CHANGES IN THE MATERNAL ORGANISM 501 



On one point the results are of value. Hagemann states 

 that the period of gestation may be divided into two parts. 

 In the first, which lasts in his experiment for the first month of 

 pregnancy, there is a continuous loss of nitrogen to the mother 

 each day. In the second, there is a storage of nitrogen which is 

 used in the growth of the product of conception. 



In Ver Eeke's experiments, nineteen in all, in the rabbit, 

 two phases were also frequently observed, but the results 

 varied widely. In some there was a positive balance throughout, 

 and in others a negative balance now at one time and now at 

 another. In the greater number the same diet was administered 

 before and after pregnancy and during its whole course. The 

 amount of protein did not far exceed the minimal requirement 

 for the maintenance of nitrogenous equilibrium. 



Similarly variable results were obtained by Jagerroos l in 

 the dog. 2 In his Experiment II. , in which the nitrogen content 

 of the food was high and the diet was pure flesh, there was a 

 positive balance each week except the second, 27*9 grm. nitrogen 

 in all being retained during pregnancy. In Experiment III., 

 also on a diet of flesh but containing only 5'97 grm. nitrogen 

 per day, a negative balance occurred only in the fifth and sixth 

 weeks ; but when the weight of the foetuses and adnexa, and a 

 serious loss of nitrogen soon after labour were deducted, there 

 was a final loss to the mother of more than G grm. of protein. 

 In the last experiment the diet consisted of 60 grm. of 

 flesh and 100 grm. of sugar, which was just sufficient to 

 maintain nitrogenous equilibrium. 3 It was maintained for the 

 first few days of pregnancy, and then a loss of nitrogen 

 occurred each week throughout the whole course of gestation 

 except the third. 



In summing up the result of the three investigations, we must 

 still leave it undecided whether an increased katabolism of pro- 

 tein is characteristic of pregnancy as a whole, or is entirely de- 

 pendent on the diet. Hagemann's dictum that gestation entails 

 a sacrifice of protein on the part of the maternal organism is 



1 Jagerroos, " Der Eiweiss-, Phosphor-, und Salzumsatz wahrend der Gravi- 

 ditat," Arch. f. Gynak., vol. Ixvii., 1903. 



2 Jagerroos and Ver Eeke failed to secure the shed placentae. 



3 Calculated over two days only. 



