374 



Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



Table 198. Periodic distribution of nitrogen in urine in metabolism experiments 



icithout food Continued. 



1 Average for 26 days. 



Data regarding the periodic excretion of nitrogen during fasting are also 

 furnished in the experiments made in this laboratory and reported elsewhere." 

 In the 5 clays during which the subject fasted, three 1-day experiments and 

 one 2-day experiment, the proportion of total nitrogen excreted between 7 a. m. 

 and 7 p. m. was 58.6, 52.7, 56.6 per cent for the three 1-day experiments, and 

 53.8 and 45.7 per cent for the 2 consecutive days of fasting. 



The Swedish investigators in reporting the results for J. A. (9) give data 

 for computing the proportion of total nitrogen excreted between 10 a. m. and 

 10 p. m. for the 5 days of the fast, The percentages are 59.1, 51.0, 50.7, 58.3, 

 and 56.1, respectively. 



In a one-day fast Eosemann 54 found 59.8 per cent of the total nitrogen 

 was excreted between 7 a. m. and 7 p. m. 



Influence of drinking-water on nitrogen excretion. It has long been observed 

 that the ingestion of large amounts of drinking-water results frequently in an 

 increased nitrogen excretion. The significance of the relation between the 

 volume of urine and the nitrogen excreted during fasting was pointed out by 

 the Berlin scientists (7) in their discussion of the experiments on Cetti and 

 Breithaupt. The influence of excessive amounts of drinking-water on fasting 

 animals has also repeatedly been observed, and hence it is of importance to 

 consider the volume of urine in the fasting experiments here reported, since 

 the variations in volume may have an influence upon the excretion of nitrogen, 

 and thus possibly account for the fluctuations in nitrogen excretion observed 

 from day to day. The daily nitrogen excretion in grams and also the volume 

 of urine are recorded in table 200, beyond. 



SS U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Expt. Sta. Bui. 136 (1903). 

 "Archiv f. die ges. Physiol. (1897), 65, p. 360. 



