UNIFORMITIES AND COMPARISONS AMONG COMPONENTS 



391 



gram. Thus data are available for water (JSg. 29) nitrogen (fig. 

 162) and glucose (figs. 166 and 170) in the dog. Taken together 

 (fig. 182), these net equilibration diagrams furnish a beginning 

 of a physiological description of the species, for they deal with 

 quantitative activities that occur in response to each component's 

 displacement. In an anatomical description, the initial study 

 might be the observation of four legs and a head ; later the relative 

 sizes and growths of these parts are accurately ascertained. No 

 less significant, I believe, are the relative magnitudes of the physio- 

 logical processes that occur in one body. Plenty of "reasons" 



10 



LO 



10 



01. 



-10 



-6 -4 



+8 +10 



2. O +£ +4 -^ 



Load—qm/ka. 



Fig. 182. Eate of net exchange plotted on a logarithmic scale, in relation to load, 

 for three components. Dog. All are gains in deficits and losses in excesses. All rates 

 are measured in steady states. Loads are arbitrarily compared by weight/kilogram of 



Data are from figures 29 (water), 166 and 170 (glucose), and 162 (nitrogen). 



B 



might be hypothesized why an excess of nitrogen ''should" be 

 eliminated less readily than an equal excess of water or of glucose ; 

 none are set forth now. Here are the facts ; these are the scales 

 upon which the dog handles the three components. Modification 

 ratios, augmentation ratios, maximal rates, economy quotients, 

 and velocity quotients all characterize the component as well as 

 the species. Quantitative differences among components are dis- 

 cerned, independently of whatever machinery aids recovery of 

 each in the body. 



Certain comparisons can be made by denominating initial loads 

 as 100 per cent (fig. 183), and following their subsequent history. 



