Identity of Brills Disease with Typhoid Fever. 67 



It is not intended to exaggerate the menace of this disease to 

 the public health. Nevertheless, although the disease in New 

 York City has apparently been mild and has shown little tendency 

 to spread, it is apparently on the increase there and the possibility 

 should be borne in mind that it may acquire virulence and epi- 

 demic prevalence. 



49 (658) 



The relation of the parathyroid glands to electrical 

 hyperirritability. 



By HERBERT B. WILCOX. 



[From the Laboratory of Clinical Pathology of the College of 

 Physicians and Surgeons, N. Y. C.\ 



The following observations were undertaken for the purpose 

 of obtaining information as to the relation between parathyroid 

 lesion and infantile tetany and of the value of the galvanic reaction 

 as a diagnostic sign of the disease. 



In all 25 operations were done on 18 dogs, tests being carried 

 on during August and September, 1910, and from March, 191 1, to 

 the present time. 



Information was sought on the following points: 



1. The limits of response to be expected in peripheral galvanic 

 stimulation of the normal dog. 



2. The influence of age upon this galvanic response. 



3. The comparability of electrical response in the dog to that 

 of man. 



4. The incidence of electrical hyperirritability and tetany 

 following injury to or removal of 1, 2, 3 or all of the parathyroid 

 glands. 



5. The time of appearance of these evidences after operation. 



6. The length of time by which the electrical evidences precede 

 the physical signs of tetany in their appearance. 



7. The constant or varying qualities of the changes of response 

 to electrical stimulation. 



8. The frequency of the presence of the electrical evidences of 

 tetany when all other signs are absent. 



