Conclusions

1. The obligatory faecal and urinary nitrogen excretion on a protein-free, low-residue diet can be assessed during the last two of six experimental days.

2. Urinary and faecal nitrogen are 34 ± 5 and 20 ± 7 mg N/kg/day, respectively.

Child	Days on a nitrogen - free diet
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Urinary nitrogen	58.9	28,9	41.0	37 4	25 5	33.6	27,4	31.3	44.2
C.R.	58.9	28.9	41.0	37.4	25,5	33.6	27,4	31,3	30 2
W.M.	81.3	52.4	29.8	39.0	31.2	33.4	35.2	34.0	30.2
I.G.	85.4	39.0	37.1	33.6	31.1	39.8	34.3	39.4	33.3
H.A.	89.4	68.6	60.8	43.4	40.8	38.4	39.8	31.1	40.3
A.A.	-	58.2	36.9	39.9	22.8	.5.5	29.2	-	-
Mean	78.8	49.4	41.1	38.6	30.2	36.1	33.2	33.9	37.0
S.D.	11.8	15.8	11.8	3.6	6.9	2.8	4.9	3.4	6.0
Faecal nitrogen
C R.a		19.8		26,3		27,9		28.2
W.M. a,b		19.0		23.1		20.1		13,9
I.G.		9.7		7.4		15.2		9.7
H.A.		29.7		12.1		27.2		22.1
A.A.		12.9		22.0		17.9		-
Mean		18.2		18.1		21.6		18.5
S.D.		7.7		8.0		5.7		8.3
Total (urinary + faecal nitrogen)
Mean -		67.6	59.3	56.7	48.4	57.7	54.8	52.4	55.5
S.D. -		20.5	18.4	9.4	6.8	5.8	7.3	5.2	14.4

a Giardia lamblia in stools.
b Trichuris trichiura in stools. Both parasites diagnosed in faecal specimens collected four to nine weeks before the study.

FIG. 1. Urinary and Faecal Nitrogen Excretion on a Nitrogen-Free Diet

3. The mild parasitic infestations in two of the five children did not increase faecal nitrogen.

4. Factorial calculations using the empirical correction factor of 30 per cent support the conclusions of our studies with milk protein.