46 
coefficient obtained in this instance is due to the indigestibility of the 
grape protein, or whether it is a case of personal equation, or whether 
it is to be accounted for by the monotony of the diet, is one of the 
many questions which this investigation has given rise to. 
The coefficient of digestibility for sugar, etc., is fairly high. That 
for the fat (ether extract) is low, but as we are not perfectly familiar 
with the composition of this material little can be said regarding its 
digestibility. 
The food eaten in this experiment is less than a maintenance diet, 
as proved by the loss in body protein and total weight. The results 
obtained from experiment No. 389 are much more satisfactory in every 
way. The amount of protein was almost four times and the energ} T 
more than double the quantity ingested in the previous experiment. 
The coefficients of digestibility, 84 per cent for protein, 91 per cent 
for fat, 85 per cent for fiber, and 58 per cent for mineral matter, are 
all far higher than those reported for the grape experiment. This 
implies that the Brazil nut is quite thoroughly digested, at least by 
this subject. Whether like conditions would obtain with other sub- 
jects is a question for further study. The Brazil nut does not find as 
much favor with fruitarians generally as either the almond or walnut. 
When walnuts were substituted for Brazil nuts, as in experiment 
No. 393, a decided lowering of the digestive coefficients was noticed, 
which tends to show that for this subject at least walnuts are not as 
well assimilated as Brazil nuts. 
It is of more than passing interest to note the high digestibility 
observed in experiments Nos. 394 and 398 for a diet consisting in the 
main, respectively, of Japanese persimmons and peanuts and of pears 
and cocoanut. These two combinations are not usually considered to 
be inviting or appetizing even for one meal, yet this subject subsisted 
on each of them for four days. During the first test he gained 140 
grams in body protein, while during the second he lost about 39 grams. 
It appears from a consideration of experiment No. 401, in which the 
main foods used were apples, dried figs, and walnuts, and No. 406, 
where the diet consisted chiefly of apples, raisins, and walnuts, that 
the raisins were more thoroughly digested than the dried figs. This 
point is further emphasized by referring to Table 22, which shows for 
the period covered by experiment No. 401 a gain of 32 grams protein, 
while for experiment No. 406 a gain of 80 grams is recorded. The 
fact that the diet used in the latter experiment contained some pea- 
nuts and peanut butter may account to some extent for the increased 
digestibility but not for the great difference observed. 
A comparison of the results of experiments Nos. 403 and 405, in 
which apples and dates were eaten, combined in the former test with 
peanuts and in the latter with pecans, indicates that for this subject 
there is little choice between the two nuts as regards digestibility. 
The main difference observed was in the fat. 
