18 



INFLUENCE OF BORAX AND 



During the middle, or boric acid period, 1-2 grams of boric 

 acid were given daily mixed with the food, the annual taking 

 it without the slightest reluctance and without any apparent 

 effect upon the appetite. No sign of nausea or vomiting was 

 seen. With 2 grams of boric acid per day the mixture of food 

 and drink contained 0.31 per cent, while the dry food con- 

 tained 0.86 per cent of boric acid. The total amount of boric 

 acid given during the ten days was 14.5 grams. 



During the fore period of ten days the animal received a 

 total of 61.440 grams of nitrogen. The nitrogen excreted 

 through the urine for this period amounted to 58.119 grams, 

 while the faeces contained 3.203 grams, thus making a total 

 of 61.322 grams of nitrogen excreted, with a nitrogen balance 

 of +0.118 gram. Plainly, the animal was in a condition of 

 nitrogenous equilibrium. 



The relative excretion of nitrogen for the three periods may 

 be seen in the following table : 



Nitrogen of Food . . . 

 Nitrogen of Urine . . . 

 Nitrogen of Faeces. . . 



Nitrogen Balance . . 



Ratio of Urine Nitrogen 

 to Food Nitrogen . 



Fore Period. 



61.440 

 68-U9 

 8.208 



+0.118 



Boric Acid Period. 



62.032 



69.600 



3.938 



1.506 



After Period. 



61.943 

 58.979 

 3.944 



-0.980 



94.5 per cent 96.7 per cent. 95.2 per cent. 



From these figures it would appear that there is a slight 

 tendency toward stimulation of proteid metabolism. When it 

 is remembered, however, that the nitrogen balance for the boric 

 acid period, 1.506, is the result of ten days' consecutive 

 feeding with boric acid, it is manifest that the stimulating 

 action is very slight, and our results may perhaps be considered 

 as practically in accord with those reported by Forster, who 

 found that in man on a mixed diet, boric acid in moderate 

 doses (1-3 grams) was without influence on proteid decompo- 

 sition as measured by the excretion of urea. Upon the assimi- 

 lation of the proteid food there is no evidence of any action, 

 t. e., the nitrogen content of the faeces during the boric acid 



