890 
METABOLISM. 
The first substances to disappear, as may well be supposed, are those which 
are least essential to the maintenance of life, and we find accordingly that the 
adipose tissue first begins to lose weight. Finally, at the end of starvation, 
90 per cent., or more, of the fats of the body (except the fatty substances 
which are found in the nervous system) have disappeared. At the same time 
the glycogen which may* have been stored in the liver and muscles also 
begins to disappear ; but it is a long while, in some animals, before the last 
traces of it are used up, especially the glycogen of muscle. Certain of the 
organs especially become diminished in weight. Among these the first to 
show a falling off are the spleen and the glandular organs, especially those 
concerned in digestion. Since there is very little secretion going on, these are 
not called upon to exercise their normal functions. Next follows marked 
diminution in the amount of the muscular substance, and this it is, no doubt, 
which accounts for the muscular weakness which manifests itself. When all 
the less essential organs have contributed as much as appears possible to the 
maintenance of the normal condition of the blood, in order that it may suffi- 
ciently nourish the most essential tissues, the latter, namely, the heart and 
those of the nervous system, might next be expected to contribute their 
quota. Apparently, as soon as this call is made, they fail to respond to it, 
and the result is that death speedily supervenes. 
Yoit gives the following percentage loss for the several tissues and organs 
in a cat killed after thirteen days' deprivation of food : — 
Adipose tissue 
Spleen 
Liver 
Testes 
Muscles 
Blood 
Kidneys 
Integument 
Lungs 
Intestines 
Pancreas 
Bones 
Heart 
Central nervous system 
Tominaga l has determined (by Kjehldal's method) the amount of X lost 
from the several organs during a prolonged starvation period in rats and 
rabbits, as follows : — 
In 100 Parts of 
In 100 Parts of 
Fresh Organs. 
Dry Organs. 
. 97 
. 67 
63 
. 54 
57 
. 40 
. 31 
30 
. 27 
18 
. 26 
21 
. 21 
. 18 
19 
. 18 
. 17 
. 14 
3 
3 

Organ. 
Rat, 
Rabbit. 
Spleen .... 
Stomach and intestines . 
Muscles .... 
Heart .... 
Brain .... 
Liver .... 
Kidneys .... 
98-48 
59 47 
35-98 
18-01 
11-79 
9-69 
3'48 
67-06 
26-80 
18-59 
22-74 
29-13 
57-60 
24-80 
The discrepancies in these results, both as compared with one another and 
as compared with the loss in the dry organs as determined by Yoit, are so con- 
siderable, that they cannot be accepted without confirmation. 
1 Centralbl. f. Physiol., Leipzig u. Wien, 1893, Bd. vii. S. 381. 
