96 



Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



Analysis of food and feces. The feces for the whole experimental period 

 were mixed, sampled, and analyzed. Determinations of the water, fat, ash, 

 nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen in organic matter, and heat of combustion of food 

 were made on weighed portions of fresh material. Analyses of the composite 

 sample of feces were made after the material had been partially dried. Protein 

 was computed from the nitrogen by means of the factor 6.25, and the carbo- 

 hydrates were estimated by difference. 23 * The percentage composition of the 

 food and also of the feces is given in table 55. 



Weight, composition, and heat of combustion of food and feces. From the 

 weight, percentage composition, and heat of combustion per gram of food can 

 be found the total amounts of water, elements and compounds, as well as the 



Table 55. Percentage composition of food and feces Metabolism experiment 



No. 70. 



1 Ash by difference. See note below. 



potential energy, i. e., heat of combustion. Similar computations can be made 

 for the feces. The results for both food and feces are given in table 56. 



The total quantity of protein in the food furnished per day ranged from 

 53.31 to 53.76 grams, while the energy varied from 2569 to 2585 calories. An 

 inspection of the total amounts of material in the diet shows that the amount 

 of food was practically the same for all three days. 



The feces were characterized by an abnormally high fat content. The 

 significance of this feature will receive special discussion later. 



Elements and materials absorbed from food. This experiment continued 

 for 3 days, butj no feces were passed until the third day, when 119.2 grams 

 were separated and dried for analysis. After the subject came out of the 

 respiration chamber the feces were saved until the appearance of the lamp- 

 black taken with the first meal after he left the chamber, when the usual 



2,8 For special discussion of the analysis of the feces belonging to this experiment, 

 see Analyses of Feces, Experiments with Food, Part 3, of this report. 



