EFFECTS OF STARVATION

Evening Star, Issue 19019, 14 August 1925, Page 11

EFFECTS OF STARVATION

RUSSIAN STUDIES. The recent famine in Russia inspired some of her scientists to make extensive studies of the results of prolonged under-nourishment upon _ the _ human body. The Russian physiologist Ivanovsky and colleagues conducted observations for three years upon 2,114 persons, or as many of them as remained alive during that time. These persons were weighed once in six months, since obviously loss of weight is a symptom a ttendant upon long hunger. The results of the investigation are summarised in ‘ Ivasmos ’ (Stuttgart) “ The loss of weight amounted to as much as 30 per cent. Naturally it is the fat which is first lost by the organism.' Then the muscles become diminished in circumference and weight. Thirdly, the liver and the pancreatic gland become disturbed, the lieart and the nervous system being but slightly affected in sympathy therewith. The bodily size of the starving people _is nearly always smaller. The loss in size among men varied from 3.77 mm. to 6.50 mm.; in women from 3 to 5 mm. The loss was greatest among young persons, but these quickly recuperated as soon as they received a sufficient supply of food. “One curious observation made by the Russian investigators was to the effect that the form of the head underwent alteration. Since, however, the bones of the skull remain unaltered, this result is obviously duo to a loss of size in the soft tissues covering the skull. The face lost more in breadth than in length, and as a result of this the facial expression was considerably altered in many persons. The hair of the starving persons not only grew at a slower rate but frequpntly tell out or turned grey ' prematurely. The skin lost its flexibility, tho body became bowed, and the gait feebler and more uncertain.

“There was a marked fall in the birth rate, with a greater frequency of premature birth and still-born children. Furthermore, there were numerous cases of deformity among now-born children. There were many cases of ulcerated stomachs among these unfortunate persons, who were often obliged to exist upon the most revolting sorts of food. In general the resistance of the body was so much diminished that simple boils or pimples on the hand, such as ordinarily are quickly healed, became really dangerous affairs.”