CHANGES IN THE MATERNAL ORGANISM 511 



The glycosuria of pregnancy has been ascribed to a diminished 

 glycolysis (Brocard), and to hepatic inadequacy (Cristalli J), 

 without sufficient evidence. The greater tendency to ali- 

 mentary glycosuria in pregnancy was upheld by Lanz. 2 He 

 frequently observed it after the administration of 100 grm. of 

 glucose. On the other hand, Payer's 3 careful experiments 

 showed an assimilation limit of 130 grm. of glucose, which is not 

 subnormal, the excess being very rapidly excreted. Hence it 

 must be left unsettled whether a more ready saturation of the 

 maternal organism may be brought about in pregnancy, and 

 whether this is related to an increased storage of carbohydrate 

 at this time. 



E. The Metabolism of Fats in Pregnancy 



a. The Absorption of Fats by the Mother. The absorption of 

 fats from the intestine is increased during pregnancy (Ferroni 4 ), 

 the neutral fats, fatty acids, cholesterin, and soaps contained 

 in the faeces being all decreased towards the end of the 

 gestation period. This is the time when the subcutaneous 

 tissues of the foetus receive an abundant supply. They rapidly 

 reach the normal level in the puerperium. There is a corre- 

 sponding increase of fat in the maternal blood in the dog and 

 guinea-pig, and the excess disappears after parturition (Capaldi 5 ). 



b. Fat of the Maternal Organism. According to Miotti, 6 the 

 liver cells contain a continuously increasing amount of fat, first in 

 the central parts of the lobule and later throughout. He looks 

 on it as a fatty infiltration, and concludes that an increased fat 

 formation takes place during pregnancy. 



1 Cristalli, Ricerche sulla presenza dello zuchero nelle orine delle donne 

 gravide e puerpere, Naples, 1900. 



2 Lanz, " Ueber alimentare Glykosurie bei Graviden," Wien. med. Presse, 

 1895. 



3 Payer, " Einfluss des Zuckers auf den Stoffwechsel der Schwangeren," 

 Monatsschr. f. Geburtsh. u. Gyntik., vol. x 



4 Ferroni, " I grassi neutri . . . delle gravide e delle puerpere sane," 

 Ann. di Ost. e Ginec., 1905. 



5 Capaldi, "Sul contenuto di grasso del sangue nella gravidanza e nel 

 puerperio," Ann. di Ost. e Ginec., 1905. 



6 Miotti, "Contribute allo studio istologico de fegato durante la gravi- 

 danza," Ann. di Oat. e Ginec., 1900. 



