100 



Scientific Proceedings (8i). 



tomy showed a marked decrease, averaging about 25 per cent, 

 less than the normal value. The feeding of 6\ grams of glucose 

 per kilo in 40 per cent, solution before the operation to fasting 

 animals showed the normal hyperglycemia to last three hours. 

 After thyroidectomy, glucose fed under the identical experimental 

 conditions, failed to raise the blood sugar to the level attained 

 before the operation. The increase persisted however for an 

 average of five hours. The urine remained free from glucose both 

 before and after the operation with a single exception. 



We have observed hypoglycemia in cretinism. It is present 

 in myxedema, in Addison's disease, and after removal of the 

 suprarenal bodies. Evidence is accumulating showing that a 

 persistent low sugar content is a sign of insufficient internal 

 secretion. 



Quite aside from the doubtful question of whether increased 

 alimentary tolerance to glucose can be demonstrated by an exami- 

 nation of the urine, these experiments show that there is less tend- 

 ency to hyperglycemia on carbohydrate ingestion after thyroidec- 

 tomy. It seems therefore, that the removal of thyroid tissue 

 might lower the blood sugar also in diabetes mellitus, possibly 

 with beneficial results. 



62 (1240) 



Further observations on the influence of diet on the toxicity of 



sodium tartrate. 



By William Salant and A. M. Swanson. 



[From the Pharmacological Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C] 



In a previous publication from this laboratory 1 it was stated 

 that the toxicity of sodium tartrate might be modified by diet. 

 Rabbits that were fed carrots resisted larger doses of the tartrate 

 than those which received oats and cabbage. The investigation 

 of the effect of diet on the toxicity of this substance was resumed 

 recently. The observations were made on rabbits and on cats 

 with a large number of diets which were given some time previous 

 to the subcutaneous injection of tartrate. Striking differences in 

 toxicity were observed. When young carrots were fed four days 



1 Salant and Smith, Am. J. Physiol., 1914, 35, 239. 



