"
"What is it?" asked Pitts eagerly, leaning forward with unwonted
strength and noting the pink colour that appeared at the junction
of the two liquids, contrasting sharply with the portions above
and below.
"The ring or contact test for indol," Kennedy replied, with
evident satisfaction. "When the acid and the nitrites are mixed
the colour reaction is unsatisfactory. The natural yellow tint
masks that pink tint, or sometimes causes it to disappear, if the
tube is shaken. But this is simple, clear, delicate--unescapable.
There was indol in that food of yours, Mr. Pitts."
"Indol?" repeated Pitts.
"Is," explained Kennedy, "a chemical compound--one of the toxins
secreted by intestinal bacteria and responsible for many of the
symptoms of senility. It used to be thought that large doses of
indol might be consumed with little or no effect on normal man,
but now we know that headache, insomnia, confusion, irritability,
decreased activity of the cells, and intoxication are possible
from it. Comparatively small doses over a long time produce
changes in organs that lead to serious results.
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