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Scientific Proceedings (130) 



In a previous paper 2 we showed that in a few patients with 

 furunculosis the calcium in the blood was low. We can now add 

 to this record the following confirmation of our former results. 

 (The figures represent milligrams in 100 c.c. of blood). 10.8, 

 10.6, 10.2, 9.9, 8.7, 8.5, (J. H. 7.9), (E. B, 7.1) . 



In patient E. B. who had had over forty boils and who at the 

 time the blood was taken had a large boil on the arm the cal- 

 cium content was 7.1. The patient was given 0.1 gram of para- 

 thyroid per day and up to the present time an interval of five 

 weeks, there has not been a recurrence. The calcium content was 

 10.3 after ten days of parathyroid therapy. 



In J. H., at the time the blcod was taken, there were two acute 

 boils present on the body. After about seven days of parathyroid 

 therapy there is an improvement in the condition. 



These findings confirm those of Grove and Vine 3 who record 

 good results from the use of parathyroid in chronic infections. 



We have made determinations of the calcium in the blood of 

 children with pneumonia for Dr. J. D. Lyttle and obtained re- 

 sults varying from 5.8 to 10.9. Dr. Lyttle informed us that 

 the amount of calcium so far as he could see had no relation to 

 the prognosis. 



Our results from cases of tetany are 8.9, 6.3, 6.4, 11.9, 8.4, 5.6, 

 7.1, 5.7, 8.1, 7.0, 10.3, 8.4, 12.5, 11.8, 5,6, 7.0. Some of the 

 patients from which these estimates were made also had rickets. 



Mendel and Benedict 4 from experiments on animals conclude 

 that if the carbohydrate intake is decreased the calcium excretion 

 is increased, the larger part being eliminated in the feces. 



Thayer and Hazen 5 state that in a human subject when the 

 patient was put on a green diet the calcium excretion is increased. 

 Mendel, and Thayer and their associates did not determine the 

 amount of the calcium in the blood. 



Below we give the results of the determination of the calcium 

 in the blood of patients in the Physiatric Institute on admission 



2 Thro, W. C, and Ehn, M., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 1921, xviii, 

 189--191. 



3 Grove, W. R., and Vine, H. W. C, Brit. Med. Journ., 1922, I, No. 320, 

 791; Brit. Med. Journ., 1921, II, 687. 



4 Mendel, L. B., and S. R. Benedict, Am. J. Physiol., 1909-10, xxv, 25. 

 B Thayer, W. S., and Hazen, Jour. Exp. Med., 1907, ix, 7. 



