igo5] WILEY— EFFECT OF PRESERVATIVES. 67 



dividuals present such marked differences in their powers of resist- 

 ance. One person may be affected with great facility while an- 

 other person, subjected to the same treatment shows no sign of 

 injury. The object of restrictive laws is, of course, the protection 

 of the weakest and not of the strongest. Hence, I think it may be 

 laid down as a direct principle of legislation that the addition of 

 any substances to foods whatever not necessary in their preparation 

 which affect the health of the most susceptible should be prohibited 

 or so regulated that danger of injury even of the weakest may be 

 eliminated. 



I have now to briefly record the results of experimental work on 

 strong and healthy young men. I can do no more than merely 

 state the principal points which were noticed. First, the action of 

 borax and boric acid on nitrogen metabolism was extremely slight. 

 There was, however, a very slight tendency manifested in the ex- 

 periments which extended over a period of nearly eight months to 

 inhibit the excretion of nitrogen. The general effect, however, on 

 nitrogen metabolism is not of sufficient magnitude to warrant the 

 drawing of any definite conclusions. The effect of the borax and 

 boric acid upon the metabolism of phosphoric acid is very marked. 

 A very much larger quantity of phosphoric acid is excreted under 

 the influence of these preservatives than without them. Borax and 

 boric acid appear to increase the digestibility of the fats in food. 

 In other words there is slightly less fat in the feces during the ad- 

 ministration of these bodies than without them. These preserva- 

 tives have a slight tendency to diminish the utilization of calories 

 of foods. In other words, there is a great number of non-metabo- 

 lized calories in the feces during the administration of the preserva- 

 tives than without them. Both boric acid and borax have a slight 

 tendency to increase the traces of free albumen in the urine. Boric 

 acid has a decided tendency to increase the acidity of the urine. 

 Borax has a decided tendency to diminish the acidity of the urine, 

 establishing often the amphoteric reaction and occasionally an 

 alkaline reaction. Both these bodies when exhibited over long 

 periods in small quantities tend to disturb the digestion by dimin- 

 ishing the appetite and inducing a feeling of heaviness in the head 

 or often headache of a persistent character. The results of these 

 influences are seen in a gradual diminution of weight. 



In large doses, from one to three grams per day, both boric acid 



