METABOLISM IN STARVATION. 895 



The investigations on the exchange of gas in starvation have shown, 

 as previously mentioned, that its absolute extent is diminished, but 

 that when the consumption of oxygen and elimination of carbon dioxide 

 are calculated on the unit weight of the body, 1 kilo, this quantity 

 quickly sinks to a minimum and then remains unchanged, or, on the 

 continuation of the starvation, may actually rise. It is a well-known 

 fact that the body temperature of starving animals remains almost con- 

 stant, without showing any appreciable decrease, during the greater 

 part of the starvation period. The temperature of the animal first sinks 

 a few days before death, which occurs at about 33-30 C. 



From what has been said about the respiratory quotient it follows 

 that in starvation it is about the same as with fat and meat exclusively 

 as food, i.e., approximately 0.7. This is often the case, but it may occa- 

 sionally be lower, 0.65-0.50, as observed in the cases of CETTI and Succi. 

 This can be explained by an elimination of acetone bodies by the urine; 

 a part can be accounted for perhaps by a formation and deposition of 

 glycogen from protein. 



Water passes uninterruptedly from the body in starvation even when 

 none is taken. If the quantity of water in the tissues rich in proteins 

 is considered as 70-80 per cent, and the quantity of proteins in them 

 20 per cent, then for each gram of protein destroyed about 4 grams of 

 water are set free. This liberation of water from the tissues is generally 

 sufficient to supply the loss of water, and starvation is ordinarily not 

 accompanied with thirst. 



The loss of water calculated on the percentage of the total organism must 

 naturally be essentially dependent upon the previous amount of fatty tissue in the 

 body. In certain cases the starving animal body has indeed been found richer 

 in water; but if we bear these conditions in mind, then, it seems, according to 

 BoHTLiNGK, 1 that, from experiments upon white mice, the animal body is poorer 

 in water during inanition. The body loses more water than is set free by the 

 destruction of the tissues. 



The mineral substances leave the body uninterruptedly in starvation 

 until death, and the influence of the destruction of tissues is plainly 

 perceptible by their elimination. Because of the destruction of tissues 

 rich in potassium the proportion between potassium and sodium in 

 the urine changes in starvation, so that, contrary to the normal condi- 

 tions, the potassium is eliminated in proportionately greater quantities. 



* Contrary to the above BOHTLINGK with starving white mice, and KATSUYAMA 2 

 with starving rabbits found a greater excretion of sodium than potassium. 



1 Arch, des sciences biol. de St. Ptersbourg, 5. 



2 B6htlingk, 1. c.; Katsuyama, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 26. 



