THE RATE OF ABSORPTION OF IODIDE AND GLYCINE FROM THE GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT IN NORMAL PERSONS AND IN DISEASE CONDITIONS

Abstract

There is much evidence that nutritional deficiency may result from gastrointestinal disorders which hinder absorption of essential food factors. A suitable test for the functional ability of the absorptive mechanism would be of value. The appearance time of I in the saliva, after the ingestion of 0.25 gm. KI, was delayed in a wide variety of clinical conditions. It is believed that this delay is a rough measure of disturbance of the absorptive ability of the upper small intestine. The amino-acid N content of the blood, following the ingestion of 25 gm. glycine, gave no information of value regarding the variations in the rate of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.