86 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY IN MEDICINE. 



latter will not coagulate in any concentration, and calcium 

 chloride only when present in nine times the concentra- 

 tion given above. This formation of a solid protein 

 compound is always preceded by a state in which an 

 intimate combination between the protein and the metallic 

 ion occurs even before the precipitation limit is reached. 

 It can readily be seen that, through the establishment of 

 a firmer combination between protein and calcium ions 

 in the presence of a few iodide or sulphocyanate ions, 

 the formation of other insoluble calcium salts can be 

 inhibited, and the excretion of calcium be increased in 

 this way. The therapy of arteriosclerosis has within 

 recent years been directed in no small degree against the 

 calcification process itself. It seems to me that what 

 has been said above serves as a theoretical basis for the 

 clinical experience of the best observers in this field, that 

 the continued use of iodides is able to retard the course of 

 arteriosclerosis. For reasons which will become clearer 

 later, the use of sulphocyanates in these cases would 

 represent a therapeutic advance. 



To the series of cases of arteriosclerosis there belong 

 two cases of aortic insufficiency with palpitation, dizzi- 

 ness, headache, a feeling of fear, and increased blood- 

 pressure. In one of these permanent relief from all 

 symptoms was achieved, in the other a temporary one, 

 as the therapy had to be interrupted after eight days. 



Four patients with chronic Bright's disease, hyper- 

 trophy of the heart, and pallor showed a rapid better- 

 ment of their subjective symptoms, consisting of back- 

 ache, neuralgias, and sleeplessness, when put on a milk 

 diet and sulphocyanate. Without attributing the better- 

 ment to the sulphocyanate, it could be shown in these 



