THE INTESTINE AS AN EXCRETORY ORGAN

The excretory system of the body is of immense importance to the welfare of the organism. In man and the higher animals there are no effective devices for storing the end-products of metabolism—the waste of the body. Various structures and functions are evidently destined to promote the elimination of waste products promptly and completely, regardless of whether they are gaseous or nongaseous in character. Students are proverbially reminded that the skin, lungs and kidneys participate in the work of excretion, which involves primarily carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogenous and inorganic waste. Experience unfortunately shows that the renal structures not infrequently fail to perform adequately. This pathologic situation calls for medical resourcefulness. Diuretics are used to promote the excretory action of the kidneys. In former days much effort was directed under such circumstances to enhance the eliminatory function of the skin. Perspiration was promoted by the use of specific diaphoretics as