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In 48 experiments, 36 patients were given oral doses of about 250 mg Fe as ferrous or ferric salt, mixed with 5 μC 59 Fe. In each case the iron concentration in the plasma (iron tolerance curve) was determined during the next 7 h and the intestinal absorption and utilization of the absorbed iron in the erythrocytes during the following week. Furthermore, at the beginning of the experiment the blood hemoglobin level, the fasting plasma iron and the latent iron-binding capacity were calculated. A significant correlation appeared to exist between utilization and iron tolerance curve, but no correlation was found between absorption and iron tolerance curve. Also significant correlations were found between Hb level, fasting plasma iron and latent iron-binding capacity. The results of our absorption experiments led us to assume that a temporary iron pool accumulates between the intestinal lumen and the vena cava inferior, probably in the intestinal wall 2 . Other results of our experiments indicate that the release of iron from this pool depends on the demand of the bone marrow.

In performing iron tolerance test in hookworm patients, the following results were obtained: 1. In the intravenous iron tolerance test iron requirement by tissues has been found quite high; and this seems to be due to iron deficiency in the erythropoietic system and a greater up-take of iron (iron depot) on the part of viscera. 2. In the iron absorption tests, on the whole the majority of patients show a poor absorption of iron, but after elimination of hookworms their iron absorption returns to the normal or better.

Summary The variability of inorganic iron tolerance curves is not related to gastric acid secretion, hemoglobin levels, or the changes of infiltration and atrophy in the gastric mucosa.

Summary The tolerance of volunteer patients to various ferrous salt preparations, administered orally in equivalent doses of elemental iron, has been compared. The palatability of ferrous sulphate tablets, BP, given before meals was not improved by administration after meals, by sustained release formulation, or by substituting other ferrous salts. Intolerance was related to the number of tablets rather than to the dose of iron in a course. The liquid iron preparation was the least acceptable. Ferrous sulphate tablets, BP, given before meals, approximate most closely to the hypothetical ideal iron preparation for therapeutic oral administration.

In normal subjects the average serum iron curve after oral load with a ferrous preparation was not significantly affected by oral administration of ethanol, whereas in patients with cirrhosis of the liver a significant elevation of the curve was observed after ethanol. Since ethanol affected neither the level of endogenous serum iron nor the serum clearance of exogenous iron, the elevation of the curve after ethanol was ascribed to increased iron absorption. This would indicate that ethanol does potentiate the increased iron absorption found in liver cirrhosis. The elevated curve could be normalized by oral administration of pancreatin and lowered by intravenous administration of pancreozymin.