646 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PEESEKVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



FAT BALANCE. 



INDIVIDUAL DATA. 



An interesting problem is presented in connection with this work 

 in respect of the relative absorption and digestibility of the food in 

 the various periods of the experiment, inasmuch as in the fat balance 

 the total amount excreted is found in the feces. (See Table XIX, 

 page 651). 



No. 1. 



During the fore period the quantity of fat in the food of No. 1 

 amounted daily to 87.16 grams, during the preservative period 85.15 

 grams, and during the after period to 83.64 grams. This shows a 

 progressive decrease in the quantity of fat in the food. There appears 

 in the feces for the fore period 1.88 grams daily of fat, in the pre- 

 servative period l.TO grams, and in the after period 2.74 grams. 

 Expressed in percentages, there were excreted of fat in the feces in 

 the fore period 2.15 per cent, in the preservative period 1.99 per cent, 

 and in the after period 3.27 per cent. 



These data show a very slight tendency on the part of the preserva- 

 tive to decrease the quantity of fat in the feces; in other words, to 

 increase the absorption of one of the principal heat-forming constitu- 

 ents. The remarkable fact in connection with these data is that on the 

 withdrawal of the preservative the quantity of unabsorbed fat in the 

 feces is very largely increased and the balance is correspondingly low. 



In the case of No. 2 the average quantity of fat consumed was 

 largest in the fore period, namely, 97.57, smaller in the preservative 

 period, namely, 94.16, and smallest in the after period, namely, 

 91.77 grams. Of this quantity there appear in the feces in the fore 

 period 4.73 grams,, in the preservative period 3.35 grams, and in the 

 after period 3.49 grams. The percentage of fat in the food appearing 

 in the feces daily is 4.84 per cent in the fore period, 3.56 per cent 

 in the preservative period, and 3.80 per cent in the after period. 

 By reason of the varying quantity of fat ingested the percentages 

 of fat excreted in the feces afforded a better means of comparison 

 than the total quantities. These percentages show that the greatest 

 percentage of fat was excreted during the fore period, namely, 4.84 

 per cent, the smallest in the preservative period, namely, 3.56 per 

 cent, while in the after period nature appeared to make an effort to 

 reestablish the normal condition existing in the fore period, the 

 quantity of fat excreted rising to 3.80 per cent. 



These data show a very marked tendency on the part of the preserva- 

 tive to increase the absorption of the heat-forming elements of the 

 fatty food from the alimentary canal. 



