Metabolism Experiment No. 68. 



61 



While in experiment No. 59 there was no recorded change due to loss or gain 

 of water in the weight of the heat-absorbers, chair, bedding, and other articles 

 inside the chamber, in this experiment there was a loss of 47 grams of water on 

 the first day and a gain of 21 grams on the second day. The correct apportion- 

 ment of this gain or loss of water by individual periods is impracticable, since 

 the weights are taken only once each day. It has therefore been our custom to 

 inspect the hygrometric conditions in the chamber at the end of each period, 

 and thus ascertain whether there was a continuous drying out process or a 

 condensation and absorption of moisture from the air. An inspection of the 

 figures in column a in table 24 shows that the water in the respiration chamber 



Table 24. Record of water of respiration and perspiration Metabolism experiment 



No. 68. 



1 Allowance has been made for water lost or gained by the chair, bedding, and miscellaneous 

 articles, as follows : April 27-28, 47.00 grams lost ; April 28-29, 21.00 grams gained. 



gradually diminished during the first 21 hours. This indicates that the drying 

 out process was continual, hence the 47 grams of water lost from the absorbers, 

 bedding, and other articles was apportioned throughout the eight experimental 

 periods at the rate of 5.88 grams per period. 



A consideration of the moisture conditions inside the chamber during the 

 second day, on the other hand, shows that during the period from 1 to 4 a. m. 

 there was a marked change in the water content and hence it is assumed that 

 the 21 grams gained by the absorbers, bedding, etc., was gained during the 

 last two periods of the day. Hence one-half of the total gain was apportioned 

 to each period. Fortunately in this experiment the data for the fluctuations 

 in hygrometric conditions indicate quite clearly during which periods the 

 gain occurred on the second day. Where the exact change in relative humidity 



