806 
DE. SMITH ON THE ELIMINATION 
cases), and fluid 70 oz. daily. They were well inured to prison discipline and dietary; 
and all gained weight during the inquiry, except 1041, who lost a few ounces. They 
were in fair health, and willingly lent themselves to the inquiry. Their age, height, and 
occupation were as follows : — 
Table XXXIl. 
No. of prisoner ... 
858. 
948. 
1040. 
1041. 
Age 
31 
5 ft. 24 inches. 
Plasterer. 
32 
5 ft. 2f inches. 
Grocer. 
43 
5 ft. 54 inches. 
Butcher. 
22 
5 ft. 7 inches. 
Labourer. 
Height 
Occupation ... 
Hence their average age, height, and weight were 32 years, 5 ft. 4;^ inches, and 
113-75 lbs. 
The object of the inquiry was to ascertain the weight of urea, chloride of sodium, 
urinary water and faeces, and to determine by final analysis the amount of nitrogen and 
ash in the food and in the urinary and faecal excretions. There were also some variations 
in the food supplied during the inquiry. Thus, no salt was allowed from the dinner on 
March 10 to the dinner on March 14, except that added to the gruel; 3^oz. of extra 
fat were given daily from March 14 to the end of March 17 ; half an ounce of tea was 
given daily with the water from midday on March 18 to the end of March 24 ; l-|-oz. of 
coflee was given daily from 1 p.m. on March 22 to the end of March 23 ; and lastly, 2 oz. 
of alcohol were given daily from the afternoon of March 24 to the end of March 26, — 
the duration of these latter inquiries being three days each. 
The urine Avas collected from March 2 to March 17, from 6|- to 7:|a.m. whilst the 
prisoners were preparing for their duties and were more or less exposed to the open air; 
and this was regarded as the basis quantity, or that excreted in the absence of food and 
labour. On the treadwheel days a further quantity was collected from 7.15 to 8.25 a.m., 
dni-ing the treadwheel labour and before fluid or solid food had been taken. After 
these periods the whole of the urine was collected until 5^ p.m., when the prisoners were 
locked up for the night ; and lastly, the urine passed from 5^ p.m. until 6^ a.m. was col- 
lected. On Sundays (and also on weekdays after March 17) there were but two collec- 
tions, aIz. at 6-|-a.m. and 5^ p.m. The urine of each man was collected separately, and 
care taken that not the smallest quantity Avas lost ; and whilst the faeces of each man 
were Aveighed separately, the whole was passed into one vessel, and a fair sample sub- 
mitted to final analysis. 
Urea. 
The folloAving Table contains the basal quantities of urea passed from 7|- to 8.25 a.m. 
on each morning (except Sundays) from March 2 to 17, when that part of the inquiry 
terminated. It will be recollected that the quantity of salt allowed was reduced to 
three-quarters of an ounce on March 7, and that no salt was given (except that con- 
tained in the gruel) from March 10 at dinner time to March 14 at dinner time. 
