94 



Prof. E. Waymouth Eeicl. 



curare on the nerve endings of voluntary muscle, and to which he 

 attributes the cessation of respiration, we may mention that after an 

 animal has been poisoned with neurine, asphyxiation causes little or 

 none of the usual convulsions. 



The full paper contains references to previous work on the subject, 

 and complete details of the methods used, and the cases investigated ; 

 it is illustrated by reproductions of numerous tracings. 



[Note added April 20, 1899. — It should be mentioned that in the 

 cases of brain atrophy referred to, the cerebro-spinal fluid was removed 

 soon after death. Since the foregoing abstract was written, we have, 

 however, had the opportunity of examining two specimens removed 

 during life by lumbar puncture, and the results of our experiments 

 with these corroborate the conclusions previously arrived at.] 



" On Intestinal Absorption, especially on the Absorption of 

 Serum, Peptone, and Glucose." By E. Waymouth Eeid, 

 F.B.S., Professor of Physiology in University College, Dundee, 

 St. Andrew's University, 1ST.B. Eeceived March 30, — Eead 

 April 20, 1899. 



(Abstract.) 



The experiments detailed in the full paper deal with the absorption 

 from the intestine of the animal's own serum, and of solutions of 

 glucose and peptone. The method employed has been that introduced 

 by Leubuscher, in which two loops of intestine are simultaneously 

 employed, the one the experimental, and the other the control, loop. 



The conclusions arrived at are as follows : — 



1. A physiological activity of the intestinal epithelium in the act of 

 absorption is demonstrated by — 



(a) The absorption by an animal of its own serum (or even plasma) 



under conditions in which filtration into blood capillaries or 

 lacteals, osmosis, and adsorption are excluded. 



(b) By the cessation or diminution of the absorption of serum when 



the epithelium is removed, injured, or poisoned, in spite of the 

 fact that removal, at any rate, must increase the facilities for 

 osmosis and filtration. 



2. The activity of the cells is characterised by a slower uptake of 

 the organic solids of the serum than of the water, and a rather quicker 

 uptake of the salts than of the water. The relations to one another 

 of the absorptions of these various constituents is variable in different 

 regions of the intestinal canal (upper ileum, lower ileum, and colon). 



