PROTEOSE INTOXICATIONS AND INJURY OF BODY PROTEIN : II. THE METABOLISM OF DOGS WITH DUODENAL OBSTRUCTION AND ISOLATED LOOPS OF INTESTINE.

Dogs with isolated loops of small intestine show many evidences of intoxication. A study of the total nitrogen elimination shows a great rise above the normal base-line minimum of the fasting period (Table II). This means that the intoxication is associated with a great destruction of body protein, and explains the high non-protein nitrogen of the blood which was observed and reported previously (2). Injection of a proteose obtained from a closed intestinal loop will cause a similar rise in the nitrogen elimination curve. This furnishes more evidence that the intoxication observed in association with a closed intestinal loop is in reality a proteose intoxication. Dogs injected with sublethal doses of proteose will show a definite tolerance to subsequent injection, and will show much less acute intoxication after the isolation of a closed intestinal loop (Table 1). These immune or tolerant dogs show a much less pronounced rise in the nitrogen elimination curve during proteose intoxication of any type. This indicates that the tolerance or immunity to proteose gives more protection for the body proteins against the injury which these toxic proteoses inflict upon the body cells. Complete duodenal obstruction combined with a gastrojejunostomy gives a chronic type of intestinal obstruction associated with little vomiting, which is peculiarly suited to metabolism study (Table IV). Such duodenal obstructions show a definite and sustained rise in the curve of nitrogen elimination above the normal base-line level. These dogs, too, are tolerant to injections of standard toxic proteoses. Control ether anesthesia experiments show little if any rise in the curve of nitrogen elimination (Table VI). Control laparotomy experiments show a definite rise in the curve of nitrogen elimination, but a rise which is small compared with the rise noted in the intoxication of duodenal obstruction or of isolated intestinal loops. It is probable that the tissue injury and disintegration associated with the wound reaction are responsible for the general reaction. We may assume that protein split products from the wound area are absorbed and are responsible for the general reaction observed. We propose to assume that the intoxications here studied are associated with a definite proteose intoxication, which is capable of initiating and continuing a profound injury of tissue protein. One index of this protein injury is the great and sustained rise in the curve of total nitrogen elimination.