468 Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



balance, an entirely distinct set of factors determines the loss of preformed 

 water. The computation of the output of preformed (katabolized) water has 

 already been discussed. Deducting from this the water of drink, the loss of 

 preformed water is obtained. The amounts of this loss from the body during 

 inanition are given in table 229. 



In one instance there is an actual gain of preformed water to the body noted, 

 namely, on the first day of experiment No. 75. The most striking feature of 

 these results is the very large amount of water lost during inanition. It is 

 to be remembered that all these subjects were supplied with drinking-water, 

 and hence it is fair to assume that the needs of the body, so far as thirst would 

 dictate, could be fully met. It is furthermore to be noted that in some 

 instances, the subjects actually drank enormous volumes of water, so it is 

 probable that the body was liberally supplied, and yet in a majority of instances 

 the subjects continually lost preformed water from the body. 



The source of this loss is difficult to determine. It has generally been con- 

 sidered that the katabolism of protein results in the breaking down of flesh 

 which contains a considerable amount of water. Assuming that each gram 

 of protein is combined with water to form 4.9 grams of flesh, the total amount 

 of water resulting from the katabolism of the flesh on each day of the experi- 

 ments may be determined by multiplying the weight of protein by the factor 

 3.9. The amounts of water thus computed are recorded in column a of the 

 table. If it be assumed that in the katabolism of the various amounts of flesh, 

 the water was liberated and excreted, it is seen that in a majority of experi- 

 ments the water from the katabolism of flesh is but a small part of the total 

 loss of preformed water. Especially is this true in a number of the shorter 

 experiments. The figures show, however, no relation whatever between the 

 quantity of protein and flesh katabolized and the loss of preformed water, and 

 we are forced to the conclusion that if the water of the flesh is excreted as 

 preformed water, it forms but a small portion of the total, especially in the 

 first days of inanition. Thus it would appear that, at least in short experi- 

 ments during inanition, there was a gross error involved in the calculations of 

 the loss of water frequently made on the basis of flesh katabolized. It is clear, 

 therefore, that in the earlier days of fasting, the body may lose very much 

 larger amounts of water than are represented by the water of flesh katabolized. 



A comparison of the amounts of fat and carbohydrate katabolized with the 

 loss of preformed water on the different days is likewise inconclusive. 



It is conceivable that the glycogen in the liver and muscles holds a certain 

 amount of water as water of hydration, 158 but there is as yet no evidence to 

 warrant this assumption. In certain of the experiments it may appear that 

 the large amounts of glycogen katabolized were coincident with the large 

 losses of preformed water, but there are a number of marked exceptions to 

 this parallelism and no definite deduction can be drawn. 



180 See Magnus-Levy, loc. cit. 



