376 



Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



In all the experiments with S. A. B., the volume of urine was large, in 

 many cases very large. It should be noted, however, that the highest nitrogen 

 excretion by this subject on any day was 13.10 grams, while in experiment No. 

 69 with A. L. L., an excretion of 15.04 grams of nitrogen appeared on the 

 third day with but 743 cc. of urine. It would appear, then, that no very 

 marked washing out of the urea or, indeed, increased protein katabolism 

 followed the ingestion of the excessive quantities of water consumed by S. A. B. 

 In the experiments with this latter subject the volume of urine was less 

 than 1200 cc. on only three days. On the first day of experiment No. 71, 

 the volume was 1149 cc. with a nitrogen excretion of 5.84 grams; on the last 

 day of experiment No. 73, the volume was 1026 cc. with a nitrogen excretion of 

 9.98 grams; and on the last day of experiment No. 77, the volume was 1136 cc, 

 and the nitrogen excretion was 11.45 grams. 



The large amounts of drinking-water consumed by the subject S. A. B. were 

 as a matter of fact not much, if any, greater than his customary consumption. 

 While the data for the amount of drinking-water on the preliminary days is 

 missing, the volumes of urine are recorded in the following table. For com- 

 parison the volumes on the first days of the experiments are included, as well 

 as the nitrogen excretion for the corresponding days. 



1 For 7 p. m. to 7 a. m. only. The corresponding quantities for the same period 

 on the first day of experiment 71 are : Volume = 170 cc ; nitrogen = 2.55 grams. 



The only noticeable increase in the volume of urine on the first day of fast is 

 observed in experiment No. 77, in which nearly two and one-half times the 

 volume of urine of the preliminary day was excreted. In spite of the influence 

 of the large amount of water on this day the nitrogen excretion can in no wise 

 be construed as indicating a flushing out of the nitrogenous wastes in the 

 tissues. 



A more detailed statement of the elimination of nitrogen by different periods 

 in which the volume of urine as well as the total weight of nitrogen are taken 

 into consideration is given in table 199. 



While from the total volume of urine in 24 hours, it would appear that the 

 nitrogen excretion followed roughly the volume of urine, when the volumes 

 and excretion by periods are considered, the relationship is by no means as clear. 

 Thus in experiment No. 73, first 6-hour period of the first day, there were 

 passed 871 cc. of urine with but 2.58 grams of nitrogen. During the same 

 period on the last day of the same experiment there was a little over half this 



