NUTRITION AND GROWTH: I. 43 



Maria Inocencio increased less than 5 gi-ams per day, on a daily intake 

 of from 100 to 105 calories per kilo, but 17 grams per day on a daily intake 

 of from 115 to 120 calories per kilo, and she needed 125 calories per 

 day to increase 27 grams per day. This child at the time of observation 

 was from twenty to thirty weeks of age. The other child of the same 

 weight, but only nine to fourteen weeks of age, with an intake of 95 

 calories per kilo increased about 17 grams per day, and with one of about 

 105 calories per kilo it increased 24 grams per day. 



The question as to how far a continuous restriction in food, a constant 

 undernourishment, may influence not only a single individual but entire 

 nations and races, is doubtless very interesting and of unusual importance 

 in the Philippine Islands. My experiments are not far enough advanced 

 to justify conclusions concerning the possible influence of underfeeding 

 upon offspring. The investigation of this question on mammals will 

 necessarily require a long time. However, my work so far seems to 

 indicate that a constant undernourishment will inhibit to some extent 

 the normal development of the individual. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



The most important results of my experiments may be Summarized as 

 follows : A growing animal which receives only sufficient food to keep its 

 body weight constant, or to allow a slight increase, is in a condition of 

 severe starvation. If by a restriction of food the increase in weight is 

 inhibited, the skeleton grows at the expense of other parts of the body, 

 especially of the flesh. Most of the organs retain their weight and size, 

 while the brain grows to reach its normal weight. The composition of 

 the body — ^when at a constant weight — undergoes remarkable changes : 

 Pat is consumed more or less entirely, the quantity of protein, especially 

 of the muscles but not of the organs, is diminished and a great proportion 

 of the body tissues is replaced by water ; thus, this water and the increase 

 of the skeleton together, replace the body materials lost. The caloric 

 value of 1 gram body weight of an animal which has undergone such a 

 process to its extreme limit may amount to only one-third of the normal 

 value. 



It is possible by supplying suitable amounts of food to maintain a dog 

 in an emaciated condition, apparently in good health, and at the weight 



