1903.] Fats accompanying Absorption from the Intestine. 139 



II. Experiments on the Composition of tJie Fatty Constituents present in the 



Intestinal Mucosa during Fat Absorption. 



The animals used in the previous set of experiments were killed 

 immediately after the lymph had been collected, and the entire 

 small intestine was removed, cut open longitudinally and thoroughly 

 washed in running water to remove as completely as possible all 

 adherent fat. 



The intestine was next stretched out, mucous surface upward, upon 

 a clean glass plate and the mucous membrane rubbed off with the 

 back of a knife. 



The pulpy mucous membrane thus obtained was weighed and 

 extracted, first with a mixture of alcohol and ether (1 alcohol to 

 3 of ether) and then with ether alone. 



The solvents were decanted off, the solutions mixed and evaporated 

 to dryness. The dried residue was next extracted with dry ether, 

 filtered, and the ethereal extract evaporated to dryness. 



The residue was weighed, and in it the amount of free fatty acid 

 and neutral fat were determined by the methods already described 

 in connection with the previous series of experiments. 



Expt. 1. Total weight of inoist mucous membrane = 317 grammes ; weight of 

 total ethereal extract = 1'1524 grammes; weight of free fatty acid = 01802 

 gramme ; weight of neutral fat = 0'9722 gramme ; percentage of free fatty acid 

 = 15*7 ; percentage of neutral fat = 84'3. 



Expt. 2. Weight of moist mucous membrane = 14'4 grammes ; weight of total 

 ethereal extract = 0*8074 gramme ; weight of free fatty acid = 0'2904 gramme ; 

 weight of neutral fat = 0*5303 gramme; percentage of free fatty acid = 35'4; 

 percentage of neutral fat = 64'6. 



In these experiments the percentage of free fatty acid is much 

 higher than in the lymph of the mesenteric lacteals, showing that the 

 process of synthesis is in progress, and not yet complete. 



III. Experiments on the Action of Pancreatic, Lymphatic and Intestinal 



Cells, and of Cell-free Extracts of such Cells, upon Solutions of Soap 

 and Glycerine. 



The tissues and extracts used in these experiments were obtained 

 from the cat, dog, ox or pig, and similar effects were in all cases 

 obtained. 



In the case of the intestinal mucous membrane, the intestine taken 

 from a freshly-killed animal was cut open longitudinally from end to 

 end and then thoroughly washed either in a stream of running tap 

 water or with 0*75 per cent, solution of sodium chloride. 



It may be stated that no difference was ever found throughout the 

 entire series of experiments in the action of extracts made with distilled 

 water and those prepared with normal saline. 



