I2 4 MILK AND ITS HYGIENIC RELATIONS 



found that egg-white was absorbed by young animals during the 

 first few days of life : 



In puppies up to the sixth day, 

 In kittens up to the eighth day, 

 In rabbits up to the seventh day, 



and was already negative in goats at the eighth day. They 

 believed that a longer period must be allowed for infants. The 

 investigation, however, of Salge (i) tends to show that the direct 

 absorption of protein in infants ceases after about four days. 

 The work also of Langer, Bauer (i), Vaillard, Kraus and 

 Bauereisen should also be compared for the question of absorption 

 in the early days of life. 



On the Possible Direct Absorption of Protein after the Early 

 Days of Life. A considerable amount of work has been carried 

 out by different observers with a view to ascertaining under what 

 conditions protein could be absorbed directly from the alimentary 

 canal in later life. Some of the work has been undertaken in the 

 endeavour to administer diphtheria by means of the alimentary 

 canal instead of by injection. 1 There is evidence that a protein 

 can be absorbed directly in abnormal conditions of the alimentary 

 canal. Thus Ganghofner and Langer and also Uhlenhuth found 

 that when very large amounts of proteins were given some degree 

 of absorption took place. The same result was obtained by Mayer- 

 hofer and Pribram, who rendered the intestines somewhat abnormal 

 before giving the protein, and also by Van Alstyne and Grant, 

 using a Thierry- Vella fistula. 



Investigations have also been carried out upon the absorption 

 of ' foreign ' protein by children who were in an unsatisfactory state 

 of health. Moro (5, 6) examined the blood of twenty-three cases of 

 children who were very ill, or who had just died, for the presence of 

 foreign protein, by means of the precipitin method. He found a 

 positive reaction in three cases. Using the method of complement 

 deviation in seven cases, he found four were positive. It is probable, 

 if not certain, that the condition of the intestine in these cases was 

 abnormal and had admitted of the passage of the protein. 



More recent investigations both by Lust and by Hahn are 

 confirmatory of the above results, and show that it is only in 

 comparatively few cases that absorption of ' foreign ' protein 

 occurs unchanged. Hahn found that in only five cases out of 

 twenty-three and in two of these the result was doubtful was 

 any evidence of the absorption of antitoxin obtained by the ali- 

 mentary canal, and this only in children who were very ill and 

 where large doses had been given. 



Lust found that in a few cases where there was severe intestinal 

 disturbance some absorption took place, egg-white being more 



1 Cp. McKlintock and King. 



