112 Messrs. Dore'e and Gardner. Origin and [Dec. 18, 



If the wastage is made up in this way we should expect to find variations 

 in the cholesterol content of the blood according as the food was free from, 

 or rich in, cholesterol. If, further, it were able to take in from its richer 

 diets more cholesterol than was at the moment required, storing it up in the 

 intervals of feeding to replace loss we should expect considerable variations 

 in the cholesterol content of the plasma with the variety of the food. If, 

 however, the animal only takes up what is required to supply immediate 

 waste we should not expect more than a slight variation on different diets, 

 and this variation might easily be entirely masked owing to the different 

 quantities of bile caused to flow into the intestine under the influence of 

 foodstuffs of different kinds. With regard to the mechanism of the 

 absorption of cholesterol in the intestine it would seem probable that it is 

 first esterified, being converted into the oleic and palmitic esters. These 

 compounds, which are stated to possess the property of forming with aqueous 

 fluids lanoline-like emulsions,* were found by Hiirthle to be constantly 

 present in the blood plasma of various animals.f 



With a view to testing the validity of these considerations we planned 

 a series of experiments, the first instalment of which is described in the 

 present paper. 



Experiments to Ascertain whether Cholesterol is Absorbed by Herbivorous 

 Animals when given with their Food. 



The animal selected for this investigation was the rabbit. Preliminary 

 experiments showed that the bulk of the phytosterols of bran can be 

 extracted along with the fat by means of ether, without altering the 

 appearance of the bran and without impairing its feeding value, except for 

 the elimination of the fat. It was found that rabbits could be kept for long- 

 periods on this diet without apparent injury to health, and often without 

 much loss in weight, though individuals varied considerably in this respect. 



The general method adopted in these experiments was as follows : — A rabbit 

 wa,s fed for several days previous to the commencement of an experiment on 

 extracted bran. It was then given each morning - 25 gramme of cholesterol 

 mixed with a few grammes of extracted bran, care being taken to see that 

 the animal ate the whole. After eating the cholesterol-bran mixture the 

 animal was allowed during the rest of the day as much extracted bran as it 

 would eat. This procedure was followed until the animal had eaten 

 2 grammes of cholesterol, after which it was fed on extracted bran only for 

 three days in order to sweep all cholesterol from its gut. The faeces during 



* Ivor Bang, 'Ergebnisse d. Physiologie,' vol. 2, p. 180. 

 t ' Zeit. Physiol. Chemie,' vol. 21, p. 331. 



