Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-28
Some Novel Food Tests.

Medical science is applying itself to
the solution of the problem of the high
cost of living by a series of expert
ments to determine the heating prop
critics of various foods. The work is
going on in the Carnegie Laboratory
u the unlN erslJy and Bellevue Hos
pital Medical Colleges at No. 33S East
Twenty sixth street. DR.. Graham
Rusk, of Cornell University Medical
College, and Dr. Eugene Dubois, of
Bellevue, are conducting the work.
As food is the fuel that runs the
machinery OF the body the scientists
wish TO learn positively how the en-
terprise of human life may be most
economically and most efficiently run.
The apparatus they are using for the
purpose is known as a respiration
caIorimeter. the invention of Profs w.
Q. Atwater and +. G. Benedict. of
Wesleyan They made II experiments
with five persons before they We're
able to announce, yesterday, that the
last trial with the fifth man promises
definite and practical results.
This man has nearly completed a
stay of 10 days in the caiorimeter, shut
off from the outside world except by
telephone, following instructions by
wire from the doctors on the outside.
The air he breathes is fed into the
roo.a by a device that will admit it
fresh and of a temperature 50 even
as not to affect a thermometer that
records variations so minute as one
ten thousandth of one degree. When
the man exercises, the thermometer
tells the story of the rising temperature
of his body. It is said that if he should
become angry or highly excited from
any cause the mercury would prob
ably break its containing bulb.
Food is passed within through sec
tienal tune. When a gate closes on
one section an inner gate opens into
another. Transit through three or
four of these locked chambers frees
the food of all influence from the outer
air. 1t reaches the inmate of the ca
loriaeter perfectly guarded from eX-
trdneous effects.
In order that the experiments might
be faithfully made and the doctors
might fee! sure of no inside jockeying
the men trusted TO go within have all
been medical students as intent as the
doctors themselves in obtaining abso-
lutely correct results. Four of them
failed to meet the requirements which
the 18th has exactly hit.
IiIC llIeIibI u the CtldIIiDfI meas
ures 10 feet by 6. 1t contains for the
comfort of the inmate bed, a table.
chairs and books. There are also
washing facilities. In addition to the
thermometer which by means of cleo
trio connections tells those watching
outside of temperature variations.
there is a stationary bicycle for exer-
else at intervals required.
When the inmate rises in the morn
irg re is expected to leave the bed in
lesurely fashion, not to hurry while
dressing and when he walks he must
do it lightly and with short steps. The
thermometer will tell on him if he dis
obeys.
Next comes breakfast, which has
been weighed and noted in detail out
side, ana which reaches him in ster-
ilized jars. He must eat slowly and
mastioate well. The thermometer in
forms the doctors outside how the food
fuel rs burning. They can figure to n
nicely the conclusive quality of the
contents of the sterilized bottles they
have passed within.
When The human furnace is burning
with steady glow, a sign that diges-
ton has worked well, the inmate re-
ceiyes word to exercise on his wheel.
Until thenrhe had been free to read or
write after eating. Those outside
meanwhile were preparing to make ac-
eurate records of the fuel consumption
during exercise on the bicycle.
BY means OF electric and other deli
cate devices they are able not only 10
measure the quantity of air introduced
into the chamber through the period
of exercise, but also to analyZe the air
so that they know exactly its degree
of purity. As this same air energies
from the chamber outlets the outsiders
catch and measure the carbon dioxide
exhaled by the inmate, take accurate
note OF the water vapor he throws off
in perspiration during his exercise, and
they can tell to the smallest atom the
quantity Of oxygen burned by the
inside man to keep his furnace fiues
clear He quits bicycling at a signal
from the telephone bell.
The morning program is repeated
| in the afternoon, with variations in
the item of food. Diet consumption
has been found to affect the thermom-
| eter so markedly that the doctors are
giving themselves the widest possible
range, consistent always with economy
| and GEergizing properties. Dinner ar
! rives in the same form as breakfast,
bottled and sterlized. - New York
| World.
aCNNnEhcEn nEcpATrIEc