Research into the chemical processes in the small intestine of man / by Allan Macfadyen, M.D. Ed., M. Nencki, M.D., and N. Sieber, M.D.

  • Macfayden, Allan, 1860-1907
Date:
[1891?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Research into the chemical processes in the small intestine of man / by Allan Macfadyen, M.D. Ed., M. Nencki, M.D., and N. Sieber, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    used each time for the estimation of the three acids. By estimating the acids by a moist method we avoided (1) any loss of chlorine (2) any excess of sulphuric acid from the sulphur of the albumen, anc (3) any excess of phosphoric acid from the phosphorus of the lecithin The ash analyses of the intestinal contents, after a carbohydrate diet were made in similar fashion. The following table gives the per centage amount of the different ash constituents :— After Proteid Diet. After Carbohydrate Diet. [Ash in solid remainder = 8'33 per cent.] [Ash in solid remainder =8'6 per cent.] In 100 Parts Ash was found— CaO, . 29’58 per cent. 21*71 per cent. MgO, 4-65 6-09 Na20, 31*53 30-94 K20, . 3-83 6-45 „ Fe203, 0-31 „ 0-44 „ SiO, . 073 „ 0-87 „ Cl, . 775 „ 4-84 „ S03, . . . 1-22 „ 0A7 „ 14-46 10-68 ,, Total, . 94-06 82-49 The figures obtained are in several respects interesting. In botl analyses the amount of the acids is much smaller than that of th< bases. If we assume that in the first ash analysis all the chlorine if present as NaCI, the sulphuric acid as S04Na2, and the phosphoric acid as P04HCa, then, in order to neutralise the mineral acids, grms. Na20 and 11 -40 grms. CaO would be necessary. The remainde: of the bases is united with organic acids, viz., 18T8 per cent. CaO 4‘65 per cent. MgO, 23’83 per cent. Na20, and 383 per cent. K20 From this it follows that 39’54 per cent, of the bases is combinec with mineral acids, the remainder with organic acids. If we make a similar calculation with regard to the mineral acidf found after carbohydrate diet, the amount of alkalies necessary t( neutralise them would be 4-54 grms. I4a20, and 842 grms. CaO The remainder of the bases united with C02 and organic acids woulc be 13*29 per cent. CaO, 6-09 per cent. MgO, 26*4 per cent. Na90 and 6*4 per cent. K20. From this it follows that 19'9 per cent, of th< bases is combined with mineral acids, and the larger remainder witl organic acids. In contrast to the salts formed with organic acids the amount of the sodic chloride and of all the mineral salts is mucl less. A very important and hitherto unregarded function of th( intestinal mucosa is the supplying of alkali to the chyme. Ar