536 PRACTICAL ORGANIC AND BlO-CHEMISTRY 



V. The Metabolism of Inorganic Compounds. 



The metabolism of the inorganic compounds is determined by the 

 analysis of sulphates, phosphates, sodium, potassium, etc., in the soil, 

 the plant, the food, the excreta of the animals. 



The total nitrogen metabolism, the metabolism of the individual 

 nitrogenous compounds and of the inorganic compounds, in contra- 

 distinction to the energy and carbon metabolism, is very easy to 

 determine and requires no special apparatus. A great deal of our 

 present knowledge of dietetics is based upon these analyses in urine 

 and valuable conclusions can be drawn from them. 



