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Methods.*
Two quantities, each of about a dozen tarakihi, were lightly boiled, and the flesh, separated from the bones, skin, fins, etc., was thoroughly mixed. A certain amount was then weighed out into packets of 100 grm. each, and placed in cold storage till required, while the remainder was dried in the sun and ground to a powder.
The experiments were conducted so as to show what amount of the fish, dried or frozen, was necessary for the growth or maintenance of rats, and, since fish is commonly used as a substitute for meat, eggs, or other protein-rich material, the following plan was adopted for recording the results. The dietetic mixture used for vitamin work on rats usually consists of 20% protein (casein) plus starch, fat, salts, and vitamin B. A similar mixture was made with fish instead of casein. This would correspond to the case of a person living solely on fish as the source of protein, and these experiments are referred to as “20% frozen” or “20% dried” fish diet. In other cases, 15%
[Footnote] * Since the technical details of vitamin experiments are not of great interest to the majority of the readers of the Transactions, only a brief account of the method is given and the weight curves have been omitted.
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of the protein was supplied by fish and the remainder, 5%, by casein; these are referred to similarly as “15% frozen” or “15% dried,” and in still others, 10% fish plus 10% casein, and 5% fish plus 15% casein. The last mentioned would be equivalent to a person obtaining about one-fourth of his daily protein in the form of fish, and would probably correspond to an ordinary breakfast helping.