Recently, King1 and Eppinger2 found that the removal of the spleen resulted in an increase in total fats and lipoids, an increase in cholesterin, and a decrease in the unsaturated fatty acids, as expressed by the iodin number. In addition there was found in severe anemias a very high iodin number, suggesting that hemolysis in anemia is in some way related to the unsaturated fatty acids.
As a preliminary step to other investigations of the blood fats which we had in mind, it was thought advisable to repeat some of the work of King and Eppinger, that is, that dealing with the total fats and unsaturated fatty acids. King's technic was followed, except that cholesterol and cholesterol esters were not removed before determining the iodin number. We do not believe, however, that our failure to obtain results in accord with those of King and Eppinger can be explained by this