MANUAL OF CATTLE-i^EEBING-. 173 



In the second and third experiments especiallj, while 

 there is no essential gain or loss of nitrogen, there is a 

 gdin of carbon by the body larger than any possible ex- 

 perimental error, and which must be interpreted, accord- 

 ing to the principles of Chapter Y., as showing a produc- 

 tion of fat in the body, and that this fat must have been 

 produced from albuminoids is self-evident. In the first 

 experiment the feeding had continued four days, and there 

 the gain of carbon is small, indicating that a gain of fat 

 produced by albuminoids alone does not continue long, a 

 fact which other results confirm. Many other similar ex- 

 periments showing a formation of fat from albuminoids 

 might be adduced. 



Fat feom Carbiiydeatbs. — ^TPTiether fat can be formed 

 from carbhydrates is still a disputed question. Accord- 

 ing to Voit & Pettenkofer the protein of the body in de- 

 composing takes up the elements of water and splits up 

 into urea and a fat-like substance ; aTid, as stated on page 

 88, it has been calculated that 100 parts of protein and 

 12.3 parts of water, contain the elements of 33.5 parts of 

 urea, 27.4 parts of carbonic acid, and 51.4 parts of fat. 



They have shown, in experiments shortly to be de- 

 scribed, that the carbhydi'ates of the food are more easily 

 oxidized in the system than the fat of the food or the fat 

 formed from the albuminoids, and that they protect the lat- 

 ter two from oxidation and thus indirectly aid the forma- 

 tion of fat. Having also shown, by expeiiments like those 

 iust adduced, the possibility of the production of fat from 

 Ub, tW nai, rsgL the iLr, .og,tl.,r ,i,h the 

 fat of the food, as the chief soui-ces of fat under all cir- 

 cumstances, and consider the action of the carbhydrates to 

 be simply protective. 



According to this view the carbhydrates would, at most, 



