STUDIES ON GALL BLADDER FUNCTION : VIII. THE FATE OF BILE PIGMENT AND CHOLESTEROL IN HEPATIC BILE SUBJECTED TO GALL BLADDER ACTIVITY.

The data obtained from the experiments on dogs reported in this paper lead us to conclude that bile pigment is not absorbed from the gall bladder bile. The mean loss of pigment is so small when compared with the amount of water lost that it is negligible. Our cholesterol data do not support the concept that this substance is secreted into the gall bladder bile of the dog under normal conditions. In the majority of experiments there was a loss of cholesterol. Indeed we have failed to find any evidence of definite secretion or absorption save in the case of the infected gall bladder. We are led to conclude, as did Rous and McMaster (15) with regard to bile pigment, that normally there is no absorption of cholesterol.