81 
some cases this was done with a smaller amount of protein than was 
usually consumed by the same subject during the dietary studies. 
The feces excreted per day during the digestion experiments were 
less in amount than has been noted in some experiments with a mixed 
diet or a diet of bread and milk. This is contrary to what has been 
found usually with a vegetarian diet made up of bread and other cereal 
foods, garden vegetables, etc., and containing little or no fruit and 
nuts. The percentage of so-called metabolic nitrogen in the feces 
examined did not exceed that found by other investigators in feces 
from a bread and milk diet. 
Although it is undoubtedly advisable to wait until more data have 
been gathered before making definite statements regarding the digest- 
ibility of different fruits and nuts, enough work has been done to 
show that they are quite thoroughly digested and have a much higher 
nutritive value than is popularly attributed to them. In view of this 
it is certainly an error to consider nuts merely as an accessory to an 
already heavy meal and to regard fruit merely as something of value 
for its pleasant flavor or for its hygienic or medicinal virtues. 
As shown by their composition and digestibility, both fruit and 
nuts can be favorably compared with other and more common foods. 
A- sources of carbohydrates, fruits at ordinary prices are not expen- 
sive: and as sources of protein and fat. nuts at usual prices are 
reasonable. 
In the present investigations the question of the wholesomeness of 
a long-continued diet of fruit and nuts is not taken up. The agree- 
ment of one food or another with any person is frequently more or 
less a matter of personal idiosyncrasy, but it seems fair to say that 
those with whom nuts and fruits agree can. if they desire, readily 
secure a considerable part of their nutritive material from such sources. 
O 
1453— No. 132—03 6 
