316 WILEY— INFLUENCE OF PRESERVATIVES [April 25, 



a result of this action an assimilation of food materials containing 

 organic phosphorus is retarded, while there is evidence of increased 

 sulphur katabolism. The sulphur balance sheets show what an 

 immense burden has been added to the already overworked kidneys, 

 which are called upon in this case to remove nearly all, if not quite 

 all, of the added sulphur from the body, previously converted, in 

 great part to sulphuric acid. It is not possible that placing upon 

 the kidneys this increased work of excreting sulphur can result in 

 anything but injury. The fact that the microscopic crystalline and 

 amorphous bodies in the urine are increased in number under the 

 influence of the added sulphur, is another indication of the extra- 

 ordinary demands made upon the kidneys in such circumstances. 



This increase is interesting in respect of the effect which the 

 continued exhibition of sulphurous acid must eventually have upon 

 the structure of the kidney. It is reasonable to suppose that the 

 continued use of a body which produces such results would cause 

 lesions of a histological character which eventually would develop 

 conditions which would give serious apprehension. In the nature 

 of these experiments it was not possible to examine the organs of 

 the body histologically and hence the above conclusion is only based 

 upon experience of a similar character where the organs in question 

 have been subject to such examinations. While there might be no 

 distinguishable lesion of the kidneys produced during a period of 

 twenty or thirty days, or even longer, it is plain that sooner or later 

 lesions of a very serious character producing organic diseases, pos- 

 sibly of an incurable type, would be induced. The further observa- 

 tion that there is a marked tendency to the production of albu- 

 minuria, although of an incipient character, is an indication of the 

 unfavorable results of the administration of the sulphurous acid. 

 It is, therefore, evident that by increasing the burden upon the 

 excretory organs, the administration of sulphur in the form men- 

 tioned is highly detrimental to health. 



All of these tendencies cannot be interpreted as being other than 

 of a decidedly harmful nature. Another effect which the adminis- 

 tration of the sulphur produced, and one of a more serious character 

 still, is found in the impoverishment of the blood in respect of the 

 number of red and white corpuscles therein. The administration 



