342 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIII. No. 844^ 



are especially harmful in connection with the use 

 of alcoholic beverages, unless special rules of 

 nutrition, given by the author, are followed. 

 ■ Improvements in the Exact Determination of 



Nitrogen in Feces: Isaac Kino Pheus. 



The difficulties of an exact aliquot and of loss 

 of nitrogen in drying the viscous material are 

 met by each of two procedures: 



The first procedure consists in dehydrating the 

 moist mass by treatment with acidified alcohol 

 and ether and filtration. The dry residue is then 

 sifted and the nitrogen determined in the residual 

 material, consisting of undigested material, in the 

 powder obtained by sifting (which represents the 

 residue from food) and in the alcohol-ether ex- 

 tract. 



The second procedure consists in partially de- 

 composing the moist material with concentrated 

 sulphuric acid by heating in a steam bath until a 

 homogeneous mass is produced. This is then 

 aliquoted and the nitrogen determined in the 

 aliquot. 



The test of accuracy and adaptability of these 

 procedures shows that they are both excellent. 

 The Excretion of Chlorides under the Influence 



of Copious Water-drinking between Meals: S. 



A. RULON, JB., and P. B. Hawk. 



Three experiments were made on the influence 

 of copious water-drinking between meals upon 

 the excretion of chlorides. The subjects were 

 young men ranging in age from 22 to 29 years. 

 Each experiment was divided into three periods, 

 a preliminary period during which nitrogen equi- 

 librium was attained through the feeding of a 

 uniform ration of low water content, a water 

 period during which the uniform ration was sup- 

 plemented by the drinking of large volumes of 

 water hetween meals, and a final period in which 

 the conditions of the preliminary period were in 

 force. 



In two of the experiments there was a pro- 

 nounced increase in the output of chlorides upon 

 the days of added water intake, with a return to 

 normal during the final period. This augmented 

 excretion of chlorides is interpreted as indicating 

 that the large volume of water ingested during 

 this period has markedly stimulated the secretion 

 of gastric juice. The excess hydrochloric acid 

 thus passed into the intestine has been reab- 

 sorbed and appears in the urine as ammonium 

 chloride. The main bulk of the increase in the 

 chloride excretion we believe to have originated in 

 this way. 



In one experiment there was a small increase in 



the chloride output upon each of the days of 

 increased water ingestion, followed by a pro- 

 nounced rise in the output upon the first day 

 following the water period. Neither the flushing 

 properties of the water nor its stimulatory effi- 

 ciency as regards protein catabolism or gastric 

 secretion otters a satisfactory explanation for the 

 high chloride concentration observed upon the 

 day following the period of copious water 

 drinking. 



If we attempt to account for the increased 

 output of chlorides noted during the period of 

 copious water ingestion upon the theory that 

 this increase originated through a stimulated 

 catabolism of protein matter within the organism, 

 we find it possible to account for only two per 

 cent, or less of the chloride increase on this basis. 



In every instance in which a portion of the 

 urine of each day of the water period was col- 

 lected in four sub-periods three and one half 

 hours in length it was observed that the maxi- 

 mum chloride output and urine volume occurred 

 during the second period of the day, i. e., from 

 11:30 A.M. to 3 P.M. It was also observed that 

 the highest percentage of ingested fluid (84 per 

 cent.) was excreted during the periods of copious 

 water intake. 



Resorption of Fat: P. F. Tbowbbidge, University 



of Missouri. 



A group of seven calves six months old were 

 selected as being of same breed and uniform in 

 size and condition. They were fed several months 

 until all were judged to be well fattened and all 

 in about the same condition. The one thought to 

 be the least fat was slaughtered and analyzed as 

 a check animal. Two of the remaining were held 

 at maintenance of body weight; two were fed so 

 as to lose one half pound per day, and the other 

 two were fed to gain one half pound per day. 

 All were given the same feed, varying only in 

 quantity. One of each group was slaughtered and 

 analyzed at the end of six months, the other sub- 

 maintenance animal at the end of eleven months 

 and the other maintenance animal at the end of 

 twelve months. The supermaintenance animal 

 was not slaughtered, as the one half pound per 

 day gain at his age — two years — was sufficient to 

 make him improve in condition. 



All the maintenance and submaintenance ani- 

 mals lost in fat. The long-maintenance animal 

 gained in total protein and also in flesh protein. 

 All the animals gained in weight of skeleton 

 from 9.5 per cent, to 16.6 per cent. The skeleton 

 of all animals gained in protein, moisture and 



