LIPASE 83 



lipase in the cells and fluids throughout the body. On account 

 of the technical difficulties in the way of using the higher fats, 

 such as triolein, in experimental work, the esters of lower fatty 

 acids have generally been used, particularly ethyl butyrate. 

 Enzymes splitting ethyl butyrate, and presumably higher fats, 

 have been demonstrated in practically all tissues examined ; the 

 names of Kastle and Loevenhart in this country, and Hanriot 

 in France, being particularly connected with this work. Whether 

 in all cases the presence of this reaction is proof positive of the 

 presence of an enzyme splitting fats, a true " lipase," is not yet 

 known ; undoubtedly as a rule it is, but there have been many 

 claims made that true lipase does not exist in the blood-serum. 

 From what is known about fat metabolism we have strong 

 a priori grounds for believing that lipase is present in the blood- 

 serum and in the lymph, and, also, we have some experimental 

 evidence. 1 



Little is known about the part played by lipase in pathological 

 conditions. According to Achard and Clerc, 2 the amount of split- 

 ting of ethyl butyrate by the blood-serum is lessened in most dis- 

 eases, and increases and decreases with the health of the patient. 

 Clerc 3 found that acute arsenic, phosphorus, and diphtheria-toxin 

 poisoning increased this property of the serum while chronic 

 poisoning and staphylococcus intoxication lowered it. Poulain 4 

 found that the butyrate-splitting power of lymph-glands drain- 

 ing infected areas was decreased. It must be added that the 

 value of these observations for considering pathological condi- 

 tions is open to question. The same may be said of the 

 reported finding of increased butyrate-splitting power in dia- 

 betic blood during diabetes with lipemia ; Fischer 5 observed, on 

 the contrary, in a case of extreme lipemia in diabetes, that the 

 lipolytic power of the blood was absent. 



Lipase has also been demonstrated in pus by a number of 

 observers, 6 who agree that there is more in exudates than in 

 transudates. Zeri 7 found lipase in the urine only when pus or 

 blood was also present. 



The part played by lipase in fatty degeneration must be of 

 great importance, but as yet it has been little considered, except 



1 Full references to the literature on lipase will be found in the article by 

 Connstein (Ergebnisse der Physiol., 1904 (Bd. 3, Abt. 1),194). 



2 Compt. Kend. Soc. Biol., 1902 (54), 1144. 



3 Compt. Kend. Soc. Biol., 1901 (53), 1131. 



4 Compt. Eend. Soc. Biol., 1901 (53), 786. 



5 Virchow's Arch., 1903 (172), 218. 



6 Achalme, Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol., 1899 (51), 568 ; Zeri, II Policlinic, 1903 

 (10), 433; Memmi, Clin. Med. Ital., 1905 (44), 129. 



7 II Policlinico, 1905 (12), 733. 



