324 



Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



in the hours of taking the samples is to be regretted, it is important to note 

 that in the absence of digestion and muscular activity, those physiological 

 factors that tend most to cause variation are reduced to a minimum. 



The differential counts are believed to be as accurate as it is possible to 

 make, and we are now aware of no criticism that can properly be applied to 

 these measurements. They apparently represent the true condition of the 

 blood of these subjects. 



The results of all the blood examinations are expressed in the form of curves 

 given on the two figures herewith. 



Fig. 1. 



The blood examinations covered experiments Nos. 75 and 77, with a few 

 observations on the intermediate period and the period after the last fasting 

 day. The full interpretation of these curves is given essentially as in the 

 formal report submitted by Dr. A. E. Diefendorf, Pathologist of the Connecti- 

 cut Hospital for the Insane, Middletown, Conn. 



The red blood corpuscles show only a slight diminution in number during 

 each fasting period with a relatively rapid rise in the days immediately follow- 

 ing the end of the fast. The same is true of the hemoglobin curve, which seems 

 to have been more profoundly affected by the first and longer fast. The rise 

 in the hemoglobin immediately after the end of the fast corresponds with the 

 rise in the number of erythrocytes. 



