316 Chairman's Closing Remarks 



Dr. Fourman gave us a good account of an abnormal steady state 

 in the body, maintained and religiously guarded by the end organ 

 and the sensitive organs, but we did not have time to discuss the 

 effect of this on the function of the body as a whole, or how the 

 abnormality had been created. 



Dr. Davson gave a clear exposition about the way in which the cells 

 maintain their electrolyte metabolism and their internal structure. In 

 other words he discussed the cellular steady state as distinct from 

 bodily steady states. He pointed out, which is very important of 

 course, that the cellular steady state is maintained by the metabolism 

 of the cell itself. 



Dr. Kf ecek, Dr. DesauUes and Dr. Swyer put my fears to rest about 

 the hormone balance of the colloquium. They demonstrated both 

 well-known and hitherto unknown ways in which the hormones can 

 be shown to affect the end organ, and something about how this effect 

 varies with age and with sex. 



Dr. Thaysen gave what was to me a most interesting paper about 

 the way in which various glands elaborate and deliver their secretions 

 and particularly the electrolytes in them, and the way in which 

 their mode of action can be interpreted in the light of their final 

 product. The glands as a group are certainly worth further study for 

 no two seem to do the same thing. If we could only isolate them and 

 compare their metabolism with their secretions in relation to the 

 level of sodium, potassium, oxygen, etc., in the serum and blood, how 

 interesting it would be ! 



Dr. Karvonen's paper about the genetic control of electrolyte 

 metabolism in the erythrocytes was the only major contribution on 

 this general subject, but of course there are plenty of ways in which 

 we know that genetics and inheritance can affect electrolyte meta- 

 bolism. There are abnormal steady states in the body well known to 

 be under genetic control, such as the " hyperelectrolytaemia " of 

 infants. We have recently had male infants (brothers) under observa- 

 tion, in whom there has been a breakdown in acid-base control and 

 an abnormal steady state in the body fluids, due among other things 

 to a failure of the kidney to make and excrete ammonia. Genetic 

 aspects of electrolyte metabolism are going to become more important 

 as time goes on, and indeed a discussion of the hereditary trans- 

 mission of abnormal steady states and electrolyte metabolism would 

 be a very interesting one. 



Prof. Wallace discussed the ability of the organism to maintain its 

 normal cellular steady states under various nutritional conditions. 

 He came to the conclusion that wide variations in specific intakes did 

 not affect the composition of the cells but they may apparently 

 greatly affect the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the bone. 



