With the subject F. M. M., a larger number of prolonged experiments were made, many of them continuing for 6 hours. The results are given in table 30. An examination of the averages indicates again a remarkable uniformity both from hour to hour and from day to day. Individual variations, however, should not be lost sight of, as they show that it is always possible to obtain both large and abnormally small values. Strictly speaking, if the lowest value is accurately measured, that alone should be regarded as the absolute basal metabolism. The general picture of the basal metabolism is, however, not unlike that reported in the earlier observations by us,1 and leads us to the general conclusion that the average carbon-dioxide production per hour is independent of the time of day and does not vary, at least with this subject, inside of a period of about 14 months. Somewhat wider fluctuations appear in the individual periods for the oxygen consumption and yet the average values are remarkably constant. As with J. R., the variations in the values for the heat production in the individual periods are considerable. While the average values do not show so close an agreement as do those for the carbon-dioxide production and the oxygen consumption, yet they indicate that this man produced 77 calories per hour in the chair calorimeter. It should be stated that this subject was somewhat unsatisfactory in that it was difficult for him to remain perfectly quiet. Probably the lowest measurements of the metabolism here do not indicate the basal metabolism of this man, as he was in the sitting position, but they do represent the minimum amount of extraneous muscular activity. For purposes of comparison with the values obtained for the metabolism after food, however, their use is justified, as the two series of determinations were made under like conditions.

An extended series of measurements of the basal metabolism, most of them of only 2 hours' duration, was made with J. J. C. Both the chair calorimeter and the bed calorimeter were used in this series. This man was also a very unsatisfactory subject, owing to his tendency to fall asleep, the degree of muscular repose thus being very irregular. Even with this subject the average values remain remarkably constant, especially for the carbon-dioxide production. It should be borne in mind, however, that the values from the third to the fifth periods are represented by only a single experiment. The measurements of the heat output for this man were extremely unsatisfactory, as no measurements of the body-temperature were obtained; hence the determinations for the heat have not been corrected for changes in this factor. By reference to table 31 it is seen that on the average this subject produced in the chair calorimeter 78 calories per hour, a rather remarkable agreement with the subjects J. R. and F. M. M.

Benedict and Carpenter. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Pub. No. 126, 1910, pp. 171, 184, and 194, tables 69, 73, and 77.

Table 31. - Basal Metabolism Of J. J. C. At Different Times Of Day In Chair-Calorimeter Experiments. Boston

(Values per hour).

1The beginning of the "First hour" with the chair calorimeter was approximately between 8h45m a. m. and 9h30m a. m. 2Calculated to hour basis; measured in period of 45 minutes. The heat values on Jan. 10 and 13, 1911. are heat eliminated corrected for change in body-weight, but not for change in body-temperature. 3Heat eliminated corrected for change in body-weight, but not for change in body-temperature.

1The beginning of the "First hour" with the bed calorimeter was approximately between 9 a. m. and 9h30ma. m. 2Calculated to hour basis; measured in period of lh32m. Heat not corrected for change in body-temperature. 3Calculated to hour basis; measured in period of lh8m. Heat not corrected for change in body-temperature. 4Heat eliminated corrected for change in body-weight, but not for change in body-temperature.

The bed-calorimeter experiments with J. J. C. were even more unsatisfactory than those with the chair calorimeter, as the subject showed a decided tendency to go to sleep and at times a definite although not extended activity. Under these conditions the metabolism was measurably less than the values obtained with the chair calorimeter. The carbon-dioxide production from hour to hour was remarkably uniform, especially when the average values alone are considered. Aside from the values for the first period the heat measurements again show constant average values; the general average for this apparatus was 65 calories per hour, a value some 13 calories less than that found with the chair calorimeter. This value undoubtedly represents very closely the basal metabolism of J. J. C, although, as stated above, even the values obtained with the chair calorimeter may justifiably be used as a baseline for studying the influence of the ingestion of food in experiments made with the same apparatus. Both basal values find their subsequent use in a consideration of the results of the food experiments.