INORGANIC SALTS, STIMULANTS, AND CONDIMENTS, 931 



the point by ascertaining the totaJ carbon excretion during an 

 alcohol period. If the usual amount of material is burnt, and the 

 alcohol in addition, it is evident that the carbon excretion should be 

 markedly increased. Most observers, however, find that it re- 

 mains practically the same. Such Jesuits as the following have 

 been obtained: 



Atwater and Benedict | A]^o]i^'!-f/ee «Uiys. . 251.9 gms. ourlmn. 

 (. Alcohoj days 238. .5 



— 13.4 " 

 r>:„^,.^ / Alcohol-free days. . 212.58 gms. carl.on. 



^J^"^ 1 Alcohol day^. . . . . .220^ " 



+ 8.2G " 

 p. ^„. , f Alcohol-free days. .214.83 gms. carl.on. 



^^°P^" t Alcohol days. .... .220^7 " 



+ 6.04 " 



These results indicate that the alcohol is used by the body in place 

 of the other carbon-containing foodstulTs, and this conclusion is 

 corroborated by experiments reported by Atwater and Benedict 

 in which the total energy given ofl" from the body as heat was 

 measured in a respiration calorimeter. The average of their ex- 

 periments gave for the alcohol days 2752 calories and for the alco- 

 hol-free days 2723 calories. 



Theoretically if the alcoliol takes the place of the other material the 

 amount of carbon dioxid excreted should be diminished. One gram of 

 alcohol when oxidized furni.shes as much heat as 1.7 gms. of sugar or 0.75 gm. 

 of fat. But 1 gm. of alcohol when burnt yields only 1.91 gms. of CO2, while 

 1.7 gms. of sugar yield 2.77 gms. COj, and 0.75 gm. of fat, 2.13 ^^ms. of COj. 

 If fat were replaced by the alcohol the amount of COj should Ije reduced 

 about 10 per cent., while if the sugar were replaced the reduction should 

 amount to 31 per cent. That such a reduction is not actually observed is 

 explained by the fact that the alcohol leads to more muscular activity and 

 a greater loss of heat from the congested skin, thus indirectly augmenting 

 the oxidations of the body. 



To determine whether the combustion of the alcohol protects the 

 protein material from metabolism to the same extent as is done by 

 carbohydrates and fats, experiments have been made in which the 

 individual was brought into nitrogen eciuilibrium on a mixed diet. 

 Then for a given period a portion of the carbohydrate was omitted 

 and alcohol in isodynamic amounts was substituted. The result 

 was an increase in the nitrogen excretion, showing that the alcohol 

 did not protect fully the protein tissue. In a third period the 

 first diet was resumed, and after nitrogen equilibrium had again 

 been established the same proportion of carbohydrate was omitted 

 from the diet, but this time alcohol was not substituted. If the 

 diet was poor in protein it was found that less protein was lost from 

 the body when the alcohol was omitted than Avhen it was need. 

 Hence alcohol not only cUd not take the place of the carbohydrate 

 in protecting the protein, but it actually caused an increased pro- 



