16 INFLUENCE OF BORAX AND 



Gruber with single doses of borax. There is here no sug- 

 gestion whatever of an increased excretion of water, but, on 

 the contrary, a very marked decrease. Thus, by reference to 

 the accompanying tables, it will be observed that during the 

 fore period the total volume of urine excreted amounted to 

 5629 c.c. and the body-weight remained practically constant, 

 . e., 10.9-11.0 kilos. During the borax period, however, the 

 volume of urine excreted fell to 4981 c.c. and the body-weight 

 gradually rose to 11.3 kilos, while in the after period the 

 volume of urine rose to 5427 c.c. with a constant body-weight 

 of 11.5 kilos. It is thus quite clear that borax may decidedly 

 check the output of water through the kidneys, and lead, as 

 in this case, to its retention within the body. 



Very noticeable also, in this experiment, is the sudden 

 change hi the specific gravity of the urine, as also in the re- 

 action of the fluid, when borax is given. Thus, hi the fore 

 period the specific gravity of the urine stood at 1017-1018, 

 but at the opening of the borax period it rose at once to 

 1022-1027, dropping back, however, as the borax was ~dis- 

 continued. Similarly, the reaction of the normal urine was 

 acid to litmus, but on exhibition of borax, the reaction quickly 

 changed to alkaline. The marked rise in the specific gravity 

 of the urine during the borax period is not due solely to 

 diminished elimination of water nor to increase in the pro- 

 portion of metabolic products, but mainly to the borax itself, 

 which is rapidly eliminated through the urine. We have not 

 made any special trial to ascertain how soon the borax appears 

 in the urine after its administration, but we have observed 

 that the urine collected on the first day of the borax period 

 gives, after acidulation with hydrochloric acid, a strong re- 

 action with turmeric paper for boric acid. Further, that the 

 elimination of borax through the urine is very rapid is mani- 

 fest from the fact that, at the end of the borax period, the 

 animal having received 45 grams of the salt, no trace of a 

 reaction could be obtained with turmeric paper on the second 

 day of the after period. In other words, elimination of the 

 borax was practically complete twenty-four to thirty-six hours 



