Research into the chemical processes in the small intestine of man / by Allan Macfadyen, M.D. Ed., M. Nencki, M.D., and N. Sieber, M.D.

  • Macfayden, Allan, 1860-1907
Date:
[1891?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Research into the chemical processes in the small intestine of man / by Allan Macfadyen, M.D. Ed., M. Nencki, M.D., and N. Sieber, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/44 (page 397)
    cent. Further, 5*1505 grammes gave 0*5785 grms. dry remainder and contained 0*047 grm., i.e., 8*12 per cent, of matter soluble in ether. July 27.—Amount of discharge received = 385 grms. It was semi¬ fluid, and contained 0*937 per cent, sugar. Acidity = 0*154 per cent. July 30.—Amount was 307 grms. with 9*12 per cent, solid re¬ mainder. July 31.—Amount = 269 grm. with 9*29 per cent, solid remainder. The discharge on the last two days was used for an ash estimation. The figures we obtained show that the amount of dissolved albumen which passes with the food-mass into the caecum is less than 1 per cent. The amount of sugar is subject to greater variations,—from 0*3 per cent, to 4*75 per cent. The maximum amount of sugar in the discharge was found on the 29th of June, and on that day the acidity also reached its maximum, viz.. 0*21 per cent. The intestinal contents were watery and diarrhceic in character. We always found that the amount of sugar and acid was higher in the semifluid than in the more consistent and porridge-like discharge. In the latter case the absorption was clearly greater. After a diet of meat, eggs, peptone, and barley gruel, the amount of unabsorbed nitrogen, i.e., albumen, was equal to 5*39 and 6*78 per cent, of the dry remainder. When mashed peas were substituted for barley gruel, the most of the starchy matter passed unchanged through the small intestine, and the amount of nitrogen was 4*49 per cent. This nitrogen was almost entirely derived from albumen. On adding caustic soda to the intestinal contents no smell of ammonia was detected. On heating there was a faint odour of ammonia and trimethylamine. As will be shown further on we found neither leucin nor tyrosin in the discharge. If we calculate the nitrogen as albumen, by multiplying with the factor 6*25, then 5*39 grms. nitrogen = 32*68 grms. albumen; 6*78 grms. N = 42*37 grms. albumen and 4*49 !grms. N = 28*0 grms. albumen. According to this calculation, 30-42 per cent, of the dry remainder consisted of proteids. If we add thereto 8*5 per cent, for inorganic salts, and an equal amount for fat and substances soluble in ether, about 40 per cent, of the dry remainder would consist of carbohydrates and substances only soluble in alcohol. With a diet of mashed peas the amount of carbohydrates would be about 55 per cent.