17 



show what an immense burden has been added to the already over- 

 worked kidneys, which are called upon in this case to remove nearly 

 all, if not quite all, of the added sulphur from the body, previously 

 converted, in great part, to sulphuric acid. It is not possible that 

 placing upon the kidneys this increased work of excreting sulphur can 

 result in anything but injury. The fact that the microscopic crystal- 

 line and amorphous bodies in the urine are increased in number under 

 the influence of the added sulphur, is another indication of the 

 extraordinary demands made upon the kidneys in such circumstances. 



This increase is interesting in respect of the effect which the con- 

 tinued exhibition of sulphurous acid must eventually have upon the 

 structure of the kidney. It is reasonable to suppose that the con- 

 tinued use of a body which produces such results would cause lesions 

 of a histological character that eventually would develop conditions 

 which would give serious apprehension. In the nature of these exper- 

 iments it was not possible to examine the organs of the body histolog- 

 ically and hence the above conclusion is only based upon experience of 

 a similar character where the organs in question have been subject to 

 such examinations. While there might be no distinguishable lesion 

 of the kidneys produced during a period of twenty or thirty days, or 

 even longer, it is plain that, sooner or later, lesions of a very serious 

 character, producing organic diseases, possibly of an Incurable type, 

 would be induced. The further observation that there is a marked 

 tendency to the production of albuminuria, although of an incipient 

 character, is an indication of the unfavorable results of the adminis- 

 tration of the sulphurous acid. It is, therefore, evident that by 

 increasing the burden upon the excretory organs, the administration 

 of sulphur in the form mentioned is highly detrimental to health. 



All of these tendencies can not be interpreted as being other than 

 of a decidedly harmful nature. Another effect which the administra- 

 tion of the sulphur produced, and one of a more serious character still, 

 is found in the impoverishment of the blood in respect of the number 

 of red and white corpuscles therein. The administration of a sub- 

 stance which diminishes by a notable percentage these important 

 component particles of the blood must be regarded in every sense as 

 highly prejudicial to health. Some of the most important functions 

 of the blood, as has been well established by careful physiological 

 studies, are intimately connected with the number and activity of 

 both the red and white corpuscles. The bleaching effect of the sul-. 

 phurous acid upon the color of the blood is a matter of less conse- 

 quence and no great effect is produced upon the hemoglobin, but the 

 diminution of the number of red and white corpuscles is a matter of 

 serious concern. 



[Cir. 37] 



