494 



Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



Data were at hand for the computation of the ratio of the heat of combustion 

 of urine to organic matter in the food experiments Nos. 70, 72, 74, and 76 and 

 the results are presented in table 238. 



So far as experiments Nos. 70, 72, and 74 are concerned the ratios are not 

 unlike those obtained in the fasting experiments preceding each, but there is a 

 marked decrease in the ratio between the seventh day of experiment No. 75 

 and the 3 days of experiment No. 76. The ratio gradually decreases on the 

 3 successive days of this experiment, ultimately reaching a value not far from 

 that observed in the 2 earlier food experiments with this subject. 



No data regarding the ratio of heat of combustion to organic matter were 

 secured in the nitrogen metabolism experiments made with this subject. 

 Although the energy was determined in a few instances, no determinations of 

 the organic matter were made. 



The factor proposed, then, for comparing the total organic matter with 

 the energy, namely, 3.2, represents with reasonable accuracy the ratio of 

 energy to organic matter, found not only during fasting but also in the food 

 experiments. Since the determination of organic matter is relatively simple, 

 this factor should be of value in computing the energy eliminated in the 

 urine where the actual determination of the heat of combustion can not be 

 made. 



The only other ratios of the heat of combustion to carbon and organic matter 

 in experiments on fasting man with which we are familiar are those obtained 

 in connection with experiments made in this laboratory and reported else- 

 where. 1 The ratios of the heat of combustion to nitrogen, carbon, and organic 



JM U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Expt. Sta. Bui. 136. 



