Respiration Calorimeters for Studying the Respiratory Exchange and Energy Transformations of Man
WASHINGTON, D. C. Published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington 1910 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON Publication No. 123 The Lord Baltimore Press BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A.
The immediate development and construction of suitable apparatus for studying the complicated processes of metabolism in man was obviously the first task in equipping the Nutrition Laboratory. As several series of experiments have already been made with these respiration calorimeters, it is deemed advisable to publish the description of the apparatus as used at present. New features in the apparatus are, however, frequently introduced as opportunity to increase accuracy or facilitate manipulation is noted.
We wish here to express our sense of obligation to the following associates: Mr. W. E. Collins, mechanician of the Nutrition Laboratory, constructed the structural steel framework and contributed many mechanical features to the apparatus as a whole; Mr. J. A. Riche, formerly associated with the researches in nutrition in the chemical laboratory of Wesleyan University, added his previous experience in constructing and installing the more delicate of the heating and cooling devices. Others who have aided in the painstaking construction, testing, and experimenting with the apparatus are Messrs. W. H. Leslie, L. E. Emmes, F. L. Dorn, C. F. Clark, F. A. Renshaw, H. A. Stevens, Jr., Miss H. Sherman, and Miss A. Johnson.
The numerous drawings were made by Mr. E. H. Metcalf, of our staff.
Boston, Massachusetts, August 10, 1909.
In designing this laboratory it was planned to overcome the difficulties experienced in Middletown with regard to control of the room-temperature and humidity, and furthermore, while the researches had heretofore been carried on simultaneously with academic duties, it appeared absolutely necessary to adjust the research so that the uninterrupted time of the experimenters could be given to work of this kind. Since these experiments frequently continued from one to ten days, their satisfactory conduct was not compatible with strenuous academic duties.
Francis Gano Benedict
Thorne M. Carpenter
Respiration Calorimeters for Studying the Respiratory Exchange and Energy Transformations of Man
FRANCIS G. BENEDICT and THORNE M. CARPENTER
PREFACE.
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
RESPIRATION CALORIMETERS FOR STUDYING THE RESPIRATORY EXCHANGE AND ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS IN MAN.
INTRODUCTION.
FOOTNOTES:
CALORIMETER LABORATORY.
GENERAL PLAN OF CALORIMETER LABORATORY.
HEATING AND VENTILATING.
FOOTNOTES:
THE CALORIMETER.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE APPARATUS.
THE CALORIMETER CHAMBER.
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION.
PREVENTION OF RADIATION.
THE THERMO-ELECTRIC ELEMENTS.
INTERIOR OF THE CALORIMETER.
HEAT-ABSORBING CIRCUIT.
THERMOMETERS.
MERCURIAL THERMOMETERS.
ELECTRIC-RESISTANCE THERMOMETERS.
AIR THERMOMETERS.
WALL THERMOMETERS.
ELECTRICAL RECTAL THERMOMETER.
ELECTRIC-RESISTANCE THERMOMETERS FOR THE WATER-CURRENT.
OBSERVER'S TABLE.
CONNECTIONS TO THERMAL-JUNCTION SYSTEMS.
RHEOSTAT FOR HEATING.
WHEATSTONE BRIDGES.
GALVANOMETER.
RESISTANCE FOR HEATING COILS.
TEMPERATURE RECORDER.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF THE APPARATUS.
THE GALVANOMETER.
THE CREEPER.
THE CLOCK.
INSTALLATION OF THE APPARATUS.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF THE INGOING AIR.
THE HEAT OF VAPORIZATION OF WATER.
THE BED CALORIMETER.
MEASUREMENTS OF BODY-TEMPERATURE.
CONTROL EXPERIMENTS WITH THE CALORIMETER.
DETERMINATION OF THE HYDROTHERMAL EQUIVALENT OF THE CALORIMETER.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF RESPIRATION APPARATUS.
TESTING THE CHAMBER FOR TIGHTNESS.
VENTILATION OF THE CHAMBER.
OPENINGS IN THE CHAMBER.
VENTILATING AIR-CURRENT.
BLOWER.
ABSORBERS FOR WATER-VAPOR.
POTASH-LIME CANS.
BALANCE FOR WEIGHING ABSORBERS.
PURIFICATION OF THE AIR-CURRENT WITH SODIUM BICARBONATE.
VALVES.
COUPLINGS.
ABSORBER TABLE.
OXYGEN SUPPLY.
AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF OXYGEN SUPPLY.
TENSION-EQUALIZER.
BAROMETER.
ANALYSIS OF RESIDUAL AIR.
GAS-METER.
CALCULATION OF RESULTS.
ANALYSIS OF OXYGEN.
ADVANTAGE OF A CONSTANT-TEMPERATURE ROOM AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL.
VARIATIONS IN THE APPARENT VOLUME OF AIR.
CHANGES IN VOLUME DUE TO THE ABSORPTION OF WATER AND CARBON DIOXIDE.
RESPIRATORY LOSS.
CALCULATION OF THE VOLUME OF AIR RESIDUAL IN THE CHAMBER.
RESIDUAL ANALYSES.
INFLUENCE OF FLUCTUATIONS IN TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE ON THE APPARENT VOLUME OF AIR IN THE SYSTEM.
INFLUENCE OF FLUCTUATIONS IN THE AMOUNTS OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND WATER-VAPOR UPON RESIDUAL OXYGEN.
CONTROL OF RESIDUAL ANALYSES.
NITROGEN ADMITTED WITH THE OXYGEN.
REJECTION OF AIR.
INTERCHANGE OF AIR IN THE FOOD-APERTURE.
USE OF THE RESIDUAL BLANK IN THE CALCULATIONS.
ABSORBER TABLE.
FOOTNOTES: