The small intestine

Clinical investigation of the small bowel at The Mount Sinai Hospital began with David Adlersberg's arrival in 1931. His research interests were in bile acids, cholesterol, carotene, and vitamin A. In 1952, he was given a Nutrition Laboratory and later, a Nutrition Clinic. His vitamin A tolerance test and interest in malabsorption led him to a comprehensive study of sprue, the separation of the tropical and non-tropical forms, and their different etiologies and treatments. Adlersberg's work was complemented by (a) Marshak and Wolf's radiologic examination of the small bowel (especially in sprue and other malabsorption disorders); (b) Gerson s perfusion experiments; and (c) Friedman, Waye and Wolf's motility studies. Lieber and his colleagues explored the deleterious effects of alcohol on the function and structure of the small intestine. Gerson explored the nutrition of patients with Crohn's disease of the small intestine, especially after extensive resection or bypass leading to ascorbic and folic acid deficiencies and hypergastrinemia.