METABOLISM. 505 



When a more powerful chemical stimulant, as the naphthalin com- 

 pound, was used then fever was produced in the glycogen-free rabbit. 

 In neurogenic fever there is an increased excretion of urea. 



Nearly all observers agree that in fever there is an increasing 

 proteid metabolism, but no increased fat metabolism except such as 

 may result from inanition in the individual. There is every reason to 

 believe, in the puncture of the thermogenic centers and in infectious 

 fevers, that they both produce fever by an action on the thermogenic 

 centers. As Aronsohn has contended, there is no toxic destruction of 

 proteid except through the trophic nerves of the thermogenic centers. 

 The intracellular ferments also have a share in the metabolic changes 

 of fever. 



An increased destruction of proteid ensues in fever where there is 

 a paucity of glycogen and fat. The same series of metabolic changes 

 ensue in both infectious and neurogenic fever. 



Obesity. 



Obesity is produced by all the causes which slow the organic 

 oxidations, as sedentary life, absence of work or locomotion, and 

 insufficiency of air and light. Predisposing causes are heredity, 

 anaemia and sexual influences. Alcohol is not the direct cause of 

 obesity, but causes it by sparing the fat combustion in the diet. 



There is a method of reducing obesity known as Banting's method, 

 named after an Englishman of that name. The method is to eat 

 almost exclusively proteids, the patient obtaining his fat in his body, 

 although some fat is produced by the proteids. 



In the Oertel method of treating obesity, the cardiac muscle is 

 strengthened by diminishing the amount of food one-half and of water 

 still more, and by using carefully regulated exercise. The nitrogenous 

 foods are in this plan increased, and the nonnitrogenous decreased. 



LITERATURE CONSULTED: 



VON NOOBDEN: "Metabolism/' 1907. 



ARTHUS: "Elements de Physiologic," 1905. 



BARKER: British Medical Journal, 1906, pp. 1093-1099. 



LUSK: "Nutrition," 1906. 



CHITTENDEN: "Nutrition of Man," 1907. 



LEATHES: "Problems in Animal Metabolism," 1906. 



