Tuesday, February 9, 1904
Breakfast.—Coffee 210 grams, bread 38.5 grams, oatmeal 127 grams, cream 92 grams, sugar 20 grams.
Lunch.—Bread 63.5 grams, butter 12.5 grams, potato 155 grams, consommé 150 grams, stewed tomato 109 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 20 grams, pudding 85 grams.
Dinner.—Roast beef 17.5 grams, potato 177 grams, bread 39.1 grams, butter 12 grams, string beans 110 grams, apple pie 237.6 grams.
| Food. | Grams. | Per cent Nitrogen. | Total Nitrogen. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.10 | = | 0.210 | grams. | |
| Bread | 38.5 + 63.5 + 39.1 = | 141.1 | × | 1.36 | = | 1.918 | |
| Oatmeal | 127.0 | × | 0.64 | = | 0.812 | ||
| Cream | 92.0 | × | 0.40 | = | 0.368 | ||
| Butter | 12.5 + 12 = | 24.5 | × | 0.088 | = | 0.021 | |
| Potato | 155.0 | × | 0.28 | = | 0.434 | ||
| Consommé | 150.0 | × | 0.38 | = | 0.570 | ||
| Tomato | 109.0 | × | 0.19 | = | 0.207 | ||
| Sugar | 20 + 20 = | 40.0 | × | 0.00 | = | 0.000 | |
| Pudding | 85.0 | × | 0.69 | = | 0.586 | ||
| Roast beef | 17.5 | × | 2.64 | = | 0.462 | ||
| Potato | 177.0 | × | 0.36 | = | 0.637 | ||
| String beans | 110.0 | × | 0.26 | = | 0.286 | ||
| Apple pie | 237.6 | × | 0.49 | = | 1.164 | ||
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.099 | = | 0.208 | ||
| Total nitrogen in food | 7.883 | grams. | |||||
| Total nitrogen in urine | 8.640 | ||||||
Fuel value of the food 2576 calories.
Wednesday, February 10, 1904.
Breakfast.—Coffee 210 grams, bread 31.8 grams, cream 50 grams, sugar 40 grams, oatmeal 155 grams.
Lunch.—Bread 77 grams, butter 14.5 grams, apple fritters 193.5 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 20 grams.
Dinner.—Bread 82 grams, butter 20 grams, cranberries 150 grams, baked beans 150 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 32 grams.
| Food. | Grams. | Per cent Nitrogen. | Total Nitrogen. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.12 | = | 0.252 | grams. | |
| Bread | 31.8 + 77 + 82 = | 190.8 | × | 1.65 | = | 3.148 | |
| Cream | 50.0 | × | 0.47 | = | 0.235 | ||
| Sugar | 40 + 20 + 32 = | 92.0 | × | 0.00 | = | 0.000 | |
| Oatmeal | 155.0 | × | 0.60 | = | 0.930 | ||
| Butter | 14.5 + 20 = | 34.5 | × | 0.088 | = | 0.030 | |
| Fritters | 193.5 | × | 0.45 | = | 0.870 | ||
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.11 | = | 0.231 | ||
| Cranberries | 150.0 | × | 0.04 | = | 0.060 | ||
| Baked beans | 150.0 | × | 1.40 | = | 2.100 | ||
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.11 | = | 0.231 | ||
| Total nitrogen in food | 8.087 | grams. | |||||
| Total nitrogen in urine | 8.290 | ||||||
Fuel value of the food 2145 calories.
Thursday, February 11, 1904.
Breakfast.—Bread 49 grams, oatmeal 185.7 grams, cream 64 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 35 grams.
Lunch.—Bread 111.8 grams, butter 40.5 grams, sweet potato 287 grams, peach preserve 109.3 grams.
Dinner.—Tomato purée 99 grams, bread 94.5 grams, butter 21.5 grams, beans 138 grams, lemon pie 155 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 21 grams.
| Food. | Grams. | Per cent Nitrogen. | Total Nitrogen. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread | 49 + 111.8 + 94.5 = | 255.3 | × | 1.75 | = | 4.467 | grams. |
| Oatmeal | 185.7 | × | 0.40 | = | 0.742 | ||
| Cream | 64.0 | × | 0.49 | = | 0.313 | ||
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.096 | = | 0.201 | ||
| Sugar | 35 + 21 = | 56.0 | × | 0.00 | = | 0.000 | |
| Butter | 40.5 + 21.5 = | 62.0 | × | 0.088 | = | 0.054 | |
| Sweet potato | 287.0 | × | 0.31 | = | 0.889 | ||
| Peach preserve | 109.3 | × | 0.09 | = | 0.098 | ||
| Tomato purée | 99.0 | × | 0.33 | = | 0.326 | ||
| Beans | 138.0 | × | 1.30 | = | 1.794 | ||
| Lemon pie | 155.0 | × | 0.61 | = | 0.945 | ||
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.13 | = | 0.273 | ||
| Total nitrogen in food | 10.102 | grams. | |||||
| Total nitrogen in urine | 8.550 | ||||||
Fuel value of the food 2854 calories.
Friday, February 12, 1904.
Breakfast.—Oatmeal 192.3 grams, cream 75.5 grams, bread 41.6 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 20 grams.
Lunch.—Bread 64.1 grams, butter 14 grams, fish cakes 60 grams, potato 200 grams, custard 107.3 grams.
Dinner.—Bread 60 grams, butter 15 grams, lima beans 100 grams, potato 150 grams, apple dumpling 259 grams.
| Food. | Grams. | Per cent Nitrogen. | Total Nitrogen. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oatmeal | 192.3 | × | 0.52 | = | 0.999 | grams. | |
| Cream | 75.5 | × | 0.50 | = | 0.377 | ||
| Bread | 41.6 + 64.1 + 60 = | 165.7 | × | 1.71 | = | 2.833 | |
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.11 | = | 0.231 | ||
| Sugar | 20.0 | × | 0.00 | = | 0.000 | ||
| Butter | 14 + 15 = | 29.0 | × | 0.088 | = | 0.025 | |
| Fish cakes | 60.0 | × | 1.57 | = | 0.942 | ||
| Potato | 200.0 | × | 0.41 | = | 0.820 | ||
| Custard | 107.3 | × | 0.83 | = | 0.890 | ||
| Lima beans | 100.0 | × | 0.90 | = | 0.900 | ||
| Potato | 150.0 | × | 0.37 | = | 0.555 | ||
| Apple dumpling | 259.0 | × | 0.72 | = | 1.864 | ||
| Total nitrogen in food | 10.436 | grams. | |||||
| Total nitrogen in urine | 9.930 | ||||||
Fuel value of the food 2363 calories.
Saturday, February 13, 1904.
Breakfast.—Oatmeal 150 grams, cream 42 grams, sugar 31 grams, bread 31 grams, coffee 210 grams.
Lunch.—Bread 36 grams, sweet potato 222 grams, butter 17 grams, quince preserve 81.5 grams, apple turnover 154.5 grains.
Dinner.—Potato 175 grams, bread 62 grams, butter 15 grams, peas 100 grams, apple pie 177 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 21 grams.
| Food. | Grams. | Per cent Nitrogen. | Total Nitrogen. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oatmeal | 150.0 | × | 0.43 | = | 0.645 | grams. | |
| Cream | 42.0 | × | 0.50 | = | 0.210 | ||
| Sugar | 31 + 21 = | 52.0 | × | 0.00 | = | 0.000 | |
| Bread | 31 + 36 + 62 = | 129.0 | × | 1.64 | = | 2.115 | |
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.11 | = | 0.231 | ||
| Sweet potato | 222.0 | × | 0.37 | = | 0.821 | ||
| Butter | 17 + 15 = | 32.0 | × | 0.088 | = | 0.028 | |
| Quince preserve | 81.5 | × | 0.047 | = | 0.038 | ||
| Apple turnover | 154.5 | × | 0.96 | = | 1.483 | ||
| Potato | 175.0 | × | 0.37 | = | 0.647 | ||
| Peas | 100.0 | × | 0.96 | = | 0.960 | ||
| Apple pie | 177.0 | × | 0.43 | = | 0.761 | ||
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.11 | = | 0.231 | ||
| Total nitrogen in food | 8.170 | grams. | |||||
| Total nitrogen in urine | 8.870 | ||||||
Fuel value of the food 2606 calories.
Sunday, February 14, 1904.
Breakfast.—Quaker oats 150 grams, bread 42.5 grams, coffee 210 grams, sugar 31 grams, banana 88.2 grams, cream 87.6 grams.
Lunch.—Bread 87.3 grams, butter 28.7 grams, potato 210 grams, apple sauce 116.5 grams.
Dinner.—Bread 51.5 grams, butter 12.2 grams, sugar 21 grams, potato 150 grams, succotash 100 grams, chocolate cake 122.5 grams, vanilla ice 110.7 grams.
| Food. | Grams. | Per cent Nitrogen. | Total Nitrogen. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaker oats | 150.0 | × | 0.46 | = | 0.690 | grams. | |
| Bread | 42.5 + 87.3 + 51.5 = | 181.3 | × | 1.75 | = | 3.172 | |
| Coffee | 210.0 | × | 0.11 | = | 0.231 | ||
| Sugar | 31 + 21 = | 52.0 | × | 0.00 | = | 0.000 | |
| Banana | 88.2 | × | 0.20 | = | 0.176 | ||
| Cream | 87.6 | × | 0.50 | = | 0.438 | ||
| Butter | 28.7 + 12.2 = | 40.9 | × | 0.088 | = | 0.035 | |
| Potato | 210.0 | × | 0.41 | = | 0.861 | ||
| Apple sauce | 116.5 | × | 0.029 | = | 0.033 | ||
| Potato | 150.0 | × | 0.37 | = | 0.555 | ||
| Succotash | 100.0 | × | 0.57 | = | 0.570 | ||
| Chocolate cake | 122.5 | × | 0.75 | = | 0.918 | ||
| Vanilla ice | 110.7 | × | 0.58 | = | 0.642 | ||
| Total nitrogen in food | 8.321 | grams. | |||||
| Total nitrogen in urine | 8.330 | ||||||
Fuel value of the food 2635 calories.
NITROGEN BALANCE.—Dean.
| Nitrogen Taken in. | Output. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen in Urine. | Weight of Fæces (dry). | ||||||
| Feb. | 9 | 7.883 | grams. | 8.64 | grams. | ||
| 10 | 8.087 | 8.29 | |||||
| 11 | 10.102 | 8.55 | 18 | grams. | |||
| 12 | 10.436 | 9.93 | 18 | ||||
| 13 | 8.170 | 8.87 | 80 | ||||
| 14 | 8.321 | 8.33 | 58 | ||||
| 174 | grams contain 4.90% N. | ||||||
| 52.999 | 52.61 | + | 8.52 | grams nitrogen. | |||
| 52.999 | grams nitrogen. | 61.13 | grams nitrogen. | ||||
| Nitrogen balance for six days | = | -8.131 | grams. |
| Nitrogen balance per day | = | -1.355 | grams. |
Average Intake.
| Calories per day | 2529. |
| Nitrogen per day | 8.83 grams. |
Mr. George M. Beers, Clerk in the Treasurer’s office of the Sheffield Scientific School, became a subject of study in January, 1903. Mr. Beers was thirty-eight years of age, and had always enjoyed fairly good health, although of somewhat frail physique. His occupation has always been indoor work as accountant, etc. His body-weight was 61 kilos.
Mr. Beers came to the writer for advice as to possible ways of improving his general health, and when it was learned that he was in the habit of eating large amounts of meat, the suggestion was made to him that it might be wise to ascertain the effect of a diminished quantity of proteid food, and as a result of this advice Mr. Beers began to cut down the amount of meat consumed daily. The effect of this abstention from meat was so noticeable that voluntarily all meat was withdrawn from his diet. With this change in dietary habits there came about a loss of body-weight, which, however, was soon regained.
Commencing with May 14, 1903, the amount of nitrogen excreted from the kidneys was determined from time to time, but not each day, since it was very soon found that Mr. Beers showed great regularity in his dietary habits, and a corresponding regularity in the composition of the output. This regularity was due in large measure to the fact that the subject became, for the time at least, practically a vegetarian. The beneficial effects noted in his own experience with abstention from meat led to his voluntarily excluding it from his daily diet, so that from January, 1903, to June, 1904, the subject practically tasted meat, fish, or eggs on only four occasions, namely, the 26th day of November, 1903, May 19, 20, and 21, 1904. With this limitation to a vegetable diet and with regular methods of living, the nitrogenous waste material was found to be constant within very narrow limits. Emphasis, however, should be laid upon the fact that there was no prescription of diet, but perfect freedom of choice, although this choice was limited wholly to vegetable and cereal foods.
The accompanying tables give the output of nitrogen, uric acid, etc., through the kidneys for various dates between May 14, 1903, and June 15, 1904. Scrutiny of these tables shows that the average daily output of nitrogen, so far as the data show, amounted to 8.58 grams. This indicates an average daily metabolism of 53.62 grams of proteid material.
Likewise noticeable is the perfectly steady body-weight throughout this whole period of time, while the low level of 8.5 grams of metabolized nitrogen testifies to an economy in the use of proteid food, which indicates that in this subject at least the needs of the body for proteid food could easily be met by an amount equal to about one-half that called for by the Voit and similar standard dietaries.
Beers
| Date. | Body-weight. | Urine. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume. 24 hours. | Sp. Gr. | Nitrogen. | Uric Acid. | P₂O₅. | ||||||
| 1904 | kilos | c.c. | grams | gram | grams | |||||
| May | 14 | 61.1 | 940 | 1020 | 8.23 | 0.330 | 1.82 | |||
| Oct. | 8 | 920 | 1014 | 6.40 | 0.374 | 1.47 | ||||
| 13 | 61.1 | 740 | 1026 | 8.74 | 0.375 | 1.61 | ||||
| 14 | 780 | 1024 | 8.37 | |||||||
| 15 | 970 | 1018 | 8.90 | 0.374 | 1.04 | |||||
| 16 | 1365 | 1014 | 9.09 | |||||||
| 17 | 1295 | 1013 | 8.86 | |||||||
| 18 | 1400 | 1013 | 7.56 | 0.347 | 1.57 | |||||
| 20 | 61.1 | 1304 | 1014 | 8.14 | 0.328 | 1.44 | ||||
| 21 | 1510 | 1012 | 7.97 | |||||||
| 22 | 1450 | 1012 | 8.26 | 0.338 | 1.95 | |||||
| 23 | 1130 | 1013 | 7.86 | |||||||
| 24 | 1060 | 1019 | 8.46 | |||||||
| 25 | 1275 | 1015 | 8.25 | 0.375 | 1.74 | |||||
| 26 | 1390 | 1014 | 7.34 | |||||||
| 27 | 61.4 | 1000 | 1020 | 7.50 | 0.344 | 1.38 | ||||
| Nov. | 21 | 61.4 | 670 | 1025 | 8.72 | |||||
| 22 | 925 | 1017 | 8.21 | 0.335 | 1.28 | |||||
| 23 | 585 | 1027 | 8.36 | |||||||
| 24 | 885 | 1023 | 8.02 | 0.354 | ||||||
| 25 | 800 | 1026 | 7.92 | |||||||
| 26 | 1095 | 1020 | 10.77* | 0.364 | 1.53 | |||||
| Jan. | 5 | 61.4 | 1110 | 1018 | 8.99 | 0.324 | ||||
| 7 | 650 | 1024 | 8.15 | 0.278 | 1.29 | |||||
| 8 | 710 | 1020 | 7.88 | |||||||
| 9 | 910 | 1023 | 8.73 | |||||||
| 10 | 890 | 1020 | 8.01 | 0.327 | 1.21 | |||||
| 11 | 875 | 1017 | 7.51 | |||||||
| 12 | 480 | 1029 | 6.77 | |||||||
| 13 | 580 | 1023 | 8.00 | 0.398 | ||||||
| 14 | 765 | 1022 | 8.35 | |||||||
| 15 | 1360 | 1017 | 9.22 | |||||||
| 16 | 61.4 | 990 | 1020 | 8.79 | ||||||
| 17 | 835 | 1024 | 8.47 | 0.354 | ||||||
| 18 | 780 | 1020 | 8.05 | |||||||
| 19 | 790 | 1022 | 8.10 | 0.382 | ||||||
| Feb. | 9 | 860 | 1023 | 8.46 | 0.355 | |||||
| 10 | 61.4 | 850 | 1024 | 8.57 | 0.226 | |||||
| 11 | 61.4 | 750 | 1022 | 8.55 | 0.352 | |||||
| 12 | 61.4 | 595 | 1026 | 8.46 | 0.368 | |||||
| 13 | 61.4 | 640 | 1027 | 8.75 | 0.425 | |||||
| 14 | 60.8 | 730 | 1025 | 8.28 | 0.353 | |||||
| Apr. | 18 | 61.5 | 610 | 1025 | 7.69 | ⎫ | 0.365 daily average | |||
| 19 | 61.5 | 870 | 1020 | 9.87 | ⎪ | |||||
| 20 | 61.5 | 985 | 1019 | 8.87 | ⎪ | |||||
| 21 | 61.5 | 795 | 1024 | 8.25 | ⎬ | |||||
| 22 | 61.5 | 1090 | 1019 | 9.02 | ⎪ | |||||
| 23 | 61.5 | 970 | 1022 | 8.44 | ⎪ | |||||
| 24 | 61.5 | 810 | 1021 | 7.30 | ⎭ | |||||
| 25 | 61.5 | 850 | 1018 | 6.94 | ⎫ | 0.691 | ||||
| 26 | 61.5 | 620 | 1024 | 7.11 | ⎪ | |||||
| 28 | 450 | 1027 | 8.58 | ⎬ | ||||||
| 29 | 650 | 1025 | 9.52 | ⎪ | ||||||
| 30 | 1260 | 1018 | 10.20 | ⎪ | ||||||
| May | 1 | 1060 | 1017 | 8.71 | ⎭ | |||||
| 2 | 610 | 1025 | 8.16 | |||||||
| 3 | 650 | 1022 | 8.70 | |||||||
| 4 | 61.5 | 870 | 1019 | 8.51 | ||||||
| 5 | 61.3 | 610 | 1025 | 8.31 | ||||||
| 6 | 61.3 | 655 | 1026 | 8.72 | ⎫ | 0.356 | ||||
| 7 | 680 | 1025 | 8.53 | ⎪ | ||||||
| 8 | 60.8 | 490 | 1026 | 7.00 | ⎪ | |||||
| 9 | 61.3 | 550 | 1026 | 7.59 | ⎬ | |||||
| 10 | 705 | 1025 | 7.78 | ⎪ | ||||||
| 11 | 730 | 1025 | 8.28 | ⎪ | ||||||
| 12 | 800 | 1025 | 9.36 | ⎭ | ||||||
| 16 | 715 | 1022 | 7.29 | |||||||
| 17 | 990 | 1018 | 6.95 | |||||||
| 18 | 715 | 1026 | 7.81 | |||||||
| 19 | 845 | 1926 | 10.45† | |||||||
| 20 | 61.5 | 1170 | 1020 | 11.02† | ||||||
| 21 | 61.2 | 795 | 1025 | 10.02† | ||||||
| 22 | 835 | 1020 | 8.42 | |||||||
| 23 | 695 | 1025 | 9.42 | |||||||
| 24 | 660 | 1025 | 9.82 | |||||||
| 25 | 700 | 1025 | 9.91 | ⎫ | 0.434 | |||||
| 26 | 620 | 1026 | 8.59 | ⎪ | ||||||
| 27 | 665 | 1026 | 9.53 | ⎬ | ||||||
| 28 | 61.2 | 960 | 1021 | 10.31 | ⎪ | |||||
| 29 | 790 | 1023 | 9.24 | ⎭ | ||||||
| 31 | 930 | 1025 | 10.44 | |||||||
| June | 1 | 855 | 1018 | 8.76 | ||||||
| 2 | 850 | 1023 | 8.01 | |||||||
| 3 | 860 | 1020 | 9.24 | |||||||
| 4 | 61.4 | 1145 | 1021 | 10.17 | ||||||
| 5 | 590 | 1024 | 7.47 | |||||||
| 6 | 510 | 1029 | 7.53 | |||||||
| 7 | 620 | 1027 | 8.26 | |||||||
| 8 | 985 | 1020 | 8.45 | |||||||
| 9 | 1220 | 1020 | 8.49 | |||||||
| 10 | 1220 | 1017 | 8.28 | |||||||
| 11 | 1710 | 1013 | 8.82 | |||||||
| 12 | 925 | 1017 | 7.11 | |||||||
| 13 | 920 | 1020 | 8.01 | |||||||
| 14 | 1090 | 1015 | 8.64 | |||||||
| 15 | 61.5 | 915 | 1022 | 8.68 | ||||||
| Daily average | 880 | 1021 | 8.58 | 0.365 | 1.49 | |||||
On February 9, a nitrogen balance was attempted covering a period of six days, in which there was an exact comparison of the nitrogen income and output. In this balance period it will be observed that the total amount of nitrogen taken in for the six days was 53.108 grams, while the output of nitrogen through the kidneys amounted to 51.07 grams. The nitrogen excreted through the fæces, however, brought the total nitrogen output up to 58.83 grams, thus making a minus balance for the six days of 5.722 grams of nitrogen. During this period the average fuel value of the food per day was 2168 calories. The average daily output of metabolized nitrogen during the period was 8.5 grams, practically identical with the average daily excretion of nitrogen through the kidneys for the entire year, so far as determined. We have here a distinct minus balance, due either to an insufficient amount of proteid food, or an insufficient fuel value.
Notes
* Turkey eaten on this day.
† On these three days, meat, fish, and eggs were eaten.