242 PHYSIOLOGY OF ALIMENTATION. 



are therefore of great importance, which show that a mix- 

 ture of bile and sodium carbonate is able to dissolve large 

 amounts of stearic and palmitic acids. Bile is able to keep 

 even the insoluble calcium and magnesium soaps in solution. 



The presence of bile in a reaction mixture of protein and 

 gastric juice retards the action of the ferment greatly. It 

 seems plausible, therefore, that the bile is of physiological 

 importance by interfering with the activity of the gastric 

 juice after this escapes into the duodenum from the 

 stomach. 



To the bile has also been attributed an antiseptic action, 

 and it has been believed that through its presence the de- 

 velopment of bacteria throughout the alimentary tract is 

 markedly inhibited. Careful study seems to indicate, how- 

 ever, that this antiseptic action is only very weak, if it is pres- 

 ent at all. Bacteria develop freely in bile itsejf__and culture 

 media containing bile. The increased putrefaction of the 

 alimentary contents, which is observed in at least some cases 

 of icterus, must therefore be attributed to other causes. 

 Foremost among these must stand the less perfect absorption 

 of the foodstuffs whose presence in the alimentary tract 

 furnishes 'aT^eady culture ground for the various bacteria 

 found here. 



The bile is believed to aid intestinal peristalsis. This 

 idea seems borne out by clinical observation, though labora- 

 tory experiments in this direction have brought no unequivo- 

 cal results. If it is true that a lack of bile leads to a de- 

 creased peristalsis, we could readily find in the retention of 

 alimentary contents from this cause an additional reason for 

 the increased intestinal putrefaction found in these cases. 



We must, in conclusion, call attention to a function of the 

 bile which is still questioned by some authors. According 

 to some recent experiments, it is claimed that lipase is secreted 

 in the pancreatic juice only in an inactive form, that is, as a 

 preferment or zymogen, and that this inactive form is acti- 

 vated through the bile. The bile would therefore serve the 



