1919] FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION. 175 



The experimental data obtained from the two subjects, calculated to a basis of 



tu kg. of body weight, would Indicate a requiremenl "per man per day" of 0.9 

 and 0.74 gm. of phosphorus and 0.49 and 0.38 gin. of calcium, respectively. The 

 dala also indicate that "there does not appear to lie any distinct monthly cycle 



in the metabolism of either nitrogen, phosphorus, or calcium (excepl Cor the pre- 

 viously known tendency to retain nitrogen for a day or so at the beginning of 

 the menstrua] period), nor was the output of any one of these three elements in 

 the menstrual flOW large enough tO affect materially the estimate of the daily 



requirement for normal metabolism as averaged for the entire month, From 

 tkis standpoint the menstrual flow is essentially a blood loss, and as such is 

 important to the balance of intake and output of iron, but of minor consequence 

 in the nitrogen, phosphorus, or calcium metabolism." 



Studies in uric acid metabolism (Jour. Biol. Chcm., 36 (1918), No. 1, pp. 

 1 !(>; abs. in Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc, 11 (1018), No. 20, p. 1693; Chcm. Abs., 

 12 (WIS), No. 23, pp. 2607, 260S).— Two papers are presented: 



I. The inflence of liii/li protein diets on the endogenous uric acid diminution, 

 by H. B. Lewis and E. A. Doisy (pp. 1-7). — This paper presents the results 

 of metabolism experiments to compare the effects on uric acid excretion in 

 man of high protein diets rich and poor in their content of arglnln and histidin. 

 No differences in the excretion of uric acid following the Ingestion of the two 

 types of high protein diet were evident. "This would indicate that, under the 

 experimental conditions of the present study, arginln and histidin function 

 no more than the other constituents of the protein molecule in the stimulation 

 of the output of endogenous uric acid following ingestion of a high protein diet." 



II. Proteins and amino acids as factors in the stimulation of endogenous uric 

 add metabolism, by H. B. Lewis, M. S. Dunn, and E. A. Doisy (pp. 9-26). — 

 The purpose of the experiments described in this paper was to study the 

 influence of proteins and protein derivatives on the endogenous uric acid 

 excretion in man with the use of the newer, more accurate colorimetric 

 methods for uric acid determination and with as complete a control as possible 

 of the variable factors. The results are summarized as follows: 



" Ingestion of purin-free protein food resulted in an increased uric acid 

 output in the fasting subject, which reached its maximum the third and fourth 

 hours after ingestion of the food. No quantitative differences in the action 

 of three types of protein food, cottage cheese, egg white, and glidine (a wheat 

 protein preparation), were observed. Amino acids (glycocoll, alanin, aspartic, 

 and glutaminic acids) also increased uric acid excretion, the maximum effect 

 being produced within two hours after ingestion, more rapidly than in the 

 case of the protein. The stimulation of uric acid metabolism caused by the 

 dicarboxylic amino acids was more marked than with glycocoll or alanin. 

 Asparagin, the acid amid of aspartic acid, resembled aspartic acid in its action. 

 The effect of the amino acids is considered to be the result of a stimulation 

 of uric acid production rather than of a more rapid excretion of the uric 

 acid already present in the system, since successive doses of glycocoll on 

 the same experimental day resulted in an increased elimination of uric acid 

 in each case. Sarcosin, methyl glycocoll, an amino acid which does not pass 

 through the same path of catabolism as do the other amino acids, did not 

 influence uric acid excretion. Ammonium chlorid and urea, products of deamini- 

 zation of the amino acids, were also without effect on endogenous uric acid 

 excretion. 



" Since the secretory activity of the digestive tract is not stimulated by 

 amino acids, it is believed that the experiments as a whole speak against the 

 hypothesis of Mares that the secretory activity of the alimentary glands is 

 mainly responsible for the increased uric acid excretion observed after protein 



