The oral administration of insulin to rabbits.

Abstract

once in the height of scurvy and again during recovery. One group of animals was then starved and bled after they had lost about 20 per cent of their weight. The effect of inanition during scurvy on complement was thus controlled. Clean, sterile apparatus and exceeding care in the volumetric measurements were emphasized.From the chart it is seen that during scurvy a definite increase in the complement titer was observed over that in the fore period, while in the convalescent period the titer remained somewhat higher than in the fore period. Starvation resulted in a lowering of the titer. The effect of age, anesthesia and repeated bleedings are negligible according to Kolmer.'We realize that the number of animals used (12) is small, but in view of the consistent and unexpected results we have offered them at this time. It appears from these experiments that there may be an obscure connection between the complement of the serum and the natural effort of the body to compensate for the tremendous physiological upset incident to scurvy.Two papers have recentIy appeared on the absorption of insulin in alcoholic solution from the stomach. Winter' stated that insulin in weak alcoholic solution administered to rabbits per 0s caused the blood sugar to fall to a low level. Blatherwick2 concluded that the oral administration of a weak solution of alcohol to rabbits caused marked decrease in the bIood sugar. There IKolmer, J. A., Matsunami, T., and Trist, M. E., Am. J. Syphilis, 1919, iii,