144 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



period, 32.1 per cent in the preservative period, and 39.7 per cent in 

 the after period. Of the fat in the food, 4.2 per cent appears in the 

 feces in the fore period, 3.7 per cent in the preservative period, and 

 6.8 per cent in the after period. Of the calories in the food, 3.8 per 

 cent are found in the feces in the fore period, 3.3 in the preservative 

 period, and 4.9 in the after period. 



These data, though incomplete, are not to be wholly excluded from 

 consideration. They indicate a slightly increased absorption of the 

 food elements during the administration of the preservative, with the 

 exception of phosphoric acid. On account of their fragmentary and 

 imperfect nature, however, too great weight must not be given to the 

 interpretation placed upon them. 



SUMMARY. 



By reason of the disturbance produced at various times among the 

 different members of the table during Series IV, it is not possible to 

 bring together in a summary a comparison of the data relating to the 

 whole number. Only partial comparisons can be made. A comparison 

 can be made between Nos. 11 and 12 for a brief fore period, one complete 

 preservative period, and one complete after period. These data show 

 that the water in the feces remains practically the same during the 

 fore period and the preservative period, but is considerably diminished 

 during the after period, falling to 74.73 per cent. The quantity of 

 wet and dry feces throughout the period of comparison is small. The 

 percentage of nitrogen in the food which is eliminated in the feces by 

 the two members during the fore period is 8.2, during the preserva- 

 tive period 8.7, and during the after period 9. There is in this case 

 an apparent progressive interference with the absorption of the nitrog- 

 enous elements of the food. In phosphoric acid the quantity appear- 

 ing in the feces in the fore period is 24.4 per cent, in the preservative 

 period 35.5, and during the after period 35.6. The use of the pre- 

 servative seems to diminish the quantity of phosphoric acid absorbed. 

 In the case of the fat we find in the feces during the fore period 3.3 

 per cent of the total quantity in the food, in the preservative period 

 3.8 per cent, and in the after period 4.6 per cent. As in the case of 

 the nitrogen, there appears to be a manifestation here toward a pro- 

 gressive interference with the absorption of the fat. In regard to the 

 calories, it is seen that of the total amount in the food 3.5 per cent 

 appear in the feces in the fore period, 3.7 in the preservative period, 

 and 3.9 in the after period. Here again it is also noticed that the pre- 

 servative seems to interfere with the absorption of the heat-producing 

 elements. 



A summary may also be made of the data relating to Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, 

 and 12 of Series IV for the fore period and for the first preservative 

 subperiod, but no complete comparison can be made of these members 



