CALCULATION OF HEAT PRODUCTION FROM INSENSIBLE LOSS OF WEIGHT 1

Abstract

Heat is removed from the living organism at the rate of 0.58 calorie per g. of water vaporized, and man tends to lose 24.5% of his heat by this method. Water vapor is from 88 to 102% of the insensible loss of weight. The latter is detd. with ease, the former with difficulty. When the character of diet is known, the relation between water vapor and insensible loss is fixed. This permits satisfactory calculation of heat from insensible loss. Thus hourly insensible loss, times 53, gives heat pro- duction for 24 hrs. when usual mixed diets are used.