CHAP. VII.] 



THE CONNECTIVE TISSUES. 



281 



The fatty matter of bone seems to be very greatly increased 

 in this disease. 



Some observers have noticed that the bone possesses an acid 

 reaction and that this is due to the presence of lactic acid 1 . It has 

 indeed been surmised that the development of lactic acid is the 

 primary cause of the morbid change in the bones 2 . This view has 

 been supported by a narrative of experiments in which animals were 

 subjected to large and long-continued doses of lactic acid with the 

 result that they became affected with rickets which afterwards 

 passed into osteomalacia (Heitzmann 2 ). 



It has been justly remarked that the experience of physicians who 

 have experimented with Oantani's method of treating diabetes mellitus, 

 which consists in giving large doses of lactic acid, does not support 

 Heitzmann's statements, as no one has observed osteomalacia to result 3 . 



ANALYSES OF THE BONES IN OSTEOMALACIA 4 . 



Rachitis. 



Changes Rickets is a general disorder of nutrition, accom- 



in bone in panied by changes especially affecting the epiphyses 



Rachitis or of bones. An abnormal proliferation of cartilage cells 

 occurs, leading to an enlargement of the epiphyses, 

 whilst the growing bones being deficient in earthy salts become 

 distorted. When calcification occurs the deformities which have 

 been produced are often rendered permanent. It is a disease which 

 affects bones in the process of development or rather cartilage which 

 is being converted into bone and it therefore differs fundamentally 

 from osteomalacia, in which a morbid process causes the absorption 



1 C. Schmidt, " Knochenerweichung durch Milchsaurebildung. " Annalen d. 

 Chemie und Pharm., Vol. LXI. (1847) p. 142. 



2 Heitzmann, " Ueber die Wirkung der Milchsaurefiitterung auf Thiere." Anzeiger 

 der kais. Akad. d. Wissensch. Wien, 1873, No. 17. Abstracted in Maly's Jahresbericht, 

 Vol. in. (1874) p. 229. 



3 The reader may consult a paper by Dr Ernst Heiss entitled " Kann man durch 

 Einfiihrung von Milchsaure in den Darm eines Thieres den Knochen anorganische 

 Bestandtheile entziehen?" Zeitschr. /. Biologic, Vol. xn. p. 151. Heiss found that 

 the results were negative, even though lactic acid was administered to annuals fed upon 

 a diet deficient in lime salts. 



4 Gautier, Chimie appiique'e a la Physiologic, a la Pathologic, &c., Tome n. p. 541. 



