Unpublished paper, 'On the action of bile upon fats with additional observations on excretine' by W [William] Marcet

Description

Having previously observed and communicated to the Société de Biologie of Paris, that by heating a solution of neutral tribasic phosphate of soda mixed with animal fatty acids, an emulsion was obtained attended with the formation of a small quantity of soap, while no such action occurred if neutral fats were used instead of fatty acids, Marcet 'was induced to inquire into the nature of the action of bile on neutral fats and fatty acids (sheep’s bile being used), with the final object of throwing, if possible, some additional light on the digestion of fats'. Marcet concludes that a mixture of bile and neutral fats (stearine, oleine and margarine), heated to a temperature above the fusing-point of the fat, undergoes no change, and no chemical action takes place; and that during digestion, the stomach decomposes fats into fatty acids using bile.

Subject: Biology / Chemistry

Received 10 June 1858. Read 17 June 1858.

Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 9 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the action of bile upon fats; with additional observations on excretine'.

Reference number

AP/41/5

Earliest possible date

1858

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

28 pages

Format

Manuscript