CLINICAL CALORIMETRY

Abstract

Introduction. The Sources of Error in Technic. Review of the Literature. Methods Used. Water Elimination of Normal Men Under Standard Conditions. Water Elimination of Patients Under Similar Conditions. Summary and Conclusions. INTRODUCTION Few clinicians realize the importance of water in the metabolism, and few investigators appreciate the large errors in its measurement. Apparently, there is nothing easier to measure, and this has led many to publish results without careful controls as to accuracy. As a matter of fact, the technic of determining the water of vaporization is exceedingly difficult and there are few things more laborious than the establishment of the water balance of a patient. Rubner has pointed out that a starving animal can lose practically all of his glycogen and fat and half of his body protein. If he loses about 10 per cent, of the water of his