1018 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PKESERVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



The fact that here one is decreased, while the other is increased, is 

 quite significant, and, considered in connection with other disturbances 

 noted, shows that the preservative has exerted a marked influence in 

 deranging the metabolic functions. 



SULPHUR. 



Under the conditions of the experiment the sulphur studies present 

 especially interesting data. 



As would be expected, the quantity of inorganic sulphates excreted 

 in the urine is very largely increased by the administration of sulphur- 

 ous acid and sulphite, this increase, whether sulphite or sulphurous 

 acid was ingested, accounting for the greater part of the preservative 

 sulphur eliminated. 



In addition to the increase in inorganic sulphates, an important 

 fact brought out by the data is the increase in the organic combina- 

 tion of sulphur, known as neutral sulphur. This sulphur was uniformly 

 increased in every case, during the preservative period, and in some 

 instances, particularly in the subjects receiving sulphurous acid, 

 where there was no interval between the preservative and after 

 periods, this increase was carried into the after period. 



A point worthy of notice here is the fact that the sum of the 

 increase in neutral and inorganic sulphur in the preservative period 

 alone more than accounts for the preservative sulphur ingested. ' 

 This, when the after period is considered, may be derived from an 

 increase in katabolic activities. There does not appear to be any 

 marked effect on the excretion of ethereal sulphates. Half of the 

 subjects, however, show an increase in the excretion of this form of 

 sulphates, which, in the case of these individuals, may indicate a 

 slight increase in the putrefactive changes taking place in the intes- 

 tines, although, since this increase occurred in the case of the sub- 

 jects receiving sulphurous acid, it may be attributed to direct com- 

 bination in the intestines. 



There is the same tendency shown throughout by the data, namely, 

 the rapid elimination of practically all of the preservative sulphur in 

 an oxidized form in the urine. 



MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF THE BLOOD. 



One of the most important conclusions established by the experi- 

 mental data is that which relates to the comparative number of blood 

 corpuscles and the quantity of hemoglobin, as influenced by the action 

 of the sulphurous acid. The data here are of such a character as to 

 admit of no doubt whatever as to their interpretation. Under the 

 influence of the sulphurous acid both the number of red and of white 

 corpuscles in the blood is largely diminished. This is true whether 

 the sulphurous acid is exhibited in the form of sulphites or as free 



