16 METABOLISM OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC PHOSPHORIC. 



A phosphoric-acid diabetes, noted by Tei>sier, a and Ralfe, 6 showed 

 a resulting polyurea where as much as 12 grams of phosphoric acid 

 were eliminated per day by the kidneys. In diseases of the kidneys 

 the activities of these organs in eliminating the phosphates may be 

 considerably diminished. In meningitis, on the contrary, a marked 

 increase in the phosphates eliminated is observed in the urine. The 

 statements in regard to the quantity of phosphates in the urine in 

 rachitis and in osteomalacia are somewhat contradictory. A phos- 

 phaturia is described, which is more correctly called an alkalinuria, 

 where the phosphates settle out owing to an alkaline reaction. A 

 pathological phosphaturia is also noted. Sendtner c showed that 

 there was an increased calcium excretion in cases of phosphaturia. 

 This condition is due to a perversion of metabolism, but serves to 

 illustrate the close relationship which exists between calcium and 

 phosphoric acid. 



Voit d found that the feces of starving dogs contained phosphates. 



The subject of phosphorus elimination has been quite fully investi- 

 gated by Paton, Dunlop, and Aitchison/ In the case of dogs fed on 

 a vegetable diet a large proportion of the phosphorus of the food is 

 not eliminated in the urine. The same thing is true when the phos- 

 phorus (inorganic) is injected subcutaneously. 



In the case of goats none of the subcutaneously injected phos- 

 phorus is found in the urine, neither is any of the body or food phos- 

 phorus found in the urine. During lactation the excretion of phos- 

 phorus by the bowel is diminished to meet the requirements of milk 

 formation. In the case of dogs there is a diminished excretion of 

 phosphorus in the urine during lactation. The milk of goats contains 

 a large amount of total phosphorus, but a small percentage of organic 

 combined phosphorus. 



On giving a soluble glycero-phosphate of calcium by the mouth 

 no increased excretion of phosphorus was detected in the urine of 

 dogs or in the urine or milk of goats. 



The excretion of inorganic constituents in the urine was studied 

 by Cathcart andFawsitt f during a fourteen-day fasting period. The 

 excretion of phosphorus fell off gradually. There was a decreased 

 output of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. The normal 

 ratio of sodium and potassium is reversed in starvation. 



Fitz, Alsberg, and Henderson's ff determinations of phosphoric- 

 acid excretion during experimental acidosis in rabbits are to the 



a Lyon Medical, 1875, 19 :307. 



& Lancet, 1887 (2), p. 1243. 



c Munch, med. Wochenschr., 1888, 35: 671. 



d Hermann's Handbuch der Physiologie, 1881, 6 : 345. 



J. Physiol., 1900, ,'.5:212. 



/ Ibid., 1907, 36:27. 



9 Amer. J. Physiol., 1907, 18 : 113. 



