88 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



instance there is again a marked tendency on the part of the preser- 

 vative to diminish the body weight and a slight tendency after the 

 withdrawal of the preservative toward its restoration to the original 

 weight. 



The average weight of No. 4 in the fore period is 65.62 kilograms, 

 in the preservative period 64. 71, and in the after period 64.04, while 

 the mean for the series is 64.79 kilograms. In this case there is an 

 apparent tendency shown on the part of the preservative to decrease 

 the body weight, and this decrease continues during the after period. 

 It must be borne in mind that the personality of Nos. 4 and 5 is not 

 the same in Series I as in Series III and V, and the weights as given 

 are those of the later members based upon the variations shown by 

 the original Nos. 4 and 5. 



The average weight of No. 5 in the fore period is 73.71 kilograms, 

 in the preservative period 74.20, and in the after period 75.39, the 

 mean for the whole series being 74.43 kilograms. We find in this case 

 a tendenc} 7 on the part of the preservative to increase the body weight, 

 and this tendency is still manifest after the withdrawal of the pre- 

 servative, the weight continuing to rise during the after period. This 

 increase, however, may possibly be due to the fact that the original 

 No. 5 started in on the fore period with a larger ration than was normal 

 with him, and it required an effort on his part to eat the selected 

 quantity throughout the series. 



The average weight of No. 6 in the fore period is 61.60 kilograms, 

 in the preservative period 60.40, and in the after period 60.10, the 

 mean for the whole series being 60.70. There is a marked loss in 

 weight in this instance during the preservative period in fact, the 

 largest loss that is shown in the case of any of the six subjects. There 

 is a still further loss, though not so marked, during the after period. 



In all the cases in Series I except No. 5 the administration of the 

 preservative is attended with a loss of weight. This loss is not very 

 marked except in the case of No. 6, but its uniform occurrence, with 

 the exception above noted, is significant. That the administration of 

 a preservative of this kind tends to diminish the body weight appears 

 to be reasonable from the data at hand. It is evident, however, that 

 it is not of universal applicability and that there may be instances, as 

 indicated in the case of No. 5, where the administration of such a pre 

 servative would tend to increase the body weight. In only three 

 instances out of the six did the body weight show an increase after the 

 withdrawal of the preservative, and one of these is in the case of No. 

 5, where the data are anomalous. In three instances, namely, Nos. 2, 

 4, and 6, the body weight continues to decrease after the withdrawal 

 of the preservative. This fact might justify the conclusion that the 

 loss in weight in these cases is not due to the preservative, because the 

 decrease continues after the preservative is withdrawn. That this is 



