BORIC ACID AND BORAX. 141 



SERIES IV. 

 No. 7E. R. M. 



In the case of No. 7 in Series IV, the observations are made only 

 during the fore period and the first preservative subperiod. After 

 the completion of the first subperiod the condition of the subject was 

 such as to render the collection of further data impracticable. A com- 

 parison therefore in the case of No. 7 is confined, necessarily, to the 

 fore period and the first preservative subperiod of four days. It will 

 be noted that the f eces are remarkably dry during both the fore period 

 and the preservative period, although there is an increase in water in 

 the preservative period. During the fore period there is a marked 

 tendency to irregularity in the movement of the bowels. This irreg- 

 ularity is the cause of the great discrepancy between the average daily 

 quantity of f eces eliminated in the fore period and that in the preserva- 

 tive period, the average difference being a little less than 10 grams 

 per day in the dry feces. During the fore period 13.6 per cent of 

 the nitrogen in the food is eliminated in the feces, and during the 

 preservative period 17.7 per cent. Of the phosphoric acid, 47.4 per 

 cent in the food is eliminated in the feces in the fore period and 57.3 

 per cent in the preservative period. Of the fat, 4.6 per cent is elimi- 

 nated in the feces in the fore period and 5.6 per cent in the first pre- 

 servative subperiod. Of .the calories, 5.2 per cent is eliminated in the 

 feces in the fore period and 6.5 per cent in the preservative period. 



These data seem to indicate a tendency on the part of the preserva- 

 tive to restrict absorption of the elements of the food during its pas- 

 sage through the alimentary canal. 



No. 8J. H. E. 



The data for No. 8 show that there is a disturbance in the regular action 

 of the intestines, resulting, in several instances, in a failure to eliminate 

 an} T feces during the twenty-four hours. This fact explains the great 

 difference between the average daily amount of feces eliminated in the 

 fore period and in the first preservative subperiod. In the other periods 

 the equilibrium in the elimination of the feces is fairly well established. 

 During the whole course of the observation the feces of No. 8 are dry, 

 with no apparent tendency on the part of the preservative to increase 

 the amount of water. The percentage of nitrogen eliminated in the 

 feces is markedly increased during the preservative period, the aver- 

 age for the three subperiods 4>eing 8.5 per cent as against 5.8 per cent 

 for the fore period. This increase continues also during the after 

 period, in which the average percentage of nitrogen in the food elimi- 

 nated in the feces is 9.2. There is also a decided increase in the per- 

 centage of phosphoric acid eliminated in the feces during the preserva- 



