504 Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



does not vary. Thus, on the second day of experiment No. 71 with S. A. B.. 

 lli.' relative humidity was 36.6 per cent and the total heat production was 

 1844 calories while on the third day of experiment No. 77, the total heat pro- 

 duction was 1840 calories and the relative humidity only 30.2 per cent. Such a 

 lack of agreement is even more noticeable in the experiments with different sub- 

 jects. Thus, on the second day of experiment No. 80, the relative humidity 

 was 54 per cent and the total heat production 2099 calories, while on the first 

 day of experiment No. 85, the total heat production was 2109 calories and the 

 relative humidity 35.6 per cent. In spite of these gross fluctuations there is a 

 tendency, however, for the relative humidity to vary with the total heat 

 production. 



The fluctuations in the amounts of water resulting from the oxidation of 

 organic hydrogen are remarkably comparable with those of the total heat 

 production, especially after the first day of the fast. The relation between 

 these two products bears out the assertion made previously, that the metabolism 

 on the first day of fasting can not be considered as true fasting metabolism. 

 From the average of these experiments with and without food, it is seen that 

 each gram of water of oxidation of organic hydrogen is accompanied by the 

 production of 9.1 calories and every gram of organic hydrogen oxidized is 

 accompanied by a heat production amounting to 82.4 calories. 



OXYGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE THERMAL QUOTIENTS. 



The number of grams of carbon dioxide produced and oxygen absorbed per 

 100 calories of heat, the so-called carbon dioxide and oxygen thermal quotients, 

 are recorded for experiments with and without food in table 243. 



The oxygen thermal quotients show that for every 100 calories of heat 

 there were about 30 grams of oxygen absorbed. The accuracy of the determi- 

 nations of oxygen with this apparatus have been found by check tests, to be 

 within 1 per cent. It is evident that this error allows a fluctuation of from 

 29.8 to 30.2 in the thermal quotient. In the majority of cases it is believed 

 that the oxygen was determined to within 1 per cent and therefore the values 

 given are of significance. It is, nevertheless, a fact that the determination of 

 the carbon dioxide is much less difficult than that of oxygen, and consequently 

 for any comparison between the heat and oxygen or carbon dioxide the latter 

 factor must be considered the more accurate. The lowest oxygen thermal 

 quotient recorded is 28.84 on the third day of experiment No. 77, and the 

 highest is 31.37 on the last day of experiment No. 73. 



