SCIENTIFIC PROCEEDINGS. 



Abstracts of Communications. 



Fifty-sixth meeting. 



College of Physicians and Surgeons, December 17, 1Q13. 

 President Earing in the chair. 



28 (845) 



The influence of epinephrin on carbohydrate metabolism. 



By Graham Lusk. 



[From the Physiological Laboratory of the Cornell University Medical 

 College, New York City.] 



It has been stated that epinephrin stimulates the activity of 

 the thyroid and thereby increases protein metabolism; that it 

 inhibits the activity of the pancreas thereby reducing the internal 

 secretion of that gland with resulting diabetes (school of von 

 Noorden). Hari, working with curarized dogs, finds a higher 

 respiratory quotient after administering epinephrin than before 

 the dose had been given. Wilenko, using rabbits under the influ- 

 ence of urethan, finds that epinephrin injections are without 

 influence on the respiratory quotients, and that when carbohy- 

 drate is administered at the same time, the respiratory quotient 

 indicates that the combustion of sugar is largely suppressed. 

 Falta has lately administered epinephrin to human beings and has 

 noted a rise in the respiratory quotient. 



In the experiments now reported it was found that in the case 

 of a dog which received 50 grams of glucose per os and, at the same 

 time, received 1 milligram of epinephrin per kilogram subcutane- 

 ously, the respiratory quotient rose to unity, remained at that 

 level during five hours in spite of the fact that during this period 

 about 10 grams of glucose were eliminated in the urine. The pro- 

 tein metabolism was unaffected. Therefore, adrenalin does not 

 inhibit the pancreas causing diminished carbohydrate oxidation, 



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