Effect of Germanium Dioxide in Anemia. 399 



M tiller. 1 We have treated ten patients suffering from anemia, 

 administering the germanium (N. J. Zinc Co. product) by mouth 

 in 0.2 per cent, water solution. The dosage was between 100 and 

 200 mgs. of germanium dioxide given daily, or in some cases every 

 two or three days, until between 950 and 1,400 mgs. had been 

 given. In three cases of anemia following hemorrhage there were 

 maximum increases in the number of erythrocytes per cubic 

 millimeter of blood amounting to 77.2, 71.4 and 41.5 per cent, 

 above the control counts. The hemoglobin in these cases in- 

 creased to a maximum of 53.2, 35.1 and 56.7 per cent, above the 

 controls. In addition to the germanium, one and one half ounces 

 of "ovoferrin" were given daily to the last patient, who had car- 

 cinoma of the uterus. The condition of the patient became worse, 

 however, and she died on the day of the maximum red-cell count. 



In five cases of secondary anemia, with diagnoses including 

 visceroptosis, colitis, tachycardia, carcinoma of the breast and 

 malignant endocarditis, after treatment with germanium the red 

 cells increased to a maximum of 23.4, 26, 53.4, 25.8 and 5.4 per 

 cent, above the control counts, with increases in hemoglobin up to 

 9.5, 10. 1, 14.5, 20 and 3.1 per cent, above the controls. In one of 

 these cases after the increase in red cells of 53.4 per cent, there 

 was a drop to 40 per cent; above the control one week after the last 

 dose of germanium, the count remaining at this level for about ten 

 days and then dropping to 7.7 per cent, above the control. A 

 second treatment with several doses of germanium resulted in in- 

 creases up to 24.5 per cent, above the control count. 



In a man suffering from chronic cardiovalvular disease there 

 were small increases and decreases over the control red-cell counts, 

 and decreases as great as 15.9 per cent, below the control hemo- 

 globin content after the germanium treatment. It appears that 

 in this case the medication was of no value. 



A woman with carcinoma of the cervix showed decreases in 

 both red cells and hemoglobin after germanium. This patient had 

 been treated with radium one week before the first dose of ger- 

 manium. 



1 Hammett, F. S., Nowrey, J. E. and Mtiller, J. H., J. Exp. Med., 1922, xxxv, 173. 

 Miiller, J. H., and Iszard, M. S., Am. J. Med. Sci., 1922, clxiii, 364. Hammett, 

 F. S., Miiller, J. H. and Nowrey, J. E., J. Pharm. Exp. Therap., 1922, xix, 337. 



