136 The Philippine Journal of Science 1923 



Creatinine nitrogen. — The excretion of creatinine represents 

 chiefly the endogenous metabolism of the body. Hence the 

 coefficient (milligrams per kilogram of body weight) is an 

 important factor. Our results resemble the European standard, 

 though the absolute amounts excreted are far lower. The 

 results, carefully and accurately worked out, are far below any- 

 thing recorded for normal subjects, either in China or in Europe. 



The excretions from vegetarian diets of the Chinese, Tables 

 2, 3, and 4, give three different average results for the amount 

 of creatinine present in the urine, which on account of the diet 

 is an index of the endogenous metabolism. The excessive flesh 

 diet, Table 6, shows a marked rise in output of creatinine, un- 

 doubtedly exogenous in origin. The physique of the three 

 Groups II, III, and IV follows the creatinine values. Group 

 II consisted mostly of coolies or shop assistants in poor con- 

 dition. Group III, our laboratory helpers, originated from the 

 same class but all have attended school and in their present 

 employment have regular meals, regular work, and leisure to 

 recuperate. The students had the highest excretion, which 

 would be expected on account of their much better physique, 

 better food, regular sleep, and good athletics — all of which fac- 

 tors contribute to make them more fit than the average citizen. 

 The absolute amount naturally increased when the students 

 ate an excessive flesh diet, the increase being of exogenous 

 origin. 



It is probably true that, as Campbell (4) points out, the in- 

 crease in tissue metabolism as judged by a greater creatinine 

 output is not marked in a tropical climate, though it appears to 

 be slightly lowered in our cold northern seasons. Such a de- 

 duction is in no way in accord with what would be deduced from 

 the high values obtained for neutral sulphur. 



Uric acid nitrogen.— The results in Groups IV and VI are 

 similar, in absolute amounts and in percentage, to those from 

 Singapore. Our values for Group III are abnormally high. 

 This may be due to the drinking of large quantities of Chinese 

 tea. There are no analytical data available to show whether 

 the pale Chinese tea, which is rich in purines, increased the 

 uric acid excretion or not. 



Chlorides. — On account of the high price of salt in China, 

 people there do not eat as much salt as Europeans do. Our 

 values are consequently lower. One surgical eye patient, middle- 



