104 H. Victor Parker, et al. 



decrease during the first two years of life. The relative 

 decrease in extracellular water is more marked than the 

 decrease in total body water. The intracellular water demons- 

 trates about the same relative value throughout childhood. 

 It should be mentioned that no sex difference appeared in this 



Table I 



Body water compartments in children, absolute values 



7-14 „ 27-62 7-52 2010 1 



series. The tendencies found in this group are similar to the 

 findings in the larger group including cases with single measure- 

 ments of total body water or of extracellular volume. A 

 statistical analysis of the larger group has shown that most of 

 the differences between the age groups are significant. 



Table II 



Body water compartments in children, relative values 



The relative decrease in total body water with advancing 

 age indicates a relative increase in total body solids, i.e. cell 

 solids, mineral solids and body fat. The total body solids 

 thus represent the fraction of the body which demonstrates 

 the highest degree of absolute increase during growth. This 

 increase in total body solids represents one important facet 

 in the alterations in body composition with advancing age. 



