Gelatine in Diet 



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128 (2088) 



The value of gelatine and gelatine preparations in the diet of man. 



By PHILIP B. HAWK. 



[From the Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, Jefferson Medi- 

 cal College, Philadelphia, Pa.] 



Four albino rats were given a diet of dried bread, 80.5 per 

 cent.; butter, 15.0; salt, 2.0; and yeast, 2.5. Four others were 

 given the same diet except ten parts of bread were replaced by 

 ten of granulated gelatine. At the end of seventeen weeks the 

 first group attained an average weight of 113 grams, and the 

 second group an average weight of 194 grams. The gelatine 

 thus supplemented the cereal diet with respect to protein, prob- 

 ably due to its high content of lysine in which cereals are low. 



One hundred c.c. portions of plain milk and of milk contain- 

 ing one per cent, of gelatine were given to four normal men 

 on successive days. Gastric digestion was followed by the frac- 

 tional method. Finer and softer curds were formed with gela- 

 tine-milk than with plain milk. The hydrochloric acid was more 

 rapidly and completely combined. The digestion time was 

 shortened. 



Eight children from three to eight months of age and suffer- 

 ing from indigestion or malnutrition, some with large curds in 

 vomitus and stools, were placed on gelatine-milk for from six 

 weeks to four months. A decided improvement in nutrition 

 was noted in all cases and no untoward effects were observed. 



Fifty persons suffering from tuberculosis were given gelatine 

 in addition to their regular egg-milk diet. Thirty-five showed 

 definite improvement. In most of the other cases intestinal 

 ulcerations and other complications existed. The effects noted 

 were probably due largely to the better utilization of milk. 



The digestibility in the human stomach of a number of the 

 more common gelatine preparations was studied by the frac- 

 tional method. Four hundred c.c. of 1.5 per cent, gelatine left 

 the stomach in one hour. Fruit juice preparations left the 

 stomach almost as rapidly. Those containing cream remained 

 a little longer. Because of the extreme ease with which gela- 

 tine preparations are digested and their appetizing character, they 



