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PROTEIN REQUIREMENT. 935
diet can exist for some time on a strictly vegetable diet deficient in pro-
teins. No one doubts the ability of man to adapt himself to a heteroge-
neously composed diet when this is not too difficult of digestion and is
sufficient in quantity; nor can we deny that it is possible for a man
to exist for a long time with smaller amounts of protein than Voir
suggests, namely 118 grams. Thus 0. Neumann ’
experimented on him-
self during 746 days in three series of experiments, and his diet consisted
of 74.2 grams protein, 117 grams fat, and 213 grams carbohydrates = 23G7
gross calories, with a weight of 70 kilos and with ordinary laboratory
work. These figures cannot be compared with those obtained by Voit’s
worker, weighing 70 kilos, whose work was harder than a tailor’s and
easier than a blacksmith’s; for example, the work of a mason, carpenter,
or cabinet-maker. The very extensive investigations recently performed
by Chittenden 2
on the determination of the extent of protein necessary
are of great interest. These investigations, upon a total of twenty-
six persons, extended over a period of five to twenty months, and con-
sisted of careful observations upon the manner of living, food taken,
nitrogen elimination, and the ability of performing work. The individuals
were divided into three groups. The first consisted of five professional
men (four assistants and one professor). The second group was composed
of thirteen soldiers (of the sanitary corps of the United States army) who
besides their daily work were given gymnastic exercises for six months.
The third group consisted of eight athletic students who were trained in
different kinds of sport.
In all the persons experimented upon the original nitrogen content
of the food, which corresponded to Voit’s value or were somewhat higher,
was gradually reduced more or less. The total calories supplied were
not increased above the original value, but rather diminished to a reason-
able extent. The bodily as well as the mental ability was repeatedly
tested. As it is not possible to enter into the details of the investiga-
tion the following will be sufficient to show the results. With a diet
corresponding to Voit’s values the amount of urine nitrogen per day is
16 grams, corresponding to a total protein catabolism in the body of 100
grams, or 1.43 grams per kilo. The corresponding results for the above
three groups may be found in the following table, where for comparison
Hammarsten also includes the figures for Voit’s diet:
Urine Nitrogen. Catabolized Protein. Protein per Kilo.
Mm. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.
Group 1 5.69 8.99 35.6 56.19 0.61 0.86
Group 2 7.03 8.39 43.9 52.44 0.74 0.87
Group 3 7.47 11.06 46.7 69.10 0.75 0.92
Voit’s figures 16 100 1.43
1
Arch. f. Hygiene, 45.
* R. H. Chittenden, Physiological Economy in Nutrition, New York, 1904.
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