404 



Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



difficult to interpret the results obtained on Succi, Cetti, and Breithaupt with 

 any degree of satisfaction. Indeed in the experiments on Breithaupt, in at 

 least three instances, the amount of inorganic and ethereal sulphur was greater 

 than the total sulphur and it is fair to assume that the determinations on the 

 Berlin fasters were made as accurately as any up to that date. The more 

 recent determinations of E. & 0. Freund (10) on Succi are probably less open 

 to objection, although the methods employed are not given and hence the 

 accuracy of the results is uncertain. Furthermore, in the fasts of Succi at 

 least, various amounts of alkaline waters were consumed. Presumably these 

 contained but small amounts of preformed sulphates, although at times aperient 

 water ( Janos) was taken. The data obtained in the earlier experiments regard- 

 ing the excretion of neutral sulphur are, therefore, extremely unsatisfactory. 



In connection with some of the experiments here reported, the amounts of 

 neutral sulphur were determined. The data are recorded in tables 210 and 

 211. For convenience in computing, the " total " and " inorganic and ether- 

 eal" sulphur are also included in the first table, as are also the proportions of 

 the total sulphur represented by the " inorganic and ethereal " and the neutral 

 sulphur. 



Table 211. Proportions of total sulphur (SOJ excreted as inorganic and ethereal 

 and as neutral sulphur in metabolism experiments without food. 



The neutral sulphur (S0 3 ) elimination on the first day of the fast varied 

 from 0.132 to 0.288 gram, and the average for the 9 experiments was 0.209 

 gram. The proportion of total sulphur represented by the weight of neutral 

 sulphur varied from 9.2 to 21.5, averaging for all experiments 14.1 per cent. 

 On the second day of the fast, the weight of neutral sulphur in the urine ranged 

 from 0.145 to 0.317, averaging 0.216 gram, while the proportion of total sulphur 

 represented by the neutral sulphur varied from 7.1 to 18.8 per cent. The 



