320 INANITION AND MALNUTRITION 



Giannelli ('i6) noted gross atrophy of the intestines in the teleost fish, 

 Tinea vulgaris, after 5 months of starvation. 



In steers on low planes of nutrition, Moulton, Trowbridge and Haigh ('22a) 

 found a relative increase in the length of the intestines, while the weight 

 appeared to remain nearly proportional to the body weight. 



Ono ('20a) found that in "various animals" during inanition the mitochon- 

 dria of the intestinal epithelial cells decrease in number, size and amount. On 

 refeeding, the mitochondria increase, filamentous forms regenerating from the 

 minute granules which resulted from starvation. Glycogen and fat droplets 

 disappear completely during starvation, and reappear upon refeeding. 



Miller ('22) studied the effects of acute inanition and of vitamin deficiency 

 on the mitochondria of the gastrointestinal epithelium and pancreas cells of 

 the albino rat. No changes in the mitochondria occur except in cells suffering 

 severe degenerative atrophy, in which case there may be a transformation of 

 mitochondria from rod-like to spherical forms and a reduction in the number, or 

 even complete disappearance of the mitochondria. Miller ('23) also found that 

 in young albino rats severely underfed for long periods the intestinal villi appear 

 variably atrophic, and in extreme cases even completely degenerated and 

 disintegrated. The surface epithelial cells in both small and large intestines 

 also present variable atrophic changes, such as nuclear pyenosis, cytoplasmic 

 degeneration with apparent decrease in the characteristic granules and mito- 

 chondria. The glands of Lieberkuhn also show atrophic and degenerative 

 changes with slight edema in the interstitial stroma. Atrophy of the tunica 

 muscularis appeared less marked than in the stomach. The changes are shown 

 in Figs. 85, 86 and 87. 



Early Changes Associated with Digestion and Resorption. — The intestinal 

 changes previously reviewed have concerned chiefly the later stages of acute 

 or chronic inanition. We have now to consider certain observations upon the 

 earlier stages, which have been studied chiefly in connection with the process of 

 digestion and absorption. It is impossible to review these changes in detail, 

 but the more important phenomena will be mentioned briefly. 



Brettauer and Steinach ('57) claimed that the striated (rodded) border of 

 the epithelium on the villi is distinct during fasting, but becomes homogeneous 

 during absorption (especially of fat). Eimer ('67) studied the cycle of fat 

 absorption in the intestinal epithelium, finding the fat droplets appearing first 

 in the outer portion, later throughout the cell body; some droplets may persist 

 through several days of fasting. 



Hofmeister ('81, '87) found the number of lymphoid cells in the intestinal 

 mucosa of the cat greatly reduced during fasting and increased upon refeeding. 

 This was confirmed by Heidenhain ('88), in fasting dogs. He also disproved the 

 claim of Brettauer and Steinach that the striated border of the intestinal 

 epithelium is characteristic of starvation. Heidenhain noted an increased 

 migration of leukocytes (lymphocytes) into the epithelium, sometimes forming 

 subepithelial masses in the tips of the villi in guinea pigs starved 3 or 4 days. 

 There is also a reduction in the number of granular cells during fasting, but no 

 variation according to the type of diet. 



