i8 



Scientific Proceedings (30). 



Effect of taurocholic acid on the large intestine. — By the Magnus 

 method, ^ grain of taurochohc acid decreased peristalsis and the 

 tonus of the large intestine. In the rabbit, \ to | grain of tauro- 

 cholic acid by the Magnus method greatly decreased the tonus 

 and peristalsis. 



There is no doubt that either with the excised intestine or with 

 the balloon method, where the nerves of the intestine are attached, 

 that bile from -^^ of a drop up to 4 c.c. primarily inhibits peri- 

 talsis and afterwards may or may not increase peristalsis. The 

 taurocholic and glycocholic acids have the same action as the bile 

 itself. The experiments upon the pulse-rate and arterial tension 

 show that bile after a few doses reduces the tension and the heart 

 beat. Taurocholic acid reduces the heart beat and the blood pres- 

 sure. Glycocholic acid reduces the blood pressure, but did not 

 materially alter the pulse-rate. 



From an examination of our results it is apparent that bile has 

 contradictory effects upon the small and large intestine. It is 

 evident that with either the Magnus method or the balloon 

 method results are antagonistic. Dr. Schiipbach believes that 

 this may in part be explained by a psychic reaction on the intes- 

 tine in his experiments. It will not, however, explain the con- 

 tradictory effect in the case of the excised intestine. In 1884, 

 in a paper on intestinal peristalsis, Ott called the ganglia in the 

 intestine intestino-motor and intcstino-inhibitory. It is probable 

 that these ganglia have a varying antagonistic effect, and as one or 

 the other is in the ascendant we have an increase or a decrease of 

 peristalsis by the bile. It is evident that the circulatory changes 

 did not have any part in the changes in intestinal persitalsis. 



10 (348) 



The uric acid excretion of normal men. 



By PAUL J. HANZLIK and P. B. HAWK. 



\_From the Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry of the Department 

 of Animal Husbandry of the University of Illinois.'] 



The purpose of the investigation was to observe the course of 

 the excretion of uric acid in normal men living on an ordinary 

 mixed diet. Each subject was allowed to select his own diet and 



