Glucose as a Factor in Metabolism.

Abstract

While the question of the nature and rôle of the glycuresis is still open, it has been clearly shown that glycuresis may be interpreted as a stigma imperfectness in metabolic adjustment to the quantity and quality of food intake. It is plausible that this phenomenon of the metabolic mechanism should be more noticeable in individuals with an impaired metabolism. Peculiar metabolic features of mental defectives are commonly known. We shall mention only one phenomenon because it has close bearing to the subject of the paper. While the industrial efficiency of the feeble-minded is definitely lower than that of the mentally normal, the caloric requirements of the former is hardly lower than that of the latter. The demand of the feeble minded for carbohydrates, especially breads and sweets, is striking.

Substitution of a part for bread and cereals by meat, eggs and butter (see Table I), renders them dissatisfied, unhappy and depressed, and leads to gradual and permanent emaciation (see Table II). (In addition, green vegetables with some sugar and butter in them were given ad libitum, approximating the caloric intake to 3000 calories.) It seemed worth while, therefore, to investigate the inter-relationship of the glycuresis and the demand for high carbohydrate intake in mental defectives.

In the tables, the glycuresis is represented in mg. of sugar as estimated by Folin and Berglund's method, i. e., prior to and after hydrolysis of the urine. The figures following the plus or minus signs indicate the cliff erence after hydrolysis. The decrease noted occasionally is explained by the fact that hydrolysis apparently destroys a small part of the reducing substances.