SYNTHESIS OF FATS ACCOMPANYING INTESTINAL ABSORPTION 35 
Hence, if the setting free of the oleic acid be due to an acid formed in the 
lymphatic extract, that formation only occurs in the presence of the soap, and is a 
concomitant of the action upon the soap. 
Experiment ]. The production of acid from soap is not stopped by the 
prolonged action of sulphuretted hydrogen' upon the tissue cells or extracts, as is 
shown by the following taken from a number of experiments. 
The abdominal lymphatic glands of an ox, obtained fresh from the abattoir, were 
cleaned free of fat, minced finely and extracted with rive times their weight of distilled 
water in an incubator kept at 36 0 C. for a period of ninety-two hours. 
Before the flask containing the cells was placed in the incubator, it was 
thoroughly saturated with sulphuretted hydrogen gas and tightly corked. At the 
end of the interval, the contents of the flask still had a strong smell of sulphuretted 
hydrogen. The fluid was now filtered from the tissue elements, and a water-clear 
extract of a greenish-brown colour was obtained. This was charged again with 
sulphuretted hydrogen gas, corked, and allowed to stand for ten days at room 
temperature ; it was then filtered from a slight deposit of sulphur, and found on 
testing to be slightly acid ; acidity = The fluid was hence made slightly alkaline 
by addition of excess of sodium carbonate, alkalinity = ~~zz to rosolic acid as indicator. 
A portion, measuring 40 c.c. of the alkaline extract, which had been thus 
subjected to treatment by sulphuretted hydrogen, was taken, and to it were added 
0.8 gramme of sodium oleate, and 0-4 gramme glycerine. The flask containing the 
mixture was then saturated with sulphuretted hydrogen, corked, and placed in an 
incubator at 36°C. After twenty-four hours digestion at this temperature, an oily 
layer had appeared on the surface of the flask, and a single extraction with ether gave 
a residue weighing 0*355 gramme, and containing 0*341 gramme of free oleic 
acid. 
Experiment 4. In three cats, in which the stomachs and intestines were empty 
of food, the pancreas and small intestines were removed, prepared as before, and 
digested with normal saline for a period of forty-three hours in an incubator at 36 0 C. 
The solutions were made distinctly alkaline at the end of the period to phenol- 
phthalein, and the strengths were then made equal to one in nine of the fresh tissue. 
Each extract was then divided into four portions of 25 c.c. each, which had 
substances added to them, and were treated as follows : — 
No. 1. 25 c.c. extract + 0*5 gramme oleate 4- o* 1 gramme dextrose + o* 1 6 gramme 
glycerine. 
No. 2. 25 c.c. extract + o* 5 gramme oleate + o* 1 6 gramme glycerine. 
No. 3. 25 c.c. extract 4 0*5 gramme oleate. 
No. 4. 25 c.c. extract 40*5 gramme oleate + boiling before digestion. 
1. These experiments were devised to imitate the reducing condition present in the intestine, and so favour the synthesis 
of neutral fat, they were carried out with pancreas and intestinal mucosa, in addition to lymphatic glands, as above described, 
and in all cases gave negative results as regards fat synthesis and positive as regards acid formation from soap. 
