An observation of the effect of a protein meal given to a man at the end of an 8-day fast

In an observation of the effect of a protein meal on a man at the end of an eight day fast a rather unexpected result was obtained which throws light on the fate of the carbohydrate portion of the protein cleavage products.

The subject was a normal man, 23 years old. Height 180 cm., weight 70.4 kgm. At the time of observation he had a marked odor of acetone on his breath. Respiration was normal. The CO₂ combining power of the blood plasma was 50 volumes per cent.

He was placed in the respiration calorimeter for a basal observation of 2 hours. He was then given a meal which consisted of 350 gm. of lean beef and 10 gm. of butter. One hour after taking the meal a second observation was started and continued for 3 hours. During the first two hours of this latter observation respiratory quotients were obtained of .687 and .681. During the third hour the quotient was .740. The first two quotients are similar to those found in severe diabetes, or in phlorhizin glycosuria. During the basal periods the quotients were normal for the fasting state, .733 and. 723 respectively. Following the meal there was very little increase in heat production. The nitrogen excretion was not increased.

As evidence that the subject was not diabetic his tolerance for 1OO gm. of glucose was normal. The fasting level for blood sugar was .086 per cent. After glucose it rose to .137 per cent. There was no glycosuria.

One week after the first observation the experiment was repeated. During the interval the subject took a normal diet. The basal heat production was lower, as was the basal nitrogen excretion. After the meal a marked rise in heat production occurred (17-28 per cent.), but the hourly heat production is practically the same after the meal as it was in the first observation.