Previous research by ourselves and others (summarized by Jackson and Stewart,1 1918) has shown that in young animals underfed for various periods remarkable changes occur in the weights of the various organs and parts of the body. There is also evidence indicating that similar changes occur in malnourished human infants. While some organs during inanition tend to maintain approximately their normal relative weight, and others continue to grow, still others undergo losses. The organs affected and the extent of the changes involved vary according to the age of the individual and the length and character of the inanition.
The question naturally follows as to the process of recovery on abundant refeeding after various periods of inanition. Stewart2 has already shown that rapid recuperation occurs in rats refed after being held at maintenance (constant body weight) from the age of weaning (3 weeks) to about the age of puberty