667 



for tlie relation between ketogenic and antiketogenic substances '; 

 (ScHAFFKR, Hubbard and Wright) we are in a [tosition to calculate 

 from the obtained data (from wliicli is also deducted that the animals 

 consumed about 375 grams of protein) that a cow must metabolize 

 about J k.g. of fat l)efore this border-value is reached. With an 

 ordinary diet normal cows oxidize only little fat. The above relation 

 is then far above the border value. If the animals, as was often the 

 case in our experiments, seciele about 120 grms of acetone-bodies 

 a day. more than a kilogram of fat must be metabolized. So while 

 the animals then ingest little fat with their food, about one kilogram 

 of bodj-fat is burnt daily. It is evident, tlierefore, that in the case 

 of acetonemia one of the organs concerned in the fat-nietabolisni 

 must be seriously interfered with in its function. 



The simplest way to account for this is to consider the liver as 

 the etiological factor, as in experiments with ErK's fistula and with 

 the reversed Eck's tlstula acetone-bodies are formed in the liver, 'j 



This view is supported by different observations on the diminished 

 activity of the liver during pregnancy (N.B. acetonemia in cows 

 manifests itself a (ew days after parturition) and on the aiMuidance 

 of fat in the liver of cows shortly before ])artiirilion. 



That the. disturbance regards only the function, is proved b} 

 the speedy recovery when the animals aie sent tu giass. 



It may also be conceived that abnormally large mobilization of 

 fat is the primary anomaly which is controlled from another organ 

 than the liver. 



That milch-cows do not easily secrete such large (|nantities of 

 acetonebodies as were found with acetonemia, was evident e.g. from 

 our experiments with cows- that we allowed to fast after some 

 injections of phloridzin (which engendered glucosuria). Indeed, some 

 acetone occurred in the urine but only little. 



Neither were the quantities of acetone-bodies considerable in the 

 urine of cows that, on account of indigestion or for some other 

 reason (foot- and mouth-disease) ingest little or no food. 



In a diabetic cow we found the same. Although the urine contained 

 for a considerable time from 3 to 4 7o ^f glucose, the amount of 

 acetone-bodies was normal or scarcely higher. 



M Recent researclies have shown that the border value for the healthy organism 

 may also be taken for the organism with disturbed metabolism. 



') Of course these experiments do not prove that in no other parts of the 

 organism acetone bodies may be formed. There is this against lliem that their 

 conclusiveness is greatly diminished owing to the radical measures taken, and 

 consequently to higlily abnormal circumstances. 



44* 



