66 



Scientific Proceedings (89). 



"biliary colic " or spasmodic contractions of the gall bladder. 



(4) In uterine colic or spasmodic contractions of the uterus. 



(5) In vesical colic or spasmodic contractions of the urinary 

 bladder. (6) In one case of spastic constipation with powerful 

 tonic spastic contraction of the intestine. (7) In a few cases of 

 pylorospasm. (8) In a large number of cases of arterial spacm or 

 hyper-tension. (9) Lastly, one of the most striking of all the 

 effects, in cases of bronchial spasm or true asthma. Adminis- 

 tration of these drugs by injection has also been tried. A complete 

 pharmacological study together with further therapeutic observa- 

 tions on the action of the above benzyl-esters and benzyl-alcohol 

 will be published in due time in the Journal of Pharmacology and 

 Experimental Therapeutics. This preliminary announcement, 

 however, is made in this place because it is deemed that a sufficient 

 number of observations, both pharmacological and clinical, have 

 already been recorded by the author and a number of physicians 

 who have kindly collaborated with him, to indicate that the benzyl- 

 esters promise to become useful therapeutic agents. 



147 (1325) 



Studies in calcium and magnesium metabolism. Further obser- 

 vations on the effect of acid and dietary factors. 



By Maurice H. Givens. 



[From the Sheffield Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry , Yale 

 University, New Haven.] 



Givens and Mendel 1 have found that "Administration of 

 hydrochloric acid produced no significant effect upon the balance 

 of N, Ca, and Mg in the dog." Stehle 2 has stated that "the 

 administration of hydrochloric acid by mouth to the dog causes 

 an increased excretion of calcium and magnesium as well as of 

 sodium and potassium." New experiments have been conducted 

 on two dogs which received a diet poor in lime, consisting of meat, 

 cracker meal, lard, and agar. During two long periods each 

 animal received daily 2 gm. hydrochloric acid. The results with 



1 Givens, M. H., and Mendel, L. B., J. Biol. Chem., 1917, XXXI, 421. 



2 Stehle, R. L., J. Biol. Chem., 1917, XXXI, 461. 



