INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 257 



absorption of considerable quantities of skatol must, 

 I think, be an exceptional phenomenon in man. In 

 some cases of excessive intestinal putrefaction in child- 

 hood associated with a retardation in growth and ab- 

 dominal distension there is clearly a poisoning of the 

 muscular system. These children show signs of fatigue 

 very rapidly and in some cases, where the condition has 

 come on in early life, they are slow in learning to walk. 

 In such cases there is not only a large amount of indican 

 in the urine but a considerable excretion of phenol. It is 

 quite likely that the phenol in these cases plays a part 

 in bringing about the depression of muscular action. 

 Perhaps in some instances it is as much a factor in 

 inducing fatigue as is indol. 1 



INDICANURIA 



The term " indicanuria" is used to designate the pres- 

 ence of an abundance of indican in the urine as demon- 

 strated by the presence of strong reactions (with the form- 

 ation of indigo) on the use of Obermeyer's test or similar 

 tests. It has already been mentioned that in normal child- 

 hood little or no indican appears in the urine. There are 

 also many adults who seldom show the presence of indican 

 in the urine. There are also many adults who show a 



1 The primary beneficial effect of phenol on muscle action 

 observed by Dr. Lee does not speak against this view, as this 

 effect is one that soon gives way to fatigue. 



The very interesting observation has been made by Dr. Lee 

 that a temporary beneficial action is exerted on muscle by all the 

 common fatigue products studied by him. 



