SALICYLIC ACID AND SALIC YLATES. 7()5 



EXCRETION OF THE SALICYLIC ACID. 



As in most of the cases when an additional and extraneous substance 

 is added to a food product, the kidneys are called upon to bear the 

 principal effort of excretion. In the c'ase of salicylic acid a large part 

 of it is excreted unchanged in the urine. Other portions undergo 

 changes of a more or less definite nature, and these changed products 

 are also excreted to a large extent by the kidneys, and thus the burden 

 of their work is increased. It is evident, therefore, that the exhibi- 

 tion" of the salicylic acid tends to increase the burden which is placed 

 upon the kidneys as the principal excretory organ of the body. Every 

 increase of a burden of this kind must tend to shorten the period of 

 activity of this organ and thus produce a deleterious effect. This is 

 shown, therefore, to be the case in this instance, and for this reason it 

 may be fairly supposed that salicylic acid is a deleterious substance, in 

 that it increases the amount of work demanded of the kidneys. 



NITROGEN METABOLISM. 



The data collected show that the general effect of the salicylic acid 

 is to slightly increase the quantity of metabolized nitrogen excreted 

 by the kidneys, while the quantity of nonmetabolized nitrogen 

 excreted in the f eces is slightly decreased, resulting in a small decrease 

 in the total percentage of nitrogen eliminated. The balance is some- 

 what greater in the preservative period, although the amount of nitro- 

 gen ingested is slightly decreased. These data indicate that the preser- 

 vative tended to increase slightly the digestibility and absorption of 

 the nitrogen ingested. 



PHOSPHORIC ACID METABOLISM. 



While in the case of nitrogen the general tendency of the salicylic 

 acid is to increase the quantity of metabolized nitrogen excreted, the 

 contrary effect is shown in respect of the phosphoric acid. There is a 

 well-developed tendency during the administration of the salicylic acid 

 to increase the store of phosphoric acid in the body, since the amount 

 absorbed from the alimentary canal is slightly increased and the quan- 

 tity excreted by the kidneys is decreased. It is evident, therefore, 

 that there is a storing of phosphatic material in the tissues, due to the 

 effect of salicylic acid. It is doubtful if such an increased store would 

 prove of any lasting benefit in its effects, nor would it be just to claim 

 that it would be injurious. The most that can be said in this case is 

 that there is a decided disturbance of phosphoric acid metabolism in 

 the direction of increasing the stores of phosphorus in the body, while 

 in the case of nitrogen there is no marked effect produced on the 

 metabolic process. 



