Any elaborate discussion of the individual results, tabulated in the foregoing tables, seems hardly necessary. To any one interested in the details of the work, a study of the tables themselves will give the necessary information. It may be well, however, to emphasize at once a few of the fundamental points most striking in character which bear upon the main problem. Take, for instance, the case of Oakman, where the data are recorded for every day from October 4, 1903, to April 4, 1904. The degree of proteid metabolism, as indicated by the excretion of nitrogen through the kidneys, is here shown for each day of the six months. Up to November 3, practically for a month, there was not observable any very noticeable change in the rate of proteid metabolism, but commencing with November 4, the nitrogen excretion dropped very rapidly, and as one glances through the daily records for month after month, it is seen that the daily nitrogen output through the kidneys fell to 6 to 8 grams per day, with a daily average excretion of 7.42 grams of nitrogen, as figured from October 21 to April 4.
Further, it will be noted that while the body-weight gradually declined during the first three months, falling from 66.7 kilos down to 62.3 kilos on January 18, from that date on to the close of the experiment the body-weight was practically constant. Here, then, we see, under the use of a prescribed diet quite sufficient in amount to satisfy the cravings of the appetite, a lowering of proteid metabolism equal to that obtained by the individuals of the preceding group. Again, if the body-weight of Oakman is placed at 64 kilos, as representing the average between the initial body-weight and the weight during the last three months, it will be found that the output of metabolized nitrogen per kilo of body-weight amounted to 0.116 gram; not widely different from similar data obtained with men of the preceding group.
FRITZ
Photograph taken at the close of the experiment.
Moreover, these results obtained with Oakman are practically duplicated by every other member of this group of soldiers detailed from the United States Army. No exception whatever is to be seen, but every man shows the same lowered proteid metabolism, with practical maintenance of body-weight, with complete satisfying of the appetite, and without loss of health, strength, or vigor, as will be enlarged upon later.
While in the case of Oakman, the nitrogen excreted was determined by an analysis made each day, in the case of the other men of this group the data are given mainly for weekly periods; the results being expressed, however, in the average daily amount for each seven days’ period. By comparing the figures for the daily excretion of nitrogen with the daily dietary, it is easy to trace out the influence of the changes in diet on the extent of nitrogen metabolism.
In considering the changes in the rate of proteid metabolism shown by all the members of this group, it will suffice for present purposes to deal mainly with the average results.
Compare now the average daily output of nitrogen through the urine from November 1 until April 4—a period of five months—of each of these men.