348 CHESTER A. STEWART 
but slightly (if at all) changed in the test rats during both short 
and very long fasting periods. ‘The head apparently increases 
slightly in weight, especially during the very long fasts, the in- 
crease being compensated by a slight decrease in the weight of the 
trunk. 
The results for the various systems are as follows: 
The skeleton shows a considerable increase in weight in the 
test rats. The growth apparently proceeds along the lines of 
normal development, as indicated by a decrease in water-content, 
the appearance of third molar teeth, and by formation and fusion 
of various epiphyses. 
The musculature in the test rats increases slightly in weight in 
the majority of cases. 
The visceral group (as a whole) shows a considerable increase in 
weight in the test rats underfed from birth to three, six and ten 
weeks of age. During the longer fasts there is apparently a less 
definite change, with a tendency to decrease in the majority of 
cases. 
The integument remains practically normal in weight in the 
rats underfed from birth to three weeks, but shows a marked loss 
in weight later. Although the integument as a whole loses weight 
during underfeeding to ten weeks of age, nevertheless the external 
ear continues to grow considerably in size, and tends to assume 
the normal adult appearance. ‘The continued growth of the ear 
is probably associated with the persistent growth tendency of its 
skeletal (cartilaginous) portion. 
The ‘remainder’ appears to decrease in the rats underfed to 
three weeks of age, which is partly compensated for by skeletal 
increase. During the longer fasts there is a slight increase in the 
weight of the ‘remainder’ in the majority of cases. 
In general, therefore, in young rats subjected to prolonged 
inanition, there appears to be a progressive tendency in the skele- 
ton and (to a slight extent) in the musculature to increase in 
weight, counterbalanced by a decrease in the integument and 
viscera. The individual organs of the visceral group vary greatly, 
however. 
The brain shows a very marked increase in weight in the test 
