160 J. M. HAMILL. 



experiments of Siegert (32) and Jaeckle (16) are of some interest. These 

 observers found that the fat of quite young infants possessed a much 

 lower iodine value and contained a much higher percentage of lower 

 fatty acids than fat obtained from adults. Clearly, the large quantity 

 of lower fatty acids in the food and therefore the correspondingly larger 

 amount in the chvle has altered the equilibrium point and allowed of 

 the storage of greater quantities in the tissues. 



The absorption of lecithin. The fate of lecithin taken by the mouth has 

 long been a matter of dispute. Bokay' 2 ', Nesbitt 127 ', Kutscher and 

 Lohmann (17) , and Paul Mayer' 22 ' are of the opinion that it decomposes 

 in the alimentary canal into cholin, fatty acids and glycero -phosphoric 

 acid. On the other hand Slowtzoff (35) , and Stassano and Billon* 34 ' are 

 disposed to believe that lecithin passes, at any rate to some extent, into 

 the chyle and the last two writers (33) deny that pancreatic juice has any 

 destructive action on lecithin. 



The following experiment was made on this question : The patient 

 was given oz. (14 gms.) of lecithin at 7 p.m., previous to which 

 as much chyle as possible was drawn off (A). Chyle was then collected 

 on the following day at 9 a.m. (B), 12 noon (C), and 6 p.m. (D). The 

 fat was extracted in the usual way from these separate portions and the 

 amount of phosphorus in portions of each sample determined by the 

 method already described. 



The results were as follows : 



A = '291 gms. of P 2 5 per 100 gms. of ether extract. 

 = 567 

 C=-487 

 = 039 



This single experiment shows a rise followed by a gradual fall in the 

 amount of ether-soluble phosphorus in the chyle after a meal containing 

 a large quantity of lecithin and goes to support the view that lecithin, 

 at any rate in part, is capable of being absorbed and of passing into the 

 chyle. It was unfortunately not possible to make a more extended series 

 of observations on this subject owing to the objections of the patient to 

 a continuance of the experiments. 



The effect of feeding on paraffin. Since petroleum in the form of an 

 emulsion has a certain vogue in the treatment of wasting diseases and 

 since its efficacy in this respect is very doubtful this case seemed to 

 afford a good opportunity of observing whether or not petroleum 

 administered internally is absorbed and carried by the chyle into the 

 general circulation. For this purpose two ounces (56 gms.) of liquid 

 paraffin (B.P.) were thoroughly emulsified with tragacanth and were 



