524 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vo I. XXI, No. 3 
BASAI, DIET (PERIOD i) 
The basal diet consisted of the following meals for each day: Morning, 
one cup of coffee, three wheat biscuits, one bowl of oatmeal and milk, 
and some oleomargarin; noon, two fried eggs, one glass of water, a 
quantity of rice pudding, three slices of bread, one cup of coffee, and some 
oleomargarin; evening, i pint of milk and 4 wheat biscuits. Since the 
meals were served at the same restaurant during both periods, the 
quantities of oatmeal, rice pudding, and bread and butter (oleomargarin) 
were approximately the same. 
The bladder was emptied about 7 a. m. and the urine discarded. All 
the urine from that hour up to and including that passed the next day 
at 7 a. m. was saved, thoroughly mixed, preserved with toluene, and kept 
in 1-liter Erlenmeyer flasks with rubber stoppers. Thus, each composite 
sample represented the mixed excretion for 24 hours. The preservative, 
C. P. toluene (C 0 H 5 .CH 3 ), was used at the'rate of 5 cc. per liter of content. 
As soon as a 24-hour sample was secured it was immediately analyzed 
for the determination of volume, specific gravity, titratable acidity (using 
N/10 sodium hydroxid), and ammonia content, employing the fonnol 
titration method of Malfatti (3, p. 502).\ The total solids of a sample 
were computed by means of Tong’s coefficient (3, p. 483). During the 
intermediary period, including March 21, 22, 23, and 24, the estimation of 
creatinin by Folin’s colorimetric method (3, p.506) and the determination 
of total nitrogen by the Folin-Farmer microchemical method (3, p. 483) 
was accomplished for the three composite samples of the first period. 
Table I .—Analyses of composite samples of urine from basal did period 
Date. 
Volume. 
Tempera¬ 
ture. 
Specific 
gravity. 
Total 
solids. 
Acidity. 0 
Ammonium 
hydrates 
(NH 3 ). 
Creat¬ 
inin. 
Total 
nitrogen. 
Mar. 17 . 
18. 
19. . .. 
Cc. 
I, 170 
740 
650 
°C. 
2 5 
2 5 
2 5 
I. 024 
1-031 
I * °33 
Gm. 
73. 008 
59 - 64 
55-77 
383. 70 
441. 04 
45 1 - 88 
Gm. 
I. 02314 
I. 03348 
0. 9447 
Gm. 
I.404 
1.361 
•993 
G m. 
8- 353 
6. 364 
7. 462 
° Expressed in cubic centimeters of Nho sodium hydroxid required to titrate ioo cc. of sample 
EXPERIMENTAL diet (period II) 
The pumpkin and squash seeds used in the experimental diet were 
obtained from a canning factory where pumpkin and squash fruits are 
packed. To increase the palatability and to remove the effects of 
possible unsanitary handling of the pumpkin and squash seeds they 
were spread in a thin layer on a tray and placed in a dry heat oven 
where the material was kept at a temperature of about 150° C. until a 
slight browning of the seed coats was noticed, indicating that the heating 
had been sufficient to destroy all bacteria present and to roast the 
1 Reference is made by number (italic) to " Literature cited,” pp. 358-539. 
