168 INFLUENCE OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES ON HEALTH. 



The quantity of solid matter voided in the urine may also be com- 

 pared with the weights of the individuals. In Series I, fore period, the 

 heaviest man is No. 2, his average weight for the fore period being 

 71. 89 kilograms (Table XIII, p. 105). It will be seen that No. 2 excretes 

 the largest quantity of solids, corresponding to heaviest weight. The 

 next in weight is No. 1, and he excretes the second largest quantity of 

 total solids. Next in order of weight is No. 6, but No. 6 excretes the 

 smallest quantity of solids of any in the class. No. 4 is fourth in weight 

 and third in the amount of solid matter excreted. No. 3 is fifth in 

 weight and fourth in the quantity of solid matter excreted. No. 5 

 is sixth in weight and fifth in the quantity of solid matter excreted. 

 Thus it is seen that with the exception of No. 6 the quantity of solid 

 matter excreted in the urine during the fore period by these subjects 

 is proportional to their weight. 



In the first preservative subperiod (December 22-26) a marked 

 increase is noticed in the solid matter excreted. This is partly due, 

 though not entirely, to the fact that the boric acid administered is 

 excreted chiefly by the urine. Inasmuch, however, as this could not 

 have added more than 1 gram per day to the quantity of solid matter 

 excreted, it does not account for the total increase, with the possible 

 exception of the case of No. 2. In other words, the administration of 

 the boric acid seems to have a marked effect at first in increasing the 

 quantit}^ of solids in the urine other than the additional weight given 

 by its presence. During this period No. 4 excretes the largest quan- 

 tity of solid matter per day, and No. 1 the next largest. No. 6 again 

 occupies the last place. During the second subperiod (December 

 27-30) the stimulating effect of the preservative seems to have been 

 expended, and the quantities of solid matter were reduced almost to 

 those found in the fore period. No. 1 leads the list during this 

 period, and No. 6 is again at the foot. During the third subperiod 

 (December 31 to January 3) there is a continued marked depression in 

 the quantity of solid matter excreted. No. 1 holds again the first 

 place, and No. 6 the last. 



The depressing effect of the added preservative upon the amount of 

 solids excreted continues during the after period, though not uniformly 

 in all cases. Nos. 1, 4, and 5 diminish the excreta during the after 

 period, as compared with the preservative period, and Nos. 2, 3, and 

 6 increase the amount. The total variation, however, is of a negative 

 quantity, the total amount excreted during the after period being 

 56.238 grams daily as compared with 56.973 grams daily during the 

 preceding subperiod. The data recorded as a whole appear to indi- 

 cate that the first result of the administration of a preservative is to 

 increase the total solids eliminated in the urine and afterwards to 

 diminish them. The effect upon the specific gravity, assuming a 

 reasonable constancy of volume, follows the amount of total solids in 



