40 



Scientific Proceedings (87). 



3. Finally, attention may be called to an action of the thymus 

 gland which was as yet unknown. Exclusive thymus diet pro- 

 duces in A. opacum and A. punctatum severe attacks of convul- 

 sions, similar to those reported in mammals after extirpation of 

 the parathyroids and known as tetany. Larvae of A . opacum are 

 demonstrated in the state of an acute attack. 



No definite idea about the relation between the thymus gland 

 and these convulsions could be formed as yet; perhaps the most 

 interesting characteristic of the phenomenon is that it always 

 seems to start when the animals reach a certain stage of develop- 

 ment, and the acute attacks cease when the animals are ready for 

 metamorphosis. Metamorphosed animals of about 18 months 

 which have been fed from the fourteenth day after birth exclusively 

 on thymus, are shown; the animals do not exhibit any signs of 

 convulsions. 



From this it is certain that the thymus contains a substance 

 which produces convulsions; whether or not it becomes effective 

 seems to depend on certain organs which disappear or develop in 

 the course of the development of the organism. In fact, there are 

 some indications that the parathyroids are involved in this process : 

 for, first, convulsions are not produced by thymus feeding in the 

 frog and toad larvae, which develop the parathyroids in a very 

 early stage; and second, the acute convulsions in the A. opacum 

 and punctatum larvae cease approximately at the time when the 

 parathyroids develop. 



131 (1309) 



Demonstration of blood from an extreme case of lipemia in 

 diabetes mellitus. 



By A. I. Ringer. 



[From the Chemical Laboratory of the Montefiore Home and 

 Hospital.] 



The blood of a very severe case of diabetes was demonstrated ; 

 it contained 2.14 per cent, cholesterol and a total fat content of 

 14.4 per cent. 



