704 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



a very considerable decrease in the after period. No conclusion, 

 favorable or unfavorable, can be drawn from this observation regard- 

 ing the use of the preservative, though, apparently, if there is any 

 effect produced it should be attributed to a favorable influence of the 

 preservative in increasing the number of red corpuscles. 



THE URINE. 



VOLUME. 



There is but little influence noticed due to the salicylic acid on the 

 volume of the urine. The average quantity of urine excreted per day 

 is very slightly larger in the preservative period than in the fore period 

 for the nine men taken together, while in the after period it is slightly 

 less. There is, therefore, a very slight tendency manifested, which is 

 of no particular significance, to increase the volume of the urine. 

 There is also noticed a slight increase in the total solids excreted in 

 the urine, and this increase is maintained in the after period. This 

 observation is in harmony with that indicated by many of the other 

 phenomena which show that the salicylic acid has increased the kata- 

 bolic activities of the bodv. 



PRESENCE OF ALBUMIN. 



In so far as the limited observations show, the administration of the 

 salicylic acid did not produce any notable effect upon the occurrence 

 of albumin in the urine during Series VI. There was, however, a 

 marked tendency shown in the special study, Series XI, to increase 

 the occurrence of albumin in the urine. (See p. 726.) 



MICROSCOPIC BODIES. 



The occurrence of microscopic bodies in the urine is a normal con- 

 dition, and therefore the only point which can be considered here is to 

 determine whether or not the exhibition of the salicylic acid tended 

 to increase or diminish this number. The mass data collected for the 

 nine men indicate that there was a tendency on the part of the salicylic 

 acid to increase the number of microscopic bodies in the* urine, the 

 average relative occurrence rising from 68.3 per cent in the fore period 

 to 78.3 per cent in the preservative period, and showing still an addi- 

 tional rise to 79.4 per cent in the after period. Inasmuch as most of 

 the microscopic bodies are considered to be more or less associated with 

 the katabolic products of the body, their increase tends to confirm the 

 supposition already entertained, namely, that the salk^lic acid has a 

 greater influence upon the destruction of the tissues of the body than 

 it has upon their restoration. To this extent the increased appearance 

 of microscopic bodies is to be regarded as an unfavorable indication. 



