BORIC ACID AND BORAX. 219 



who completed the entire series. In this series of observations we also 

 have to deal with apparently an abnormal state, inasmuch as the per- 

 centage eliminated during the fore period is remarkably high, amount- 

 ing to 103.6. 



During the first preservative subperiod the percentage eliminated 

 falls to 93; during the first and second together it is 93.9; during 

 the first, second, and third together it rises to 95.2; during the first, 

 second, third, and fourth it rises to 95.7, and during the after period 

 it falls to 94.1. Compared with the fore period it is seen that the 

 average elimination of nitrogen is diminished during the administra 

 tion of the borax, and the diminution continues during the after 

 period. The data, therefore, as a whole are not decisive in respect to 

 this point. 



COMPARISON OF PERCENTAGES OP NITROGEN ELIMINATED. 



It remains now to combine the average results into a single expres- 

 sion in order to study the five series together. This is done in the fol- 

 lowing tabular arrangement, taken from the general nitrogen sum- 

 mary (Table LV): 



Per cent. 



Fore periods 94. 5 



Preservative periods 94. 1 



After periods 90. 3 



We have in the above tabulation an expression of the average daily 

 effect produced over a period of seven months on 12 young men in 

 classes of 6 alternating in periods of observation. The total duration of 

 the fore periods is thirty-one days, of the periods of the administration 

 of borax ninety-three days, and of the after periods thirty-five days. 

 While the individual data, and even the series data, are in some 

 respects conflicting and contradictory in regard to the effect of the 

 borax upon the percentage of the elimination, we must regard the 

 expression as a whole as of value< This shows the tendency of borax 

 to slightly decrease the percentage of nitrogen eliminated during the 

 preservative period, which diminution becomes marked in the after 

 period, indicating a cumulative effect in this direction. 



PHOSPHORIC ACID. 

 BALANCE. 



The effect of the administration of preservatives upon the course of 

 the phosphoric acid on its way through the body is studied in the same 

 manner as in the case of nitrogen. The total phosphoric acid and 

 phosphorus entering the body were determined by the analyses of the 

 foods, and the phosphoric acid and phosphorus leaving the body 

 through the urine and feces were also determined. In the tables 

 LVI-LXVI, pp. 307-353) the excess of the phosphoric acid in the food 



