Scientific Proceedings. 



81 



5 5 (198) 



Observations on the effects of fasting upon the opsonic power 

 of the blood to staphylococcus aureus. 



By ALLAN 0. RANKIN and A. A. MARTIN (by invitation). 



[From the Pathological Laboratory of McGill University, Montreal, 



Canada.'] 



During the last year considerable work has been done in 

 demonstrating the part that is played by opsonins in protecting 

 the body from diseases, also in pointing out how the protective 

 power of the body against certain bacteria can be accurately deter- 

 mined. The physiologists have frequently hinted that diminished 

 nutrition lays the human body open for a ready invasion by micro- 

 organisms, but they have not been able to support their views by 

 actual figures. If we remember aright, at the last meeting of the 

 British Medical Association at Toronto, Professor Chittenden 

 referred to this matter and to the lack of absolute data, although 

 we do not find that his remarks are included in the official report 

 of the discussion in question. 



One of us (M.), previous to entering as a medical student, had 

 found that he could fast without serious result over a period of 

 several days. Now, as a third year medical student, he decided 

 that he was in favorable surroundings to undergo another fast dur- 

 ing which observations upon metabolism might be taken. The 

 results upon metabolism have been investigated by others. Here 

 we desire to call attention to the effects of fasting for a period of 

 nine days upon the opsonic power of the blood. 



M. is a sturdily built young adult, twenty-eight years of age, 

 who weighed before the fast one hundred and thirty-nine pounds 

 and whose height is five feet and three-quarter inches. He had 

 always enjoyed good health. 



The fast began after a meal at 9 a. m. on December 27, and 

 continued until 6 p. m., January 5. During this time M. did not 

 suffer from boils or any infection which could have affected the 

 results obtained in these observations. He was not at rest during 

 this experimental fast but took daily exercise, frequently walking 

 five miles and was up and about most of the day. He took water 



