METABOLISM 



599 



(a) Influence of Glucose. In the morning before breakfast, or three to five 

 hours after breakfast, determine the normal sugar content of your blood by means 

 of some accurate micromethod. (See Chapter XVI.) Ingest 100 grams of 

 glucose dissolved in 250 c.c. of water, and again determine the blood sugar 

 level at intervals of 5, 15 and 30 minutes and one, two and three hours. (Plot 

 a curve similar to the one shown in Fig. 188.) The urine may also be examined 

 for sugar at intervals of one hour after the sugar ingestion. 



Repeat the experiment on another day using 250 grams of glucose and com- 

 pare the results with those obtained after the ingestion of 100 grams. Explain 

 your findings. If desired this experiment may be combined with the ones on 

 "Alimentary Glycosuria," and "Carbohydrate in Feces," see pages 600 and 624. 



0.18 



0.08 



-- 



ILL 



\ 



, 



Wz Z ZVz 3 



f, - -'- ~ 



flours 



FIG. 188. BLOOD SUGAR AS. INFLUENCED BY DIET. 

 A = glucose; B = starch; 

 C = starch and fat; D = fat. 



(b) Influence of Starch. Repeat the experiment as given above for glucose 

 except that 170 grams of white bread or 100 grams of starch made into a paste 1 

 are substituted for the 100 grams of glucose. 



The experiment may be repeated as described above using an increased 

 amount of starch. 



The various experiments may be conducted on patients suffering 

 from diabetis mellitus if such are available and instructive data 

 collected. The alimentary hyperglycemia will generally be slower 

 in reaching its maximum and will be more prolonged than in the 

 case of normal subjects. In some instances (see Fig. 189, p. 600) 

 after the diabetic has ingested 100 grams of glucose the blood sugar 

 does not reach its maximum until a period of two hours has elapsed. 2 

 The blood sugar also returns to its former level more slowly than in 

 the case of normal individuals. 



1 In making starch paste, rub up the dry starch in a mortar with cold water and pour the 

 suspended^ starch granules into boiling water and stir. 



1 Martin and Mason: American Journal of Medical Sciences^ 153, 50, 1917. 



