THE INFLUENCE OF THE HIGH-CALORY DIET ON THE RESPIRATORY EXCHANGES IN TYPHOID FEVER

Abstract

The influence of a diet rich in carbohydrate on the protein metabolism in typhoid fever¹ and the extent of its absorption² have already been studied in detail. The striking clinical effect of the diet in a large number of cases has also been reported.³ It has seemed desirable, therefore, to investigate the fate of the large amount of food administered and its effect on the total metabolism. During the years 1911 and 1912 it was possible to make 134 determinations of the respiratory exchanges of patients taking the high-calory diet, and the results have been embodied in the following report. Some of the experiments were reported briefly on a former occasion.⁴ Numerous investigations have been made by other observers, but practically all their patients were examined in the fasting state, that is, from six to thirteen hours after the last meal. Moreover, these patients