MINERAL WATERS 853 



Mesernitzky(a)(c)(^) ; Sarvonat) either could not be verified (Knaffl- 

 Lenz and Wiechowski) or was found (in vitro) to be the result of bacteria 

 and molds (Kerb and Lazarus) or took place just as rapidly in the body 

 without radium emanation as with it (Hb'ckendorff), and the cases of 

 true gout which improved under the influence of radium emanation did 

 not show any change in the uric acid curve (Handel). Radium-contain- 

 ing waters may not even owe their value to their content of radium emana- 

 tion (Lazarus ()). Trustworthy information on the effect of radium or 

 radium emanation on metabolism is meager. When given with meals 

 certain radioactive saline waters were found to have an inhibitory effect 

 on the action of pepsin, but only after the water had lost its radioactivity 

 through storage (Bergell and Bickel) which the authors consider an evi- 

 dence of activation of pepsin by radium emanation and a removal of the 

 inhibitory effect of the water on gastric activity. After feeding radium 

 bromide to dogs Berg and Welker were unable to show any change in 

 protein metabolism ; the total sulphur of the urine was increased. Accord- 

 ing to Skorczewski radium therapy causes an increased output of nitrogen 

 and uric acid, as well as of neutral and oxidized sulphur. Using the 

 respiration chamber Kikkoji demonstrated increased gaseous exchange and 

 increased nitrogen and uric acid elimination which was not invariable. 

 After intravenous injection of radium Rosenbloom found increased nitro- 

 gen elimination, but nitrogen partition showed no constant behavior. He 

 verified the previous findings on sulphur excretion and found that the 

 effects lasted about three days after the injection. Intravenous doses of 

 an active deposit of radium emanation produced a decided increase in 

 urinary nitrogen excreted by dogs (Bagg(Z>)). The destruction of cellu- 

 lar material as indicated by the fall in number of blood cells probably 

 accounts for this as well as for the rise in body temperature. In a five 

 and one-half weeks' continuous metabolism experiment on a gouty subject 

 (Kaplan) the ingestion of radium emanation and alkaline mineral water 

 decreased the excretion of uric acid as compared with the alkaline water 

 alone, pur in bases showed a slight absolute but a high relative increase. 

 On the other hand, Chace and Fine found it impossible to change the uric 

 acid concentration of the blood in gout and arthritis by emanatorium, 

 drinking water or injections, a conclusion confirmed by others (McCmdden 

 and Sargent (6)). An^increased elimination of uric acid in arthritis 

 after treating with large doses of radium emanation is considered by v. 

 Xoorden and Falta as definitely shown. This is possibly connected with 

 cell destruction. An influence on respiratory metabolism has not been 

 established except that after large doses a slight increase was observed 

 (Benczur and Fuchs). A transient decrease in blood pressure has been 

 noted (Loewy and Plesch). Despite the claims which are made for 

 radium and radium emanation therapy in metabolic disorders (v. Nborden 

 (e)) it can hardly be considered well established on an experimental basis. 



