Intoxicated Enterocytes?

To the Editor: In their studies recently published in this journal (September 23, 1971) Halsted and his colleagues arrived at the conclusion that ethanol does not have an inhibitory effect on absorption of crystalline folic acid in the jejunum when tested by perfusion marker technics. Although these investigators studied absorption under a certain set of conditions involving the administration of alcohol, it may be questioned whether they did in fact actually test the effect of ethanol on intestinal transport of this vitamin. In the subjects in whom it was evaluated, ethanol was given perorally over a two-week period. One hour.