Physiological economy in nutrition, with special reference to the minimal proteid requirement of the healthy man: an experimental studyChittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Science
Physiological economy in nutrition, with special reference to the minimal proteid requirement of the healthy man: an experimental study
Chittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Metabolism; Nutrition
The main things in Dr. Anderson’s report especially to be emphasized are
(1) the gain in self-reliance and courage of the men under training,
indicative as they are of the better physical condition of their bodies,
and (2) the marked increase in their strength as indicated by the steady
improvement in the strength or dynamometer tests. Obviously, the daily
training to which the men were subjected in the Gymnasium is not to be
overlooked as one factor in bringing about the gain in accuracy and
skill, and indeed this factor must count for something in explaining
the general gain in bodily strength, but increased skill alone will not
account for the great gain in muscular power.
The results of these systematic tests make it very evident that the men
were not being weakened by the lowered intake of proteid food. On the
contrary, their ability to do muscular work was greatly increased; a fact
which cannot well be connected with anything other than the physiological
economy which was being practised. There must be enough food to make good
the daily waste of tissue, enough food to furnish the energy of muscular
contraction, but any surplus over and above what is necessary to supply
these needs is not only a waste, but may prove an incubus, retarding the
smooth working of the machinery and detracting from the power of the
muscular mechanism to do its best work.
The figures showing the total strength of the men in October, 1903, on
their ordinary diet, and on the second day of April, 1904, when the
experiment was nearing completion are certainly very impressive.
TOTAL STRENGTH
October April
Henderson 2970 4598
Oakman 3445 5055
Morris 2543 4869
Zooman 3070 5457
Coffman 2835 6269
Steltz 2838 4581
Loewenthal 2463 5277
Sliney 3245 5307
Fritz 2504 5178
Cohn 2210 4002
Broyles 2560 5530
Here we see gains in strength of 100 per cent in some cases, while
Coffman shows an improvement so marked as to be almost marvellous. While
there can be no question that a certain amount of this gain is to be
attributed to the practice incidental to these months of work in the
Gymnasium, it is equally clear that a large part of the gain is due
to the improved physical condition of the men’s bodies, for which the
change in diet must be considered as responsible. In any event, the
change from the ordinary diet to a diet comparatively poor in proteid has
not resulted in any physical deterioration. On the contrary, there is
every indication of a marked improvement in physical condition. In this
connection the following note from Dr. DeWitt, commanding the detachment,
is of interest:
332 TEMPLE STREET, NEW HAVEN, CONN.,
March 30, 1904.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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