The effect of severe and prolonged muscular work on food consumption, digestion, and metabolism / by W. O. Atwater, PH.D., and H. C. Sherman, PH.D., and the mechanical work and efficiency of bicyclers, by R. C. Carpenter, M.S.

  • Atwater, W. O. (Wilbur Olin), 1844-1907.
Date:
1901
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The effect of severe and prolonged muscular work on food consumption, digestion, and metabolism / by W. O. Atwater, PH.D., and H. C. Sherman, PH.D., and the mechanical work and efficiency of bicyclers, by R. C. Carpenter, M.S. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

    31/78 (page 27)
    As already stated, Pilking-toii did not complete the race, and the data of his work were not obtained in-full detail. He withdrew early on the fourth day. His score for the first three days was 863.2 miles. Changes in hody ^weights during the race.—As already stated, the weighings of the riders were not accurate because the}'^ were necessa- rily made without removal of the clothing which contained varying and sometimes considerable amounts of moisture. The following general statements are, however, believed to be reasonabl}^ near the truth: Miller lost about 4 pounds in weight on the first da}^ of the race. During the remaining five days the gains and losses were not great and so nearly equaled each other that the weight at the close of the race was practically the same as at the end of the first day. In other words, the net change in weight for the six days is accounted for by the loss observed on the first day, the net change for the following five days being practically nothing. Albert lost only about 2 pounds on the first day. The first and second daj^s taken together show a loss of about 3^ pounds, which was regained during the remaining four days of the race. The weight at the end of the race was almost exactly the same as at the beginning. Pilkington lost about 3 pounds on the first day of the i-ace and showed no change in weight on the second and third days. Thus each of the riders lost weight at the beginning of the race. In two cases the weight remained about constant after this, while in one case the initial loss was recovered during the following days of the contest. ANALYSES OF FOOD MATERIALS AND FECES. As previously stated, the investigation with the bicyclists included (1) dietary studies, (2) digestion experiments, and (3) determinations of the balance of income and outgo of nitrogen. In connection with the dietary studies most of the food materials used were analyzed. This was the more desirable since a few of the articles used were somewhat unusual, and the composition of many of the cooked foods could not l)e calculated read^y from the tables showing the average composition of American food materials. Whenever practicable a sample was taken from each lot of food purchased or prepared, com- posite samples being made when dift'erent lots of the same food were used. In other cases, especiallj those of the prepared foods, analyses were made of duplicate samples, which were purchased in New York at the time of the race except as otherwise stated in the description of samples beyond. The fruits were not analyzed, as the quantities of nutrients furnished by them were small and the average composition was fairly well known.