METABOLISM IN THE SUBMAXILLARY GLAND. 377 



" so that presumably the active glands had taken up during 

 secretion about 0.1 gram of nitrogen," or ^ T of the total 

 amount Thus, with regard to the nitrogenous or proteid 

 metabolism of the active gland, anabolic and katabolic pro- 

 cesses are to a considerable extent coincident. 



The method employed by Pawlow is perhaps open to slight 

 criticism, in that the stimulated glands were all on the right 

 side; and apparently he did not exclude the possibility of 

 errors due to exceptional variations between the glands on 

 the two sides. Pawlow did indeed find the nitrogen content 

 of the normal right and left submaxillary glands from ten dogs 

 to be remarkably concordant, amounting to 1.978 and 1.979 

 grams of nitrogen, respectively.* On the other hand, in 

 eleven dogs Bidder found the left submaxillary heavier than 

 the right ; and Heidenhain reported a similar observation in 

 two cases. 



The question involved is of importance for the theory of 

 secretion. It seemed desirable, therefore, to renew investiga- 

 tion with special reference to the criticisms outlined. The 

 experience of the writer indicates that although differences do 

 occur to the extent of 15 per cent in the weight of the glands 

 on the two sides, yet the preponderance is not more often on 

 the one side than the other. As a rule the normal right and 

 left submaxillary glands agree closely in weight, dry solids, and 

 nitrogen content, as the following typical analysis shows : 



TABLE I. 

 Large dog of fifteen kilos. 



The method employed in the present investigation was as 

 follows: Dogs of various weights were allowed to fast for 

 * Pawlow, loc. cit, p. 138. 



