108 AEON AND HOCSON. 



phosphorus compound in beriberi. The phytin for this purpose was a commercial 

 preparation, kindly delivered to us by the Gesellschaft fur GhemiscJw Industrie, 

 Basel. 



The egg albumen which was given during the period when the protein content 

 of the food was increased was prepared by precipitating the whites of 100 eggs 

 diluted by water, by means of sodium chloride and acetic acid at boiling tem- 

 perature. The egg albumen was filtered, carefully washed and dried in vacuo 

 at 60°. It was then finely powdered and the daily quantity cooked with the rice. 

 Two preparations, termed egg albumen, I and II, showed only a very slight dif- 

 ference in their content of nitrogen. The fish used in the last period was canned 

 salmon, carefully deprived of bones, the quantity needed for the entire experiment 

 being taken at one time, mixed, and then divided into 4 portions of 100 grams 

 each; a fifth portion of 100 grams being put aside and preserved with formalin as 

 a sample for analysis. The samples of fish were kept on ice and, together with 

 the rice, were cooked fresh each day. The rice, up to the last of January, was 

 from the same stock, a white, fairly polished article. This was used up in 

 February and the next supply, which is at present being used, shows a considerably 

 higher content of phosphorus. This change in the supply of rice was disagreeable, 

 but it could not be avoided. 



During the first two periods, which we term A and B, the man was on 

 a diet of bread, rice, bacon and sugar, similar to that given to the normal 

 man in period V. He received about 44 calories, 0.18 gram of nitrogen 

 and 0.026 gram P 2 5 per kilo of body weight. 



The result of this diet fully corresponds to that found with the normal 

 man. It is another proof that a diet of bread and rice undoubtedly is not 

 sufficient to fulfill the demand of the body for nitrogen and phosphorus. 

 Therefore, these experiments clearly demonstrate that this same man, 

 during the long time when he was kept on white bread before beriberi 

 appeared, was constantly losing phosphorus and nitrogen. 



Phytin was added during periods C and D. Despite the highly 

 increased addition of phosphorus compounds, and in spite of the fact that 

 this man should have a great demand for phosphorus because of his 

 extended phosphorus starvation, he did not, like the normal man, retain 

 phosphorus, but continued to lose this constituent, although in smaller 

 amount than during the foregoing periods (A and B). The nitrogen 

 balance also continued to be negative, almost to the same extent as in the 

 foregoing periods. , 



Period E followed, in which, a diet deficient in phosphorus again was 

 given. During this time the loss in phosphorus in the urine as well as 

 in the faeces was considerably less than 'during the corresponding periods 

 (A and B), and therefore the relative lowering of the phosphorus balance 

 was somewhat diminished. Possibly the diminution in the loss of 

 phosphorus should be regarded as a result of the treatment with phytin. 

 A marked reduction in the daily quantity of urine also took place, and 

 this fact might also be taken in explanation ; but, on the other hand, the 

 reduction in the quantity of coffee may have been of influence. 



