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Scientific Proceedings (132) 



amount of material present. The samples from the rectum and 

 colon gave the most marked reactions of any, thus showing the 

 presence of a considerable proportion of the dye. The intes- 

 tinal tract was measured and it was determined that the dye had 

 passed through it at the rate of 1.2 centimeters per minute. The 

 dog evidently had diarrhea and the passage of a considerable 

 proportion of the dye through the length of the intestines in 

 hours is relatively rapid. 



Earlier experiments upon the cow and goat, under normal 

 conditions show that the minimum time for the passage of the 

 dye is 16-17 hours for the former and 14-17 hours for the latter. 

 The uniformity in the minimum time of passage in widely sepa- 

 rated species of animals is remarkable, when the difference in 

 habits, food eaten, and the length of the alimentary tract is con- 

 sidered. 



The minimum time is tabulated as follows : 



Man 15 — 25 hours 



Cow 16 — 17 hours 



Goat 14 — 17 hours 



Horse 15*4 — 20 hours (Cuguini, powdered Brazil nut) 



The ratio of the body length to the length of the intestinal 

 tract is given as follows : 



Man 1 — 10 (Legs not included in body length) 



Horse 1 —12 (Colin) 



Cow 1 —20 (Colin) 



Goat 1 —27 (Colin) 



The average length of the intestinal tract of man is reckoned 

 at 30 feet. From figures taken from Colin, who has computed 

 the length of the intestinal tract in the domesticated animals, that 

 of the horse is 3%, the goat 3J^ and of the cow 6 times longer 

 than that of man. 



The fact that the herbivorous animals normally evacuate their 

 bowels more frequently than man during the 24-hour period is 

 a factor to be considered. 



The test is simple, easy to carry out and the Sudan III has 

 apparently no irritating or injurious effect upon the bowels. In 

 the absence of an X-ray apparatus, much important information 

 may be obtained. It would seem to be a useful method in arriv- 

 ing at a more positive diagnosis relative to certain intestinal dis- 

 orders, such as torpidity, intussusception, strangulated hernia, 

 impaction, or where any obstructive cause might be suspected. 



