of the United States. For this additional reason it per- 

 haps was wiser not to attempt to change the hours of meals in order 

 to avoid having so long a period between the dinner and the breakfast. 

 The breakfast and dinner were made the principal meals, while the 

 luncheon was of a lighter character, no meat being served. 



Since the young men were to be kept under observation for periods 



