igoS.] UPON HEALTH AND METABOLISM, 317 



of a substance which diminishes by a notable percentage these im- 

 portant component particles of the blood must be regarded in every 

 sense as highly prejudicial to health. Some of the most important 

 functions of the blood, as has been well established by careful 

 physiological studies, are intimately connected with the number and 

 activity of both the red and white corpuscles. The bleaching effect 

 of the sulphurous acid upon the color of the blood is a matter of 

 less consequence and no great effect is produced upon the hemo- 

 globin, but the diminution of the number of red and white cor- 

 puscles is a matter of serious concern. 



The variations of the metabolic processes from the normal, as 

 indicated in this series of experiments, were never of a character 

 favorable to a more healthy condition of the system, but, on the 

 other hand, all these variations, in so far as the effect of the changes 

 could be distinguished, are of a prejudicial character. There is no 

 evidence whatever that the sulphur added to the foods in the form 

 of sulphurous acid, or sulphites, takes any part in the nutrition of 

 the tissues of the body containing sulphur, namely, the proteids ; 

 hence, no claim of food value can be established for these bodies. 

 The evidence all points to the fact that they are purely drugs, devoid 

 of food value, having no favorable eft'ects upon the metabolic proc- 

 esses, but. on the other hand, exerting deleterious and harmful 

 effects. The conclusion, therefore, is inevitable that, as a whole, 

 the changes produced in metabolic activity by the administration of 

 sulphur in the forms noted above in the comparatively short time 

 covered by the experiments are decidedly injurious. 



The verdict which must be pronounced in this case is decidedly 

 unfavorable to the use of this preservative in any quantity or for 

 any period of time, and shows the desirability of avoiding the addi- 

 tion of any form of sulphurous acid to products intended for human 

 food. 



Benzoic Acid and Benzoates. — From a careful study of the data 

 in the individual cases and of the summaries of the results, it is 

 evident that the administration of benzoic acid, either as such or 

 in the form of benzoate of soda, is highly objectionable and pro- 

 duces a very serious disturbance of the metabolic functions, attended 

 with injury to digestion and health. 



PROC. AMER. PHIL. SOC, XLVII. 189 U, PRINTED SEPTEMBER 26, I908. 



