[Cameron] 



EFFECT ON RATS OF THYROID FEEDING 



69 



TABLE IV 

 Summary of Cases of Tetany 



In the single case where thyroxin-feeding led to suspected tetany 

 the dosage was at the rate of 1:10^ of body-weight; a larger dose fed 

 a younger animal than those used in the experiments with thyroxin 

 already recorded (3). 



We have already attributed these cases of tetany to the tissue- 

 alkalosis resulting from the prolonged rapid breathing which is an 

 invariable accompaniment. This immediate cause has been described 

 by Collip and Backus (7) and by Grant and Goldman (8), who have 

 produced short attacks of tetany in man by prolonged forced breath- 

 ing. 



Barker and Sprunt (1) have recently described a spontaneous 

 attack of tetany during a paroxysm of hyperpnoea in a psycho- 

 neurotic patient (boy, 18) convalescent from epidemic encephalitis. 

 This they attributed to the same disturbance of ratio of cations in the 

 tissue-cells, through the excessive removal of carbon dioxide from 

 the blood. 



Although of the young rats fed thyroid at least one out of every 

 seven developed tetany, we cannot yet produce such tetany at will. 



