Feces. 343 



While unfortunately in most experiments no data are given regarding the 

 character and amounts of the diet and the time and nature of the last defe- 

 cation before the fast began, it must be recognized that a part at least of 

 the feces collected in this manner during fasting must have resulted from the 

 ingestion of food prior to the fast. 



In the fasting experiments here reported, the data regarding the feces are 

 extremely limited. The natural expulsion of feces is retarded by inanition and 

 hence the defecation is not at all regular. It is of interest, therefore, to 

 consider first the effect of inanition upon the regularity of defecation. 



Depending upon the amount of food consumed on the day previous, the 

 defecation of the first day of fasting may be quite as regular as on the ordinary 

 food days. If, however, as is the case in many of the experiments here reported, 

 the last meal on the day before the fast was small, there may be entire absence 

 of defecation on the first day. An examination of the record of body move- 

 ments in the different experiments shows that in experiments Nos. 59, 68, and 

 69 there were no feces passed. In experiment No. 70, 119.2 grams of feces 

 were passed at 7 h 40 ra p. m., December 22, 1904, i. e., 2| days after the first 

 meal following the fast. This unusual delay in defecation is explained in 

 part at least by the fact that this subject even under ordinary conditions 

 defecates very irregularly. 



In experiment No. 71, with S. A. B., feces were passed on each of the first 

 three days of fasting. The amounts were 241.5, 41.3, and 48.0 grams, 

 respectively. In experiment No. 72 the feces were passed at 9 h 45 m a. m., 

 January 11. In the 5 days of experiment No. 73 feces were passed with 

 considerable regularity, i. e., on the first, second, and third days. The amounts 

 passed were 71.6, 87.0, and 51.1 grams, respectively. No more were passed till 

 the second day with food. 



During the 7-day fast (experiment No. 75) feces were passed only on the 

 first day, i. e., 9 h 10 m a. m., March 4, 1905. The amount was 48.4 grams. 

 Three days of food followed, but feces did not appear till the last food day, 

 March 13, when 28.1 grams of feces were passed at 7 h 40 a. m. 



In experiment No. 77, 144.4 grams were passed on the first fasting day at 

 7 h 36 m a. m. During the evening of April 9, owing to the discomfort experi- 

 enced by the subject, about 35 grams of fresh feces were removed by means of 

 an enema. No more feces were passed until 24 hours after the first food was 

 taken, i. e., after the subject had left the respiration chamber. 



In experiments in which the heat production is especially studied, it is 

 desirable in so far as possible to maintain a constant muscular activity. 

 It was found that frequently, especially during the earlier fasts, the subjects 

 would, in many instances, on either the first or second day of the experiment, 

 make ineffectual attempts to defecate. Aside from the disturbing element of 

 the extraneous muscular exertion and exposure of the body, there was the dis- 



