602 



SAMUEL H. HURWITZ 



the evidences of tissue destruction produced by both forms of radiant 

 energy in the leukemias, in which conditions the influence of radiation 

 upon metabolism has been more extensively studied. 



The effect produced by the rb'ntgen-rays on the basal metabolism 

 in leukemia was studied in Grafe's patient, T. S. (Table 4). In this 

 instance, the heat production per square meter per hour, which was 68 

 calories before treatment, fell to 52 calories and later to 48 calories 

 while under treatment. During this period, the leukocytes fell from 



10 



Fig. 4. Chart showing the effect of rontgen ray and radium therapy on the basal 

 metabolism of a patient with lymphatic leukemia. Basal metabolism, shaded columns, 

 and the leukocytic count, black dots and lines. The hollow rectangles at the top indi- 

 cate rontgen treatments, and the black ones radium treatments. The perpendicular 

 rulings indicate periods of one week. The upper broken line represents the average 

 basal metabolism for men from 50 to 60 years of age; the lower, the normal leukocyte 

 count. (After Murphy, J. B., Means, J. H., and Aub, J. C. Arch. Int. Med., 1917, 

 xix, 905.) 



820,000 to 200,000. Murphy, Means and Aub, on the other hand, 

 observed no appreciable action of the rays on the basal metabolism 

 of a patient with chronic lymphatic leukemia, whereas radium treatment 

 produced striking results. The leukocyte curve showed a more constant 

 fall and the basal metabolic rate fell to 47.7 calories per square meter 

 per hour, a calorific output only 36 per cent above the normal average 

 for men of the patient's age as compared with 44 per cent, the figure 

 obtained before treatment (Fig. 3). A similar drop in the basal metabol- 

 ism following the use of radium in an instance of myelogenous leukemia 

 was found by Edsall and his associates. 



The nitrogenous and phosphoric acid metabolism after rb'ntgen-ray 

 and radium treatment has been studied by many observers. In a patient 



