In the spring of 1917 it was the good fortune of one of us to have a long conference in Philadelphia with Professor Alonzo E. Taylor, who had but recently returned from Germany. Professor Taylor was thoroughly conversant with the food situation in that country, had discussed the subject in extenso with eminent German physiologists, and hence was specially provided with information as to the present dietetic habits of both the civilian population and the army in Germany.

According to Professor Taylor, it would appear from the ration cards and from the computations of the best hygienic and dietetic experts that the German civilian population were securing not more than 1,800 calories per man per day. The German army ration approximated 3,200 calories per day. In an article laying particular emphasis upon the role of acid and alkali-forming ingredients in the diet, Ragnar-Berg1 gives a tabular presentation of the army ration in Germany as well as that of the hard worker and the civilian. These values bear out quite closely Professor Taylor's estimates. Aside from results obtained in the study made by Loewy and Zuntz,2 and Jansen,3 previously referred to, and with which we were unfortunately not earlier acquainted, the reports from Germany lack that scientific verification that one would prefer to have, but the possible adjustment to a lower nutritional level seems sufficiently established to be accepted as highly probable. The fact is established, however, that as a result of this reduction in diet, the obese are now rarely seen in Germany, that the German civilians have lost considerably in bodyweight and are thin and well trained down. In view of the experience of the German nation, it seemed feasible to alter experimentally the food intake and in consequence probably alter the nutritional level.

1 The original place of publication in Germany is not given, but the article is abstracted in the Bull, de la Soc. Sci. Hyg. Aliment., 1918, 5, p. 662. 2 Loewy and Zuntz, Berl. klin. Wochenschr., 1916, 53, p. 825. 3Jansen, Deutsch. Archiv. f. klin. Med., 1917, 124, p. 1.

It was first thought that such a study could be made with a group of men who had already considerably reduced their body-weight by dietetic alterations. Athletes who had suddenly lost much flesh in preparation for an athletic contest were first considered, but it was decided that athletes are trained not only to lose flesh but at the same time to retain their excessive strength. Dr. George P. Denny, who was at this period a collaborator at the Nutrition Laboratory, then offered to secure the services of a number of coxswains from the boat crews of Harvard University. Such men should be well suited for observations of this kind, as it is necessary for them to train down to a low body-weight, but at the same time no special strength is required in their duties. Simultaneously with the inception of this project, war was declared between the United States and Germany and the athletic plans of Harvard University were entirely revolutionized. It was therefore necessary to give up the idea of a research with coxswains and seek elsewhere for the ideal subjects for the contemplated study. It was finally decided to secure a number of normal individuals and study the metabolism during a long period of low food intake.