120

       We therefore have very closely similar results for the amount of nitrogenous
metabolism in the four diets given, viz. :—

       The last diet which contained arhar dal gives a slightly lower figure but the
whole of the rice was not eaten which may account for the different result.

       These results show conclusively that with 12 ozs. of wheat ata, the amount of
nitrogen absorbed is about 9.7 grms. per man daily, which quantity we have
shown to be lower than that absorbed when only 10 ozs. of wheat ata are given
daily, the other constituents of the dietaries being similar.

       Further, they make it probable that an increase in the amount of protein offer-
ed in the form of dal is not accompanied by a corresponding increase in the amount
of protein undergoing metabolism, i.e. , when the amount of protein in the diet is
already high.

       Thus from the investigations in this series we have :—

this means that we get a practically uniform level of nitrogenous meta-
bolism with diets that vary in the amount of their nitrogen intake per man per
day from—

18.13 grms. to 17.36 grms. to 17.22 grms. to 16.97 grms.

       This bears out what we have already deduced from the results obtained in
all the different investigations, viz., that, in diets of the type given in Bengal or
Behar jails, it is useless to increase the amount of protein of the diet by an
increase in the quantity of the cereals of which the diet is composed. Instead
of an increase beyond the optimum quantity producing a higher level of protein
metabolism it has an exactly opposite effect.

Summary of the results of these investigations.

       In section (I) we give the average value of the Behari jail diet in proximate
principles.