The actual body-weights for these men under our standard conditions were obtained on numerous dates. It seems desirable to plot them in the form of curves to show several important things, first, the loss in body-weight at the beginning of the experiment during the period of reduction in diet; second, the approximately constant level of body-weight during the period of partial realimentation; third, the not insignificant alterations in body-weight following the unavoidable, but regrettable, periods of unrestricted diet, i. e., occasional Sundays, four days at the Thanksgiving season,1 and 18 days at the Christmas recess; finally, the astonishing increase in body-weight incident to the complete withdrawal of all dietetic restrictions after February 4, 1918. Since this picture is so pronounced, it has been deemed advisable to plot an individual weight curve for each man in both Squad A and Squad B. In considering these curves, it should be remembered that the Thanksgiving recess was from November 29 to December 2, inclusive, and the Christmas recess from December 20 to January 6, inclusive, although some of the men did not return to college until later.

Body-Weight Curves Of Squad A. Body-Weight Curve Of Bro (Fig. 57)

Prior to the reduction in diet, Bro had a weight of 61.8 kg. The next record of weight was not taken for about two weeks, during which time there had been a material curtailment of diet, but the weight had dropped to only 61 kg. Subsequently, owing to the restriction in diet, the weight decreased in a reasonably regular manner until the unrestricted meal of November 25, after which there was a rise of approximately 1 kg. On December 9 the weight had fallen to a lower level than that shown on November 25 and stayed at an approximately constant level for two weeks. The minimum weight, 54 kg., was reached on December 20. During the 18 days of absence from college in the Christmas vacation, there was an increment of 3 kg., but the weight was brought down with reasonable rapidity by the subsequent curtailment of diet, and probably considerable exercise. Bro was then given a larger number of calories to hold him at the minimum weight-level observed during December. These calories apparently held the weight fairly constant, as there was a fluctuation of but 1 kg. in the last two weeks. The post-diet increase was immediate and enormous, for from the weight of 54.4 kg. on February 3 there was a sharp rise of 8 kg. in 11 days, which not only compensated for the entire loss during the experiment, but caused an increase of nearly 1 kg. over the initial weight. Thereafter, until the end of the observations on March 14 (a period of one month), the weight varied approximately 0.5 kg. from this higher level, with a distinct tendency for the body-weight to be somewhat higher than it was before the experiment.

Fig. 57. - Body-weight curve of Bro.

1 The absence of a pronounced change in weight after Thanksgiving was doubtless due to the fact that records of the body-weight were not made until December 4, and the men had trained for a loss in weight to counterbalance the gain during the Thanksgiving recess.

Although this will be a subject for subsequent special discussion, attention should be called to the variation in the net calories1 ingested, as indicated by the blocks on these curves. In the three days prior to the dietetic restriction, the net energy intake averaged 3,050 calories. There was then considerable curtailment, the calories falling at one time to nearly half the initial value. Approximately 1,950 calories were required to maintain this man at the lower weight level. No data are available regarding the calories ingested during the post-diet period.

Body-Weight Curve Of Can (Fig. 58)

Can was the heaviest man in Squad A, his initial weight being 79.75 kg. Following the curtailment in diet there was a very marked and rapid loss in weight and, as is indicated by the increases in the net calories supplied, it became necessary to raise the energy intake perceptibly to hold the weight at the lower level. The first rise in the descending curve occurs shortly after the uncontrolled meal on November 11, but a decided rise of somewhat over a kilogram occurred after November 25, as was found with several other members of Squad A. This was followed by a somewhat rapid fall, the minimum weights being observed on December 15 and 20. This period of minimum weight-level was accompanied by a net calorie ingestion of approximately 2,475 calories.

During the Christmas vacation, as the broken line shows, there was an increase of somewhat over 4 kg. in weight. This was in part lost on the return to college, but as this subject had actually lost more than 10 per cent of his initial weight and seemed somewhat troubled by the fact, the caloric intake was adjusted to hold the body-weight'nearer a 10 per cent than a 12 per cent loss. It was found that 2,380 calories practically sufficed to hold the weight at this level. The post-diet increase in body-weight was striking, that is, from 69.3 kg. on February 3 the body-weight rose with hardly a break to 80 kg. on February 21. This represents an increase of 10.7 kg. in less than three weeks. The tendency at the end of the observations was for the body-weight to be slightly higher than the initial weight, our last record for this man being 81 kg. or 1.25 kg. greater than the first record.

1 See p. 271.

Fig. 58. - Body-weight curve of Can.

Body-weight curve of Kon (Fig. 59). From the statistical records for Kon, it will be observed that he did not begin the reduction in diet until some time after the other men in Squad A, as he was originally a member of Squad B. His body-weight as noted on October 7 was 67.25 kg.; during the next three weeks it rose to 69 kg., at which point he began the reduced diet. The basal energy values found for this man were unfortunately confined to only two days, but averaged at this time about 3,000 calories. He readily consented to the proposition to make a sharp reduction in the diet in the attempt to have him reach the 10 per cent lower weight-level about the same time as the other members of Squad A. Consequently he was given only a little over 1,500 calories, which, as the curve shows, caused a rapid fall in the body-weight.

Fig. 59. - Body-weight curve of Kon.