Nov. 15,1915 Gossypol, the Toxic Substance in Cottonseed Meal 
267 
ground kernels in a Soxhlet apparatus for several hours with petroleum 
ether and then with ethyl ether we obtained a product which for con¬ 
venience we called “gossypol extract.” After the evaporation of the 
ether there was left a red resinous material which had a peculiar pungent 
odor and which amounted to about 2.5 per cent of the weight of the 
kernels used. This material seems to consist largely of gossypol, 
although we have not yet made an examination with reference to identi¬ 
fying other constituents. No doubt considerable oil is present. 
Gossypol extract administered intraperitoneally and fed in one large 
dose in oil or in small daily doses with corn meal and molasses was 
found to be toxic to all the animals experimented with. 
Catheter Feeding op Gossypol Extract 
This gossypol extract from 90 to 180 gm. of cottonseed kernels was 
fed to each of four rabbits and proved fatal in every case. Care was 
taken to remove all the solvent, and the gossypol extract was dissolved 
in cottonseed oil which had been purified in this laboratory. The oil 
solution was then fed through a catheter. The control animal, on a 
large dose of cottonseed oil, had diarrhea the next day, but was normal 
thereafter. Table II summarizes the results obtained with the gossypol 
extract fed forcibly to rabbits. 
Table II.— Results of feeding gossypol extract and purified cottonseed oil with a catheter 
to rabbits 
Feed and rabbit No. 
Weight of 
rabbit. 
Weight of 
kernels before 
extraction. 
Dose. 
Result. 
Gossypol extract: 
Gm. 
Gm. 
C. c. 
Died in about 12 
hours. 
9 2 3 . 
1,500 
90 
15 
9 2 4 . 
1 , 75 ° 
180 
30 
(% water.) 
Died in 30 to 40 
hours. 
926. 
3,000 
About 160 
30-35 
Died in 2 5 hours. 
927. 
Purified cottonseed oil: 
925 (control). 
2, IOO 
2, 500 
170 
30 
{% water.) 
30-35 
Died in less than 16 
hours. 
Sick with diarrhea 
next day only. 
POST-MORTEM OBSERVATIONS 
Rabbit 923.—Part of dose still in stomach. First foot of intestines considerably 
injected. Excess serous fluid in abdomen, 10 c. c. No evidence of catheter reaching 
lungs. 
Rabbit 924.—Lungs very much congested. Excess fluid in chest cavity, 3 to 4 
c. c. Some hemorrhagic condition along blood vessels of large intestines. 
Rabbit 926.—Lungs normal. Anus discolored from diarrhea. 
Rabbit 927.—Lungs markedly congested. 
