The Copper Metabolism of the Rat.*

Through the identificat,ion of copper as an active agent in hemoglobin building in the rat by Hart, Steenbock, and associates (l-7), later confirmed by McHargue, Healy, and Hill (8), the role of this element in life processes has acquired new and increased importance. Because of this newly discovered function and also because of its general occurrence in food materials (9, 10)-a fact which suggests its functioning in other capacitiesit seemed desirable to study the metabolism of this element more extensively than had hitherto been done. Results of experiments in which copper in large doses was fed to different species of animals over long periods have been reported by several investigators. Their observations differ greatly as to the t.oxicity of this element. Huber (11) found that copper salts of amino acids given to guinea pigs by various methods-subcutaneously, intramuscularly, and by mouth-produced only negative results. Drummond (12), in studying the deleterious effects of vegetables colored with copper, and Flinn and von Glshn (13), investigating the poisonous effects of metallic copper and of copper salts on white rats and guinea pigs, obtained no toxic effects; that is, they found neither pigment deposition nor cirrhosis in the liver. Mallory and coworkers (14-16) found pigment deposited in the liver of the rabbit, rat, guinea pig, and monkey when large amounts of copper were fed, and believe that there is a direct relation between pigment cirrhosis and copper poisoning.