588 GENERAL METABOLISM. [CH. xxxix. 



The discharge of nitrogen per kilo, of body-weight was reduced 



C 

 to cri, ^ being 23*5. In carnivorous animals, in prolonged 



C 

 inanition, the discharge of nitrogen per kilo, is 0*9 and ^ = 6'6. 



During starvation the man or animal gradually loses weight ; 

 the temperature, after a preliminary rise, sinks ; the functions 

 get weaker by degrees, and ultimately death ensues, the total 

 weight lost being from 0*3 to 0*5 of the original body-weight. 



The age of the animal influences the time at which death 

 occurs, old animals withstanding the effects of hunger better than 

 young ones. This statement was originally made by Hippocrates, 

 and was borne out by the experiments of Martigny and Chossat. 

 Young animals lose weight more quickly, and die after a smaller 

 loss of weight, than old ones. 



The excretion of nitrogen falls quickly at the commencement 

 of an experiment ; it reaches a minimum which remains constant 

 for several days ; it then rises when the fat of the animal has 

 been used up, and then quickly falls with the onset of symptoms 

 of approaching death. 



The sulphates and phosphates in the urine show approximately 

 the same series of changes. 



The discharge of carbonic acid and the intake of oxygen fall, 

 but not so quickly as the body loses weight : it is not until 

 quite the last stages that these are small in proportion to one 

 another. 



The faeces become smaller and smaller in quantity until no 

 discharge from the rectum occurs at all. 



The amount of bile secreted also falls ; but bile is found in 

 the gall-bladder and intestine after death. 



Taking the total loss of weight as 100, the loss due to that of 

 individual organs may be stated as follows (Voit) : 



Bone 

 Muscle 

 Liver . 

 Kidneys . 

 Spleen . 



5 '4 Pancreas 



42'2 Lungs 



4-8 Heart . 



0-6 Testes 



o - 6 Intestine 



cvi Brain and cord . o - i 



0-3 Skin and hair . . 8'8 



o'o Fat . . . 26'2 



o-i Blood . . . 37 



2 - o Other parts . . 5 - o 



Some organs, such as heart and brain, thus lose but little 

 weight ; the loss of weight is greatest in the muscles, fat, skin, 

 liver, and blood. Of the muscles, the great pectoral muscles 

 waste most. Death may be delayed somewhat by artificial 

 warmth, but ultimately occurs from asthenia, sometimes accom- 

 panied by convulsions. 



