Nitrogen Output.
Taken in. Nitrogen in Urine. Weight of Fæces (dry).
May 18 13.855 grams. 10.03 grams. 42.3 grams.
19 10.960 10.15
20 6.260 8.64 17.5
21 8.623 8.46
22 8.723 7.96 42.7
23 6.303 7.49 41.0
24 6.713 6.60 29.2
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172.7 grams contain 6.30% N.
61.437 59.33 + 10.880 grams nitrogen.
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61.437 grams nitrogen. 70.210 grams nitrogen.
Nitrogen balance for seven days = -8.773 grams.
Nitrogen balance per day = -1.253 grams.
Average Intake.
Calories per day 2494.
Nitrogen per day 8.777 grams.
Here, we find a minus balance of 8.773 grams of nitrogen for the seven
days’ period. The total intake of nitrogen amounted to 61.437 grams,
while there were excreted through the urine 59.33 grams, and through
the fæces 10.880 grams of nitrogen, making a total output of 70.210
grams as contrasted with an intake of 61.437 grams of nitrogen. This
loss of body material is to be attributed to the small fuel value of the
food,—only 2494 calories as the day’s average,—though perhaps in part to
the relatively small intake of nitrogen. In this connection it is to be
noted that the average daily excretion of metabolized nitrogen for the
seven days’ period amounted to only 8.777 grams, while the average daily
excretion for the last two months of the experiment was as high as 10.07
grams. Undoubtedly, the subject did not eat as much food during the week
of this balance trial as was needed to maintain equilibrium, under the
conditions of bodily activity then prevailing.
* * * * *
The same statement applies to Mr. Bellis, whose balance trial likewise
shows a deficiency of ingested nitrogen over the nitrogen output. Here,
however, the deficiency is more manifestly due to the small fuel value
of the daily food, which averaged only 2174 calories. Bellis showed an
average daily excretion of metabolized nitrogen amounting to 8.45 grams
for the last six weeks of the experiment, while in the balance period
the excretion of metabolized nitrogen was 8.19 grams per day. The daily
intake of nitrogen in the food, however, averaged only 7.76 grams,
obviously too small a quantity to meet the wants of the body, especially
with the low fuel value of the food. It is quite plain that during the
week of this balance trial, the amount of food consumed was not equal to
the necessities of the body, neither was it equal in nitrogen or fuel
value to what the subject had been taking during the last few months of
the experiment, and on which he had practically maintained body-weight
for at least the last month of the experiment. It is further noticeable
that during the balance week the body-weight dropped off somewhat.
Owing to the absence of Dr. Callahan from New Haven during this period,
no attempt was made to determine experimentally whether he was in
nitrogen equilibrium or not.