Respiration Calorimeters for Studying the Respiratory Exchange andEnergy Transformations of Man

BY

FRANCIS G. BENEDICT and THORNE M. CARPENTER

WASHINGTON, D. C.
Published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington
1910

CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON
Publication No. 123


The Lord Baltimore Press
BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A.

PREFACE.

The immediate development and construction of suitable apparatus forstudying the complicated processes of metabolism in man was obviouslythe first task in equipping the Nutrition Laboratory. As several seriesof experiments have already been made with these respirationcalorimeters, it is deemed advisable to publish the description of theapparatus as used at present. New features in the apparatus are,however, frequently introduced as opportunity to increase accuracy orfacilitate manipulation is noted.

We wish here to express our sense of obligation to the followingassociates: Mr. W. E. Collins, mechanician of the Nutrition Laboratory,constructed the structural steel framework and contributed manymechanical features to the apparatus as a whole; Mr. J. A. Riche,formerly associated with the researches in nutrition in the chemicallaboratory of Wesleyan University, added his previous experience inconstructing and installing the more delicate of the heating and coolingdevices. Others who have aided in the painstaking construction, testing,and experimenting with the apparatus are Messrs. W. H. Leslie, L. E.Emmes, F. L. Dorn, C. F. Clark, F. A. Renshaw, H. A. Stevens, Jr., MissH. Sherman, and Miss A. Johnson.

The numerous drawings were made by Mr. E. H. Metcalf, of our staff.

Boston, Massachusetts,
August 10, 1909.

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CONTENTS.

PAGE

Introduction 1

Calorimeter laboratory 3
General plan of calorimeter laboratory 3
Heating and ventilating 7

The calorimeter 10
Fundamental principles of the apparatus 10
The calorimeter chamber 11
General construction 14
Prevention of radiation 17
The thermo-electric elements 19
Interior of the calorimeter ...