228 INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 



tract is of more importance to the organism than the 

 formation of mercaptan. That this gas is regularly 

 formed in at least moderate quantities under normal 

 conditions is apparent from the fact that the intestinal 

 contents are rendered dark in color after the administra- 

 tion of iron salts owing to the formation of sulphide of 

 iron. This occurs, as is well known, in well persons. 

 Moreover, the presence of hydrogen sulphide in the 

 freshly voided fseces can be readily demonstrated. It 

 is also true that the mixed faecal flora from the human 

 intestine, both in health and disease, is capable of 

 producing hydrogen sulphide upon a medium containing 

 proteid that has been partially hydrolyzed. This is 

 true, for example, of the growths upon bouillon. 

 Hydrogen sulphide is produced early in the course of 

 putrefaction, and its presence in flasks containing 

 peptone bouillon inoculated with f secal flora is regularly 

 demonstrable within the first twenty-four hours. It is 

 difficult to form a judgment as to how much hydrogen 

 sulphide is produced through intestinal putrefaction in 

 the course of a given period or how much is absorbed. 

 Assuming that the production is the same in a given 

 series of individuals, it is highly probable that the ab- 

 sorption would be variable, and it is of course upon the 

 absorption of the gas that its importance to the organism 

 chiefly depends. 



It seems probable that in health the formation of 

 hydrogen sulphide is limited to the large intestine and 

 perhaps a short extent of the adjoining small intestine. 

 Under pathological conditions, hydrogen sulphide is 



