98 



CYCLOSES, CHOLESTEROL AND CHOLIC ACID 



with the feces. This latter portion of the cholesterol becomes subject 

 in the lower intestine to the putrefactive action of bacteria, which 

 results in its reduction to a derivative of cholesterol designated 

 Coprosterol, containing two additional hydrogen atoms, and represented 

 by the formula C 2 7H 4 7OH. 



This inefficient method of excretion would lead undoubtedly to a 

 continual accumulation of cholesterol within the tissues, if it were not 

 assisted by some means of destruction of the accumulated excess. 

 The power of the body to destroy cholesterol is, however, very limited, 

 and if cholesterol be administered in the dietary in unusual quantities, 

 it forms deposits in various organs, notably the liver and suprarenal 

 glands, and may ultimately lead to the formation of serious lesions. 

 There is therefore, under ordinary circumstances, rather a delicate 

 balance between the intake of cholesterol in the food on the one hand, 



FIG. 2. Cholesterol crystals. (After Hawk.) 



and its output in the feces, and destruction in the tissues on the other. 

 If the power of the tissues to destroy or alter cholesterol is diminished 

 for any reason we may anticipate that the excretory apparatus will 

 be found inadequate, and that cholesterol will accumulate in the body. 

 It is to this that we must probably attribute the accumulation of 

 cholesterol which has been observed by Wacker in the subcutaneous 

 fatty tissues of aged people, the decline in the activity of the tissues 

 which accompanies age probably resulting in a deficient power of 

 destroying cholesterol. It has been observed by Luden that the 

 cholesterol-content of the blood in carcinomatous patients is usually 

 high and that oxidation-products of cholesterol which are present in 

 normal blood are frequently absent in these cases. 



The administration of unusual amounts of cholesterol to young 

 animals results in marked effects upon their Growth, which will be fully 

 discussed in a later chapter. If cholesterol be administered to animals 



