THE EXCRETION OF DEXTROSE IN THE STOMACH AND THE SMALL INTESTINE

The contents of the stomach and small intestine of normal rabbits, kept on a diet poor in easily convertible carbohydrates, when removed immediately after killing the animal (by clamping the trachea), usually contain a very small but measurable amount of dextrose (reducing substances). A preceding nephrectomy does not increase the amounts of the dextrose in these viscera. An intravenous injection of dextrose, if given in a sufficient quantity in a unit of time, causes a definite excretion, or increase of excretion, into the small intestine and the stomach. The amount of excretion, however, is incomparably smaller than the amount eliminated through the kidneys. A preceding double nephrectomy increases the gastro-intestinal elimination of the intravenously injected dextrose. The increase, however, is far too small to be considered in the light of a functional compensation for the loss of the considerable elimination through the kidneys.