URIC ACID AND THE PURINE BODIES G75 



period a part of the total nitrogen (3 grams) was supplied as sweet- 

 breads thymus gland, etc. containing a high percentage (0.482) of 

 purine nitrogen; for another period of four days still more of the nitro- 

 gen (6 grams) was replaced by sweetbread nitrogen; and this was fol- 

 lowed by a final period in which the original diet of milk, etc., without 

 purine substances, was restored. The following table gives the results: 



The increase of uric acid accounted for less than half of the purine 

 nitrogen ingested. This appeared as uric acid, the excretion of purine 

 bases being practically unchanged. 



