"These findings indicate that deprivation of food progressively destroys the digestive, absorptive and protective functions of the alimentary canal and also, it would seem, impairs the metabolic function. The small intestine is the great portal of entry of nutrients into the body and if the essential cells of this viscus are destroved, as they are in extreme starvation, then the administration of food will act merely as an irritant,causing diarrhoea and withdrawal of water from the bodv. Therefore, the aim in such cases should be the restoration of the structure and of the function of the intestinal epithelium. Since this cannot be done by giving food by mouth, suitable "building stones" in appropriate amounts must be given by vein. I would emphasize that amino-acids and not whole proteins, e.g. blood proteins, are required, because we must assume that the ability of the starved organism to break down whole proteins would be seriously impaired. Doubtless blood proteins would help in a general way to maintain the patient's vitality but they could not be expected to provide at the required speed sufficient building stones to effect rapid restoration of the damaged epithelial cells. It follows that sufficient glucose should be given, preferably before the proteins, to cover the body's energy needs so as to prevent the amino-acids administered from being used up for energy purposes. It also follows that sufficient B vitamins should be administered at the same time to cover the oxidation of the glulcose."