ON THE ABSORPTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF 

 ALUMINIUM FROM ALUMINIZED FOOD 



MAX KAHN 



{Lahoratory of Biological Cheniistry of Columbia University, at the College of 



Physicians and Surgeons, New York) 



Contents 



Page 



I. Introduction 235 



n. Description of the experiments 236 



III. First experiment : duration, 2 months 239 



IV. Second experiment : duration, 55 days 240 



V. Third experiment : duration, 52 days 241 



VI. Elimination of aluminium in the urine 243 



VII. General conclusions 243 



I. INTRODUCTION 



In a paper entitled " Some objections to the use of alum baking 

 powder," Professor Gies^ recently called attention to the significant 

 results which he and his collaborators have obtained in studies of 

 the effects of aluminium Compounds. 



At the beginning of the paper he summarized the general find- 

 ings in the following terms : " These studies have convinced me that 

 the use in food of alum or any other aluminium Compound is a 

 dangerous practice. That the aluminium ion is very toxic is well 

 known. That 'aluminized' food yields soluble aluminium Com- 

 pounds to gastric juice (and stomach contents) has been demon- 

 strated. That such soluble aluminium is absorbed in some degree 

 and carried to all parts of the body by the blood can no longer be 

 doubted. That the organism can * tolerate ' such treatment without 

 suffering harmful consequences has not been shown." 



At the end of the paper Professor Gies says: "That absorbed 

 aluminium may be distributed to all of the tissues and that such 

 aluminium may accumulate there, to some extent, is a probability 

 which has been considered but which has not yet been adequately 



*Gies: Journal of the American Medical Association, 191 1, Ivii, p. 816. 



235 



