754 



HENRY G. BAEBOUR 



tions, among others, of Henius (a). This author fed arsenic to dogs on a 

 constant diet, observing increase in weight, a positive fat balance and 

 stimulation of bone growth. The red blood cells and hemoglobin were also 

 found increased under these conditions. 



Total Metabolism. The contribution of Henius includes perhaps the 

 only investigation relating to the effects of therapeutic doses of arsenic 

 upon the gaseous exchange in man. A chlorosis patient who was gaining 

 weight under atoxyl was found to exhibit no difference in the basal metab- 

 olism as a result of the drug administration, but the experiments were 

 not long extended. 



Chittenden and Cummins gave rabbits 35 milligrams of arsenic daily 

 and observed with these toxic doses some apparent diminution in the 

 oxidations. Large doses of antimony gave similar results. 



Nitrogen Metabolism. When affected at all, the nitrogen excretion 

 has usually been found increased by either arsenic or antimony. 



After arsenic Boeck found no effect upon the nitrogen excretion in 

 man, while Chittenden, Henius and others found an increase. With anti- 

 mony Gaethgens(a) (6) found a 30 per cent increase in a fasted dog's ni- 

 trogen excretion. Chittenden and Blake, however, found the protein bal- 

 ance unaltered when 1-1.5 grams antimony oxid were given to a well-fed 

 dog. 



Arsphenamin induces metabolic effects similar to those produced by 

 the inorganic arsenicals, according to Postojeff. Capelli found in syphi- 

 litic patients a high nitrogen loss on the first day after arsphenamin treat- 

 ment, the only effect noted upon the metabolism. Sodium arsenate pro- 

 duced a nitrogen retention in two patients studied by Boyd. This may 

 have been due to renal injury. 



Uric Acid Excretion. Abl found that arsenic and antimony in com- 

 mon with other intestinal irritants increase uric acid excretion. 



Carbohydrate Metabolism.. Rosenbaum and others are agreed that 

 arsenic induces a prompt disappearance of glycogen from the liver. The 

 blood sugar content was not found increased, but work with newer methods 

 appears called for. As with phosphorus, glycosuria at all events is rare. 

 Saikowsky noticed that the arsenic or antimony liver becomes free of 

 glycogen before the beginning of fatty infiltration can be detected. He 

 was unable to produce glycosuria either by piqure or by curare injections 

 in arsenic-treated animals. 



Konikoff showed that excess feeding of sugar did not restore the 

 glycogen in arsenic poisoned animals. Luchsinger found that arsenic 

 favors the production of alimentary glycosuria. Araki(a) found lactic 

 acid, but rarely sugar in the urine in arsenic as well as in phosphorus poi- 

 soning. 



Acid-Base Equilibrium.. Hans Meyer correspondingly observed a re- 

 duction in the alkalinity of the blood after toxic doses of arsenic. Mori- 





