432 Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



elimination of water-vapor for each period on 38 days of fasting experiments. 

 The larger number of observations were, naturally, on the first and second 

 days. The average excretion of water-vapor for each period on the different 

 days of the fasts is given at the foot of each column and the average excretion 

 for the period in all the fasts is given as a grand average beneath the column 

 for each period. The results for food experiments are also shown in order 

 that any possible effect on this output of water-vapor due to the ingestion of 

 food may be considered. 



The first period of the day from 7 a. m. to 9 a. m. is characterized by the 

 largest water-vapor output, and during this period the fluctuations as the fast 

 progresses are especially noticeable. On the second day of fasting the highest 

 average water-vapor output is noted, namely, 75.9 grams, while on the fourth, 

 fifth, sixth, and seventh days, the average amounts are practically constant. 



During the period from 9 a. m. to 11 a. m. there is a decrease of 18 grams 

 between the average water-vapor output on the first and second days of fast 

 and the average amounts on the sixth and seventh days. The decrease as the 

 fast progresses is quite regular after the second day, although the difference 

 between the second and third days is rather greater than that between the 

 third and fourth. Considering the period from 11 a. m. to 1 p. m., it will 

 be seen that the elimination is slightly higher on the second day than on the 

 first, but that on the third day it is reduced by about 10 grams. There is then 

 a gradual falling off after the second day. 



Similar differences between the first and second days of the fast are observed 

 with practically all the remaining periods of the day, the most noticeable 

 exceptions being the periods from 9 to 11 p. m. and 11 p. m. to 1 a. m., in which 

 there is an increase on the second day of about 5 grams. In general, with all 

 the periods there is a diminution of about 10 grams between the second and 

 third days of fasting. 



The largest individual water-vapor output noted in any experiment is 

 that of the second day of experiment No. 82 from 7 a. m. to 9 a. m., 110.2 

 grams, and the lowest is on the first day of experiment No. 71 from 3 a. m. 

 to 5 a. m., 33.4 grams. This corresponds to about 17 grams per hour. 



The average general distribution of the water elimination throughout the 

 day as shown by the grand averages in table 219 indicates that the greatest 

 output of water-vapor, 68.4 grams, occurs during the period from 7 to 9 in 

 the morning. The lowest output occurs between 3 a. m. and 5 a. m., namely, 

 55.6 grams. 



The excessive output during the first period of the day may be explained in 

 two ways: first, the extra muscular effort attendant upon the work of rising 

 in the morning, arranging the furniture, weighing of subject and bedding, 

 and the general activity at the beginning of the experimental day; second, 

 the moisture condensed in the bed clothing over night may be given off during 



