Influence of Thyroidectomy on Blood Sugar. 99 



other changes mentioned above, that follow upon long exposure 

 to the free HO ions. 



If these ions are responsible for the ageing one should be able 

 to age eggs precociously with hyperalkaline sea water and on the 

 contrary one should be able to retard ageing by rendering sea 

 water neutral. Such experiments were made and made repeat- 

 edly. Eggs were aged precociously and showed all the physiologic 

 and developmental changes which I have shown were character- 

 istic of overripe eggs, and on the contrary ageing was retarded by 

 removing the excess HO ions. 



The longevity of the eggs was increased either by a reduction 

 of respiration by KCN as proposed by Loeb, Lyon and others, 

 or by the elimination of the excess free HO ions of sea water. 



Other changes in ageing eggs were studied, such as the metab- 

 olism of the eggs, and the later developmental changes, but 

 these studies will be reported later. 



61 (1239) 



The influence of thyroidectomy on the blood sugar. 



By N. W. Janney and V. I. Isaacson. 



[From the Chemical Laboratory of the Montefiore Home and Hospital 

 for Chronic Diseases, New York City.] 



Considerable uncertainty exists with regard to the relation 

 of thyroid function to carbohydrate metabolism. Some writers 

 report a decrease, others, an increase of alimentary sugar tolerance 

 after thyroidectomy in the dog. This confusion is due to several 

 causes. Injury to the parathyroid bodies, which probably exert 

 a different effect on metabolism from that of the thyroid, has 

 frequently not been excluded. Previous experiments are open to 

 other technical criticisms. The observations have been chiefly 

 confined to urinary examinations. 



Accordingly, a study of the blood sugar was made before and 

 after thyroidectomy in a series of dogs. The operations were 

 performed by Dr. J. E. Sweet. At least two parathyroids were 

 isolated in each case. The wounds healed aseptically, and the 

 dogs remained free from tetany. The blood sugar after thyroidec- 



