32 



Scientific Proceedings (117). 



short periods to the sun's rays or were kept at all times in the 

 dark. The present report adds substantiation from the chemical 

 side to the clinical and anatomical evidence brought forward in 

 the previous papers. 



In a recent article Howland and Kramer 1 have shown that the 

 inorganic phosphorus of the serum of infants suffering from active 

 rickets is reduced, and that during the process of healing, especially 

 upon the administration of cod liver oil, the phosphorus content 

 gradually rises to normal. In view of the marked clinical im- 

 provement following sun treatment, it seemed of interest to ascer- 

 tain whether this procedure was accompanied by a chemical altera- 

 tion of the blood. For this purpose the rapid colorimetric method 

 of Bell and Doisy 2 was used, in which the color is developed in 

 protein-free nitrates through the reduction of phosphomolybdic 

 acid by hydroquinone in alkaline sulphite solution. Special 

 attention was paid to the inorganic phosphorus of the blood, 

 although in many instances the so-called acid-soluble and total 

 phosphorus was also estimated. It will be seen from the accom- 

 panying chart that the normal figures for inorganic phosphorus 

 are sufficiently constant to render this test of clinical value (Table 

 I). 



TABLE I. 



Blood Phosphorus in Normal Infants. 





Age, 



Inor- 



Acid 







Age, 



Inor- 



Acid 







ganic. 



Soluble. 



Total. 





ganic. 



Soluble. 



Total. 



Name. 



Mos. 







Name. 



Mos. 











Mg. P. per 100 c.c. Blood. 







Mg. P. per 100 c.c. Blood. 



M.K. 



6 



4.40 



14-5 





P.D. 



10 



4.48 



18.5 



45-8 



B.S. 



3 



4-33 



16.2 



38.3 



S.D. 



10 



4-31 



17.2 



46.3 



F.M. 



IS 



4.60 



17.8 



41.6 



B.H. 



12 



4.60 



18. 1 



535 



B.S. 



3 



4.42 



17.2 



56.8 



A.M. 



11 



4.76 



130 



37-8 



H.H. 



11 



4.80 



25-9 



43.0 



H.M. 



7 



4.10 



16.0 



68.2 



G.H. 



8 



4.69 



16.4 



34-3 



B.F. 



6 



4.00 



18.9 





M.D. 



4 



465 



17.2 



375 



A.R. 



13 



4.44 



18.7 



52.5 



J.F. 



18 



4.44 



16.0 



49.6 



D.B. 



9 



4.17 



18.5 



39-4 



B.R. 



1 1 



4-39 



16.8 



43-6 



H.R. 



13 



4.61 



19.6 



40.5 



W.L. 



8 



4.10 



14.9 



67.I 



S. F. 





4.00 







J.R. 



6 



4.10 



15-3 



.63.5 



II. B. 





4.40 







B.B. 



6 



4-05 



17-5 





L. S. 





4.00 







A.S. 



6 



4-25 



15.0 



54-7 



S . B. 





4.80 







A. A. 



2 



4.17 



15-9 



35-0 



M. G. 





4-34 







M.C 



1 1 



4.14 



18.7 















T.S. 



10 



4.20 



18.3 



41.4 













1 Howland, J., and Kramer, B., Am. J. Dis. Child., 1921, xxii, 105. 



2 Boll. A. F., and Doisy. E. A., J. Biol. Chem., 1920, xliv, 55. 



