372 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Au increased output of ammonia, which the authors interpreted as indicating 

 an increased output of gastric juice, was observed, as well as a decreased ex- 

 cretion of feces and of fecal nitrogen, " the decrease in the excretion of fecal 

 nitrogen being of sufficient magnitude to secure a lowered excretion of both the 

 bacterial and the nonbacterial nitrogen." 



Furthermore, the authors observed a decrease in the quantity of bacteria ex- 

 creted daily and an increase in the percentage of total nitrogen appearing as 

 bacterial nitrogen, a lower creatinin coetficient, and a more economical utiliza- 

 tion of the protein constituents of the diet. 



"The general conclusion to be reached as the result of this experiment is to 

 the effect that the drinking of a large amount of water with meals was attended 

 by many desirable and by no undesirable features." 



The utilization of animal food by men absolute vegetarians for many 

 years, G. Yukawa {Arch. VcrdauiiiKj-^krank.. 15 {1909). Xo. 6. />/>. 7JfO-758: 

 abs. in Zentbl. (Jcsam. PhysioJ. u. Path. 8tofficech.scls, ii. so:, 5 (1910), No. 5, p. 

 205). — In the experiments reported, continuing previous work (E. S. R., 22, 

 p. 665), tw'o Japanese bonzes (Buddhist monks), with au average weight of 

 59.55 kg. and aged 21 and 32 years, respectively, who had been absolute vege- 

 tarians practically all of their lives, were given a diet containing a large propor- 

 tion of beef, eggs, and milk, together with rice, salted radish, and soy sauce. 

 The food sui)plied per day on an average 100.!) gm. protein, 28.4 gm. fat, and 

 317.2 gm. carbohydrates, the energy value being 1.981 calories. The subjects 

 had light muscular work. 



The coetticients of digestibility were protein 50.39, fat 54.39, and carbohydrates 

 88.66 per cent. One subject lost 1.7 gm. nitrogen and the other 2,7 gm. nitrogen 

 during the 10 days of the experimental jjeriod. With the sudden change of diet 

 a desire for fruit was noted as well as a loss of appetite, a feeling of lassitude, a 

 tendency toward »con.stipation, and a diminished amount of feces. Owing to 

 these factors the quantity of food eaten was insufficient and there was a conse- 

 quent loss in body weight. The nutrients, and particularly the protein, were 

 not well assimilated. 



According to the author, the results are what might have been expected with 

 such a sudden change of diet. The subjects preferred their ordinary fare, and 

 it is pointed out that the attitude toward food is important and affects gastric 

 digestion. Having been so long accustomed to a vegetarian diet, the stomach 

 was not in condition to secrete gastric juice with an abundance of hydrochloric 

 acid such as is needed with animal foods. In general, the author believes that 

 the fact that the digestive organs had been so long used to another sort of diet 

 is to be regarded as the reason for the poor digestion and absorption of the ra- 

 tion containing animal food. If the change of diet had been made slowly, he 

 believes that the food would have been more thoroughly digested. He therefore 

 recommends that decided changes of diet be made slowly. 



Studies of the influence of various dietary conditions on physiological 

 resistance. I, The influence of different proportions of protein in the food 

 on resistance to the toxicity of ricin and on recuperation from hemorrhage, 

 N. B. Foster {Jour. Biol. Chem., 7 (1910), A'o. 5, pp. J7TMi£»).— Dogs on high 

 and low proteid rations were used in the experiments reported and their resist- 

 ance to ricin poisoning was studied as well as the rate of recovery from 

 hemorrhage. * 



" The impression made on the observer by these studies was that within 

 relatively wide limits the total amount of food, as well as its total content of 

 protein, were less important factors in determining the animal's resistance in 

 these particular experiments than the peculiar cellular processes which, for 



