Good Health and How We Won It, With an Account of the New HygieneSinclair, Upton
Science
Good Health and How We Won It, With an Account of the New Hygiene
Sinclair, Upton
Hygiene
Professor Chittenden then began experiments with a group of university
professors and instructors, with a group of thirteen enlisted men
of the army, and a group of eight college athletes in training. All
three of these groups of men were subjected to careful laboratory
observations for continuous periods of many months, during which
the proteid ration was reduced from one-half to one-third what had
been customary. The professors and athletes followed their customary
vocations during the period of observations, while to the ordinary
drills of the soldiers were added severe gymnasium work under the
supervision of Dr. Anderson.
Results were as follows: The subjects usually lost some weight,
especially such as were fat. But it was found that having got down to a
new standard, they held this steadily. They all maintained muscular and
nervous vigor. Careful tests determined that the soldiers and athletes
positively gained in muscular strength. All kept in good health; and
many got rid of illnesses with which they had been suffering in the
beginning. Appetite was thoroughly satisfied; and quite a number of
the subjects permanently adopted the new method of living. Nine of
the soldiers went in a body to a new station, and from thence they
afterwards wrote, through one of their number, to Professor Chittenden,
saying: “The men are in first-class condition as regards their physical
condition, and all of them feeling well. We eat little meat now as a
rule and would willingly go on another test.”
At the beginning of the experiments these soldiers were subsisting on
a daily ration which allows one and one-quarter pounds of meat per day
apiece; and toward the end of the experiments they were subsisting and
increasing their strength on a daily ration of meat equivalent to about
one small chop or less!
These experiments constituted the first series made by Professor
Chittenden. He later carried through a series with dogs: prior
experiments having supported the view that the dog, a typical high
proteid-consuming animal, declined or died when forced to subsist
on quantities of proteid less than the amount ordinarily consumed.
Professor Chittenden, however, challenged here the methods, as well as
the results, of previous investigators. In previous experiments with
dogs the animals had been invariably handicapped by being confined
in dark and dismal quarters, too cramped to permit of exercise, and
at times unsanitary in condition. He reversed these conditions—and
reversed the results. His dogs lived and thrived on a diet far less
rich in proteid than former investigators deemed necessary.
PROFESSOR CHITTENDEN’S CONCLUSIONS
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