EFFECTS OF OOPHORECTOMY 33 



thought it better to give the specific gravities and deal Author's 

 in percentage quantities rather than total amounts. All res P uTts mei 

 these estimations were carried out in the Biochemical 

 Laboratory in the University of Liverpool by a chemical 

 assistant trained in this kind of work. 



Since there was inevitably a slight irregularity in 

 the individual results, and as I had a sufficient number 

 of animals, an average estimation of all six cases was 

 worked out (table II) ; and from this the conclusions 

 were drawn. 



It will be noticed that there is not a great difference 

 in the averages of the specific gravities before and after 

 operation. After oophorectomy the calcium excretion Diminution 

 is reduced by one-half, and the chlorides are slightly C retion after 

 diminished. The phosphorus excretion is seen to be °P horec - 

 much increased, as are the total nitrogen and urea 

 percentages. The ammonia is found to be slightly 

 increased : it will be observed, however, that there is 

 no change of any importance in the ammonia-coefficient. 

 Knowing that there are considerable variations in the 

 nitrogen metabolism in the normal animal we cannot 

 regard the differences recorded in this respect as being 

 abnormal. The increased phosphorus excretion might 

 be considered somewhat curious in view of the definite 

 decrease in the excretion of calcium by one half, but it is 

 believed that there is no definite and certain relationship 

 between the calcium and phosphorus excretions. 



McCrudden 1 , relying on what appear to be two 

 carefully planned experiments, in which the composition 

 of the food taken in was known and compared with the 

 subsequent excretion in the faeces and urine, states that 

 he found an increased calcium excretion after oophor- 

 ectomy. At first sight the experiments appear flawless ; 

 but an examination of the tables given soon reveals 

 figures which require considerable explanation. In the 

 first place, it seems incredible that each animal ate to 

 the fraction of a gramme the same amount of food in the 



1 McCrudden, F. H., Journ. Biol. Chem., 1910, vol. vii, p. 185. 



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