of the University of Pennsylvania. 73 



x. 



ON THE BEHAVIOR OF PETROLATUM IN 

 THE DIGESTIVE TRACT. 



THE mixture of hydrocarbons, recognized by the 

 pharmacist under the name of petrolatum, and pop- 

 ularly used under the commercial names of cosmo- 

 line or vaseline, presents, on superficial inspection, 

 few points of difference from some of the organic 

 fats of the same consistency. Close examination re- 

 veals differences, both in physical properties and in 

 chemical constitution, between the bodies just com- 

 pared. One point of difference, which I have as yet 

 been unable to find recorded, lies in the respective 

 behavior of these two groups when in contact with 

 the absorbent surfaces of the digestive tract. Tims, 

 while the organic fats, as ordinarily taken in food, 

 are readily and almost completely absorbed, this soft 

 paraffine is entirely rejected, and found unchanged 

 in the faeces. 



During eight days I took, daily, one-half ounce 



7 



