996 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



SOLIDS BALANCE. 

 INDIVIDUAL DATA. 



The total solids of the food are considered and the balance deter- 

 mined. In the case of No. 1 the quantity of solid matter that is, 

 dry matter ingested is quite constant during the three periods of 

 observation. The amount of solid matter recovered in the feces is 

 practically the same for the fore period and the preservative period, 

 but decreases considerably during the after period, while the solids 

 in the food are slightly increased. The quantity excreted in the 

 urine is uniform for the three periods. Naturally the balances are 

 positive and of very large magnitude, as the greater part of the solid 

 bodies of the food are digested and absorbed. 



The quantity of solids in the foods of No. 2 is also quite constant, 

 and the amounts recovered in the feces and urine suffer very little 

 variation during the three periods. 



In the case of No. 3 the solids in the food are quite constant, 

 ranging from 660 grams per day in the fore period to 682 grams in 

 the after period. The solid matter excreted in the feces is slightly 

 increased during the preservative period. The amount excreted in 

 the urine is practically constant in the three periods, being slightly 

 increased in the preservative period. There is shown, therefore, a 

 slight increase of total solids eliminated during the preservative 

 period, although the quantity of solid material used by the body 

 remains practically the same, owing to the slight increase in the 

 amount ingested. 



No. 4 shows a marked uniformity both in the amounts of total 

 solids ingested and eliminated during the three periods. It is evident 

 from these data that the preservative in this case does not exercise 

 any decided influence upon the metabolism of total solids. 



For -reasons which have already been given, the data for No. 5 are 

 incomplete and do not afford any basis of comparison. 



In the case of No. 6 the quantity of total solids in the foods is 

 considerably increased in the after period, but the amount excreted 

 is not proportionally increased. There is, however, a slight ten- 

 dency shown to ^retard the absorption of solids and to increase 

 elimination. 



The data for No. 7 are incomplete and in so far as they are recorded 

 do not show any notable influence of the preservative, although there 

 is a slightly increased elimination in the urine. The balance is 

 reduced in the preservative period, but corresponds to the reduction 

 of the solids in the food. 



