IRON IN THE LIVER. 387 



that the part of the protein molecule richer in nitrogen is first removed 

 and eliminated under these conditions. A similar condition has been 

 observed by WELLS in the idiophatic, acute yellow atrophy of the liver. 

 In consideration of the variable results for the diamino-nitrogen even 

 under normal conditions (GLIKIN and A. LOEWY J ), it is desirable that 

 a greater number of observations be made on this subject. The increased 

 consumption of glycogen under the above-mentioned pathological con- 

 ditions may also be considered as an increased autolysis, while the claim 

 of certain observers that fat is formed in the autolysis of the liver is, 

 according to SAXL, 2 to be considered only as a more pronounced appear- 

 ance of the fat previously occurring in the organ. 



Besides the above-mentioned organic constituents in the liver we must 

 mention the glucoihionic add found by MANDEL and LEVENE, S whose 

 chemical individuality is doubted. 



The mineral bodies of the liver consist of phosphoric acid, potassium, 

 S3dium, alkaline earths, and chlorine. The potassium is in excess of 

 the sodium. Iron is a regular constituent of the liver, but it occurs 

 in very variable amounts. BTJNGE found 0.01-0.355 p. m. iron in 

 the blood-free liver of young cats and dogs. This was calculated on the 

 liver substance freshly washed with a 1-per cent NaCl solution. Cal- 

 culated on 10 kilos bodily weight, the iron in the liver amounted to 3.4- 

 80.1 mg. Recent determinations of the quantity of iron in the liver of 

 the rabbit, dog, hedge-hog, pig, and man have been made by GUILLE- 

 MONAT and LAPICQUE, and in rabbits by SCAFFIDI. The variation was 

 great in human beings. In men the quantity of iron in the blood-free 

 liver (blood-pigment subtracted in the calculation) was regularly 0.23 

 p. m., and in women 0.09 p. m. (calculated on the fresh moist organ), 

 and this relation was not changed after the twentieth year. Above 

 0.5 p. m. is considered as pathological. According to BiELFELD, 4 who 

 worked with another method, an even greater quantity of iron occurs in 

 men. 



The quantity of iron in the liver can be increased by drugs contain- 

 ing iron. The quantity of iron may also be increased by an abundant 

 destruction of red blood-corpuscles, which will result from the injection 



1 Neuberg and Richter, Deutsch. med. Wochenschr., 1904; Wakeman, Zeitschr. f. 

 physiol. Chem., 44; Wells, Journ. of Exper. Med., 9; Glikin and Loewy, Bioch. Zeitschr., 

 10. 



2 Hofmeister's Beitrage, 10. 



3 Mandel and Levene, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 45. 



4 Bunge, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 17, 78; Guillemonat and Lapicque, Compt. 

 rend, de soc. biol., 48, with Bailie, ibid., 68; and Arch de Physiol. (5) 8; Biefeld, Hof- 

 meister's Beitrage, 2;"see also Schmey, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 39; Scaffidi, ibid., 

 54. 



