THE INTESTINAL CONTENT IN PERNICIOUS ANEMIA OF FACTORS FOR THE GROWTH OF STREPTOCOCCUS FAECALIS AND LACTOBACILLUS LEICHMANNII

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Abstract
The gastric juice and small intestinal secretions of three cases of untreated pernicious anemia and two control patients obtained during a period of fasting contained only very small amounts of pteroylglutamic acid or of factors for the growth of L. leichmannii, which include vitamin B12; there was no evidence of a consistent increase or decrease of these factors along the intestine. Both pteroylglutamic acid and vitamin B12 appear to be synthesized in relatively large amounts in the large intestine; in a patient with pernicious anemia, the daily output in the stools may be about 5 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 0.5 mg. of pteroylglutamic acid. Similar quantities may be present in patients not suffering from this disorder.