132 



Scientific Proceedings (29). 



of blood did not appreciably retard the daily average loss in body- 

 weight, but actually quickened it as a rule. 



The work is nearing completion and its results will shortly be 

 published in detail. 



81 (337) 



On the metabolic influence of magnesium sulfate in dogs, with 

 special reference to the partition of the nitrogenous 

 constituents of the urine. 



By MATTHEW STEEL (by invitation). 



\From the Laboratory of Biological Chemistry of Columbia Uni- 

 versity, at the College of Physicians and Surgeonsi\ 



In these experiments, in which relatively large doses of 

 magnesium sulfate were given to dogs, abscesses and sloughing 

 followed subcutaneous injections, but were not caused by intra- 

 muscular or intravenous injections nor by administrations per os. 

 Very large doses of magnesium sulfate could repeatedly be injected 

 intravenously without causing death, when care was taken to 

 conduct the process slowly. 



Daily fluctuations in the weight of the animals, as well as in the 

 volume and specific gravity of their urines, resulted chiefly from 

 diuretic or diarrheal influences and the consequent compensatory 

 tendencies. 



Administration per os caused diarrhea. Bone ash in the food 

 appeared to exert only a mechanical diminution of such diarrheal 

 tendencies. Injections under the skin or into a muscle or into the 

 circulation failed to elicit any evidence of diarrhea, except in one 

 doubtful case after subcutaneous application. On the contrary, 

 such injections appeared to make the feces drier and harder than 

 ordinarily, and the urine volumes greater. 



If there was any effect on the quantitative elimination of solid 

 matter in the feces, it was not more than a slight increase. The 

 same may be said of the content of nitrogen in the feces, and also 

 of the fecal discharge of magnesium (after intravenous injection of 

 magnesium sulfate). 



In a general way elimination of nitrogen in the urine was 

 increased -after the normal periods, but the increase was not suf- 



