The Baldin sum rule for the nucleon has been recalculated at the light
of the most recent photoabsorption cross section measurements. The pr
oton value (alpha + beta)(p) = 13.69 +/- 0.14 is smaller but consisten
t with the one usually quoted in literature. However, the value for th
e neutron (alpha + beta)(n) = 14.40 +/- 0.66 turns out to be three sta
ndard deviations away from the previously calculated one.