5iG Influence of Inanition on Metabolism. 



Experiments with Food. 



All the observations made on man during inanition would imply that during 

 a prolonged fast the whole alimentary tract is quiescent." 1 Consequently the 

 ingestion of food after a prolonged fast would naturally be expected to result 

 in a more marked stimulation of peristalsis and metabolism in general, and at 

 first sight it would appear that a study of the influence of the ingestion of 

 food could best be made immediately after a prolonged fast. 



Data regarding the influence of the ingestion of food can be obtained in three 

 different ways: (1) by studying the influence on the digestion of food in 

 general, with special reference to the effect of the long quiescence of the ali- 

 mentary tract on the degree of the absorption of food materials after fasting; 

 (2) by observing the effect on the total metabolism of the ingestion of food 

 after fast; and (3) by studying the course of the recovery of the body to its 

 normal condition including both a study of the length of time required for 

 recovery and the extent to which the losses during inanition were compensated. 

 This problem is closely related to that attending study of recoupment after 

 fever. 



The first of these methods demands for its success that the amount of food 

 ingested be large, and that a correct separation of the feces be obtained. The 

 large amounts of food are necessary to produce the maximum effect and like- 

 wise to produce a sufficient amount of feces to permit proper separation. If 

 the normal conditions of metabolism are established in a few days, in order 

 to notice the particular effect of the transition the metabolism should be 

 most carefully studied on the first day. 



It is practically impossible even under the most advantageous conditions of 

 experimenting to separate the feces corresponding to the food of any one day. 

 In experiments in which a special diet is ingested for 2 days, the separation 

 may be made, although only with considerable difficulty. But when the 

 previous period has been one of inanition, with the delayed expulsion of fecal 

 matter belonging to the food period prior to the fast, the difficulties of 

 separating the feces for 2 or even 3 days are considerably increased. 



The second method of study, namely, observation of the effect on the total 

 metabolism to be observed during the height of digestion, should also be 

 accompanied with large amounts of food; for as has been shown by a number 

 of other researches in which the respiratory quotient has been the criterion, 

 the effect of the ingestion of food is relatively not large, and consequently the 

 quantities of food ingested in experiments of this kind should be as large as 

 possible. 



m Boldireff (Archives des Sciences Biologiques (1905), 11, p. 1) has, however, 

 noted periodical movements of the intestine even when no food has been ingested. 



