88 



Sciektific Proceedings (90). 



salt excretion are quite false. Taken with the findings in this 

 series, it quite disproves the assumption that the rate of excretion 

 is dependent upon the height of the plasma concentration above a 

 hypothetical threshold. The evidence here presented seems to 

 indicate that we have quite a constant level in the plasma with a 

 urinary excretion independent of the blood figure and in general 

 dependent upon the amount of salt ingested. This suggestion 

 leaves us still in the dark as to the actual renal mechanism, but 

 opens several interesting leads that I have not time to discuss. 



Since any so-called threshold determined during a salt-poor 

 regime is so entirely misleading, even in the normal, the frequency 

 of that regime in the treatment of nephritis makes the clinical 

 application of the index rather limited. Much more valuable 

 than what the formula expresses are the facts that may be obtained 

 from a determination of the plasma chloride concentration together 

 with a knowledge of the daily chloride balance. There is a distinct 

 tendency to find a higher plasma concentration than normal in 

 nephritis and when this elevation occurs I feel that it is significant 

 of an impaired salt function. 



As applied to this series, a determination of the blood urea 

 gave the best evidence as to urea function, and total function, 

 while the plasma chloride, together with the daily chloride balance, 

 was the most accurate index of salt function. 



TABLE L 



Date. 



Diet. 



C. 



D. 



A rr: -, ' 

 p .- ~— ~_ 

 ■afX 



Cale»- 



Tirtsi- 



Aim-. 15, 



11-1 P. 



M.. . . 



Regular unlimited 



15-8 



,,3 



6.IO 



6.02 



5-70 









diet 















1 P. 



M 



7 gm. XaCl 















2-4 P- 



M 





17.6 



14.8 



6.06 



6.II 



5-57 





4-6 P. 



M 





16.6 



16.7 



633 



6.13 



5.81 



Apr. 16 . 







Sale-poor diet 







— 







Apr. 19. 









5-8 



2-5 



6.38 



5-77 



6.22 



Apr. 21 . 









3-2 



2.1 



6.19 



5-74 



6.07 



Apr. 23 . 









3-5 



1.68 



6.0O 



5-73 



5-89 



