894 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



and practically the same decrease in the amount excreted. The 

 balance is positive in all cases and has a magnitude of 1.32 grams 

 in the fore period, 0.75 gram in the preservative period, and 0.72 

 gram in the after period 



Considering the percentage data it is seen that in the fore period 

 7.50 per cent of nitrogen appear in the feces and 85.10 per cent in 

 the urine, while in the preservative period 8.54 per cent appear in 

 the feces and 87.17 per cent in the urine, an increase of 1.04 per cent 

 of nonmetabolized nitrogen excreted and 2.07 per cent of metabolized 

 nitrogen. In other words, there is a total increased excretion of 

 nitrogen of 3.11 per cent, notwithstanding a daily decrease of nitro- 

 gen ingested amounting to 0.35 gram. In the after period there is 

 a marked decrease both in the absolute quantity and percentage 

 amount of nonmetabolized nitrogen excreted and a decrease in the 

 quantity of metabolized nitrogen, though the percentage amount is 

 again increased, amounting to 88.17 per cent, the reason for this 

 being that the average daily quantity of nitrogen consumed in the 

 after period is 0.71 gram less than in the preservative period. The 

 total quantity of nitrogen excreted is somewhat less in the after 

 period, though the percentage excretion is practically the same as in 

 the preservative period, reducing the balances in the preservative 

 and after periods to 0.75 and 0.72 gram, respectively, or about one- 

 half the balance of the fore period. 



These data seem to show a marked change in nitrogen metabolism 

 from the conditions of the fore period and indicate a tendency on the 

 part of the preservative to diminish the assimilation of the proteid 

 constituents of the food; the data for weight and water content of 

 the feces also bear out this point, these figures increasing during the 

 preservative period. After the withdrawal of the preservative more 

 nitrogen is absorbed and metabolism is evidently more active. 



Nos. 8 to 11 furnish summarized data for the entire period of 

 observation. The quantity of nitrogen in the food consumed by 

 these subjects is almost constant, being slightly less in the preserv- 

 ative period and in the after period than in the fore period. The 

 quantity excreted in the feces is 1.42 grams for the fore period, 1.53 

 grams for the preservative period, and 1.62 grams for the after 

 period, and in the urine 14.27 grams in the fore period, 13.81 grams 

 in the preservative period, and 14.24 grams in the after period. 

 The total quantity of nitrogen excreted in the feces and urine is 

 15.69 grams in the fore period, 15.35 grams in the preservative 

 period, and 15.86 grams in the after period. The balance is positive 

 and has a magnitude of 2.02 grams in the fore period, 2.11 grams in 

 the preservative period, and 1.69 grams in the after period. There 

 do not appear to be any notable effects produced upon the nitrogen 

 balance in this case by the administration of the preservative, though 



