Abstract
From the literature, 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 it is clear that if carbon particles (India ink) in relatively large quantities are placed directly into a “fasting” loop of the intestine of a guinea pig, rabbit or dog, some absorption of the particles results. The literature is not clear in regard to whether carbon particles are absorbed when mixed with food. This work was undertaken to answer that question for dogs.
Adult dogs of average size were chosen. They were fed the regular stock diet of the laboratory which consisted of ground meat and bread. Fifty grams of “fine” lamp black were mixed daily with the ration. The animals relished the mixture regardless of its color. Five dogs were used; they were chloroformed at various stages—dog 1 at 16 days, dog 2 at 30 days, dog 3 at 2 months, dog 4 at 4 months, and dog 5 at 7 months after the feeding was begun. The mesenteric lymph glands, spleen and liver were sectioned and examined for carbon particles.
Black pigment was observed readily in the mesenteric lymph glands in 3 of the 5 dogs, dogs number 2, 3, and 4, it being more marked in dogs 2 and 4. On histologic examination the glands of all 5 dogs were found to be pigmented, those of dog 1 being the least pigmented. Dog 5 which received the carbon for 7 months contained only a little more pigment than dog 1; however, in this dog some black pigment was found in the spleen and the Kupfer cells of the liver. The pigment particles in the mesenteric lymph glands were located in both the cortex and medulla of the gland.
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