314 HENRY A, MATTILL AND HELEN I. MATTILL 



Slyke, Cullen and Stillman), and then, a slow rise representing absorp- 

 tion from the intestine. 



On a salt-free diet and in fasting the salt elimination soon falls to a 

 very low level, below 0.3 g. chlorin daily, and remains there. It is im- 

 possible to lose more than 10-14 per cent of the body chlorids and Rose- 

 mann has shown that the body husbands its supply of chlorids so thor- 

 oughly that only by removal of the HC1 of the gastric juice by fistula or 

 stomach tube can symptoms of Cl hunger and malnutrition be produced. 

 The ingestion of NaCl after fasting is followed by retention for a few 

 days and then the equilibrium is reestablished. Recent work indicates that 

 the skin is an important storage place for chlorids (Padtberg(a) ; Wahl- 

 gren). 



Early work on the influence of NaCl on metabolism led to the con- 

 clusion that it stimulated protein metabolism but later work on sheep, dogs 

 and men has proven that moderate quantities of NaCl act as a protein 

 sparer (Belli) reducing the N elimination 2-6 per cent without affecting, 

 the total energy exchange. Pescheck ()(&) has shown a similar protein 

 sparing action of Na acetate, citrate, lactate and Mg acetate, in some cases 

 accompanied by diuresis. The ingestion of NaCl increases the renal and 

 decreases the intestinal elimination of Ca, probably without changing the 

 total excretion (Towles; v. Wendt(a)). 



The blood is characterized by a greater constancy in NaCl concentra- 

 tion than is any other body constituent (Biemacki, Gerard). In children, 

 the plasma NaCl varies between 0:536-0.626 per cent, avg. 0.587 per cent, 

 and in disease it is usually below normal. Veil found that in adults the 

 plasma NaCl varied between .575 and .637 per cent with an average of 

 0.61 per cent. The corpuscles contain about 40 per cent as much as the 

 serum (Snapper (6)). Authorities differ as to the influence of the diet, 

 Veil found plasma chlorids decreased on a salt-poor diet, increased on a 

 salt-rich diet, Arnoldi(fr) found the opposite unless a large ingestion of 

 water accompanied the high NaCl intake, when chlorids might be in- 

 creased. Austin and Jonas found chlorids independent of diet and 

 Barlocco found that the administration of NaCl per os resulted in a transi- 

 torily increased concentration of blood salt followed by a decrease which 

 continued until compensated by kidney activity, when it again increased; 

 while intravenous injection did not produce the preliminary rise, but 

 caused reduced NaCl concentration followed by a rise unless nephrectomy 

 had been performed. In view of recent findings on the tendency of the 

 organism to maintain constant blood volume and concentration (Bogert, 

 Underhill and Mendel ; Smith and Mendel) the question deserves further 

 investigation. Gastric secretion does not appreciably affect blood chlorid 

 concentration (Rosemann(/)). Ingested salt seems to be without effect 

 on the gastric secretion judging from the work of Rosemann and from 

 the normal food utilization found in salt-free diets. On the other hand 



