120 



Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



cially noticeable on the first day. The weights of fresh feces were as follows : 

 At 9 h 36 m a. m., January 7, 241.5 grams; at 7 h 24 m a. m., January 8, 41.3 

 grams; and at 7 h 24 m a. m., January 9, 48 grams. As was customary in all 

 the fasting experiments, the subject had taken a gelatin capsule filled with 

 lampblack with the last meal immediately preceding the fast. Since none of 

 tliis fecal matter was colored with charcoal, it was obvious that it belonged 

 distinctly to food taken previously. It was therefore not a product result- 

 ing from fasting metabolism. Since, however, feces were actually passed they 

 should be taken into consideration in the balance made in table 73. 



Table 73. Comparison of changes in body-weigM xoitli balance of income and 



outgo Metabolism experiment No. 71. 



1 The data In this line should not be confounded with urine data in other tables, 

 explanation, p. 66.) 



-Not included in the total outgo. (See p. 119.) 



(See 



Comparison of lines i and / of table 73 shows very satisfactory agreement on 

 the second and third days between the losses of body material and losses in 

 weight. On the last day, however, there is a considerable error. The difficulties 

 of securing the complete accuracy of this balance have already been dwelt upon. 



In the previous fasting experiments here reported no feces had been passed 

 during the experimental period. In this experiment, however, feces were 

 passed on the first 3 days which evidently were the resultant of food taken 

 previous to the fast. But as it was found impracticable to separate fasting 

 feces from those of food preceding fasting, which were in this and some sub- 

 sequent experiments excreted during the fasting period, the best method of 

 using the weights in the computations was not clear. The uncertainty as to 

 the nature of the feces seemed to make it desirable to eliminate them from the 



