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Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
ten days he lost 6350 grms., or "111 kilos, per kilo, of his original 
weight. This loss was by no means regular, there being somewhat 
large variations. The whole fast might be divided into three 
periods: — 1st period of five days, during which there was consider- 
able waste, the loss amounting to 4400 grms., or 880 grms. per diem. 
In the 2nd period of two days the loss was very slight — only 250 
grms., or 125 grms. per diem. During this period he drank more 
water than usual. During the last three days there was a nearly 
equal loss of from 500 to 600 grms. per diem — in all, 1700 grms. 
The urea fell slowly and regularly from 29 grms. per diem to 20 
grms. The chlorine of the urine fell from 5’5 grms. to 0'6 grms.; 
while sodium and potassium also diminished in amount and changed 
their relative proportions. The amount of urine passed fell gradu- 
ally from the beginning, was always below the normal, and scanty 
in proportion to the fluid consumed. 
It was always acid, and became more strongly so towards the end 
of the fast, being then passed thick and turbid, with large quantities 
of urate of ammonia crystals. Phosphoric acid and calcium were, 
although absolutely diminished, increased proportionately to the 
other urinary constituents, a result attributed by the observers to a 
waste of bony tissue. 
Indican disappeared after the first day, showing a cessation of 
intestinal digestion, while acetone was present in very large amount. 
This is considered by Senator to be an inanition symptom, and its 
occurrence in diabetes and in some cases of cancer is by him sup- 
posed to be due to profound interference with the metabolic pro- 
cesses. 
It may be mentioned that Cetti spent most of his time in a some- 
what large and cold room. 
The individual upon whom the following observations were made 
is a Frenchman named Alexandre Jacques, who in October 1888 
voluntarily undertook, as a public performance, a fast of thirty 
days. 
Considering the scantiness of our information in regard to the 
metabolism of man during starvation, we thought it advisable to 
make what use we could of the case. 
On making inquiries we found that arrangements had been made 
with a number of medical students and others, who had constituted 
