The influence of partial resection of the small intestine on the pituitary gland.

Starting from the observations of other investigators according to whom massive resection of a portion of the small intestine brings about compensatory changes in the remaining intestine, the existence of a feed-back mechanism between the small intestine and the pituitary gland is postulated. The weight and histologic aspect of the pituitary gland were studied after resection of 50 cm jejunum in the white rat. The results showed increase in the weight of the pituitary and histologic signs of hyperactivity in the anterior lobe.

Blood histamine level in bovine leukemias.

Based on previous observations showing that in human chronic myelocytic leukemias blood histamine is about 50-100 times the normal level, this substance was studied in the blood of cows with chronic lymphocytic leukemias. The blood histamine level was found normal, thus confirming the assumption that a very high blood histamine level is specific for chronic myelocytic leukemia, in which it is a sure diagnostic element.

The influence of intestinal absorption of an amino acid on the subsequent absorption of the same amino acid.

Cysteine absorption was determined in an intestinal segment "in situ" in the rat under general anaesthesia, perfusing the segment twice for 30 minutes, at one hour interval, with the same amount of cysteine dissolved in a 0.85% NaCl solution. At the second perfusion, absorption of the amino acid was about half that at the first perfusion.