A spectrographic investigation of the metallic content of the liver in childhood

Abstract

Spectrographic analysis was done on the livers from 111 children and 14 fetuses. The results confirm the findings of Bunge that Fe is stored in the liver during fetal life, and of Gladstone that Fe continues to be stored in the liver for 2 mos. after birth owing to the physiological post-natal hemolysis; after that period the amount of Fe falls rapidly throughout the nursing period, and rises when a mixed diet is taken. Analysis of fetal gall-bladders indicates that Fe is excreted from the liver during fetal life, but since it is almost entirely absent from the meconium there is apparently a reabsorption from the gut. Cu is also stored in the liver during fetal life; the concn. of Cu falls during the nursing period; and rises when the child is weaned on to a mixed diet. It is probable that the fetus derives actually more Cu from the placenta than it needs, since Cu occurs in the fetal gall-bladder and in meconium. There is a close parallel between the relative amounts of Fe, Cu, and Ca in the livers of children. The parallelism between Fe and Cu is probably attributable to their co-operation in the synthesis of hemoglobin, and it is suggested that for the optimum absorption of these metals, an adequate supply of Ca is necessary. The amount of Mn in the liver rises during the last 3 mos. of intra-uterine development, decreases during the nursing period, and increases when a mixed diet is given. There is no storage of Mn during fetal life, and in this respect Mn differs from both Fe and Cu in which the birth level is not regained. There is an active excretion of Mn from the liver by way of the gall-bladder and meconium during the last months of fetal life. Rubidium is stored during the nursing period, but not during intra-uterine life. A rough parallelism was noted between the stored amounts of Rb and K, possibly related to their close chemical affinity. Ag was present in traces in 1/3 of the cases.[long dash]A study of the results of the analyses in relation to the diseases causing death revealed connections in several instances: one of the most consistent features was the high content of Rb and other metals in the livers of infante dying from pyloric stenosis; a case of congenital cirrhosis of the liver was remarkable for the low Cu value and almost complete absence of Fe[long dash]a finding in sharp contrast to adult cirrhosis[long dash]and for the small amounts of Rb, Ca, and Mn; apparently the liver, being diseased early in fetal life, was unable to store the various metals to anything like the usual amount.