Experiments on the metabolism of matter and energy in the human body / By W.O. Atwater, PH.D., and F.G. Benedict, PH.D., with the cooperation of A.W. Smith, M.S., and A.P. Bryant, M.S.

  • Atwater, W. O. (Wilbur Olin), 1844-1907.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments on the metabolism of matter and energy in the human body / By W.O. Atwater, PH.D., and F.G. Benedict, PH.D., with the cooperation of A.W. Smith, M.S., and A.P. Bryant, M.S. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    of auy evidence which would lead us to expect svn-h elimination to any considerable extent. Efforts were made to find evidence of aldehyde and acetic acid in the urine, drip and freezer waters, and outgoing air currents, but not even traces were detected. The tests, however, were not sufficiently delicate to warrant the affirmation that no traces of these substances were present and the time at our disposal did not suffice for devising tests which would be conclusive. MEASUREMENT OF HEAT RADIATED FROM THE BODY. The details of the method of measuring the heat given oft by the subject were described in the bulletin referred to above. These meas- urements were made from the time the subject entered the chamber on the evening preceding the commencement until the close of the experi- ment, at 7 a. m. on the fourth day following. The measurements for the experiment proper began at 7 am. DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTS WITH MEN. In planning a metabolism experiment for the study of a given ques- tion, as stated above, the diet should be arranged to fulflll three condi- tions: (1) It should be palatable and of such variety that the subject will not tire of it during the experiment: (2) it should furnish the amounts of nitrogen (protein) and energy desired for the ])urposeof the experiment; and (3) the food materials should be in such forms as to admit of accurate sampling. In the description of each exjjeriment the menu or ration for each day is shown. A daily programme is made out which serves as a guide both for the subject and for those conducting the experiment. It shows the hours at which the subject is expected to rise and retire, the hours at which he shall receive his meals, and when he shall weigh himself and the system of absorbers inside the apparatus. This pro- gramme follows the menu in the description of each experiment. During each experiment the subject keeps a diarj'-, or record, showing the results of all determinations of weights and temperatures made by himself in the chamber of the calorimeter. A summary of this diary follows the programme in the description of each experiment. The subject of experiments ISIos. 5 to 10 here described was Mr. E. Osterberg, who was also the subject of experiments Nos. 1 and 2, and of a number of later experiments. He was 31 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches (1.87 meters) in height, and weighed about 150 pounds (68 kilo- grams). He was in excellent health and accustomed, as laboratory janitor and chemical assistant, to moderate muscular labor. COMPOSITION OF FOOD MATERIALS, ETC., OF EXPERIMENTS NOS. 5-10. The composition of all the food materials used in the experiments described in this bulletin is given in Table 3, page 30. The methods of analysis were referred to on page 20. Attention is called to the fact