PATHOLOGY: E. VHLENHVTH 
517 
1 Fuhner, H., Zs. ges. exp. Medizin, Berlin, 1, 1913, (397). 
2 "Vollstandig von Eiweiss bef reite Ausziige aus den Hinterlappen von Rinderhypophysen." 
Fuhner, loc. cit., p. 399. 
3 narrower, H. R., Practical Hormone Therapy, New York, 1914, p. 460. A Glossary of 
Terms. 
* Fuhner, loc cit., p. 443. 
3 Cf. Aldrich, T. B., /. Amer. Chem. Soc, Easton, Pa., 38, 1915, (203). 
8 The biuret reaction was made at room temperature. Unfortunately we did not apply 
heat as is done when making this test for histidine. This substance was no doubt present, 
having been set free from the albumoses by hydrolysis, as is shown by the positive Pauly 
test. 
^ This also contained the redissolved residue from the 10 cc. used for the estimation of 
dry matter. 
8 Fenger, F., /. Biol. Chem., Baltimore, 25, 1916, (417). 
^ Cf . Ott, Enriquez and Hallion, Zuelzer, Weiland, Kohler and others. 
ON THE ROLE OF THE THYMUS IN THE PRODUCTION OF TETANY 
By Eduard Uhlenhuth 
ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH. NEW YORK 
I Communicated by J. Loeb, June 30, 1917 
In a number of experiments on larvae of Amhlys'oma punctatum and 
A. opacum the influence of thymus was studied. It was found that the 
effect of thymus upon these animals is not exactly similar to its effect 
on tadpoles of frogs or toads. With regard to this difference the most 
conspicuous and important effect of the thymus feeding in Salamander 
larvae is the occurrence of severe tetany in the thymus-fed larvae. 
Up to the present, 67 specimens of A. punctatum and A. opacum were 
fed exclusively on Thymus after they had reached an age of about six 
to fourteen days. In each single individual tetany was produced. 
For several days previous to the occurrence of the acute attacks, the 
animals are less active and their appetite is diminished. The acute 
stage appears in two forms: a mild form and a severe form. The mild 
form manifests itself by clonic convulsions of the hind limbs and the tail, 
while the severe form consists in clonic convulsions of the entire system 
of muscles. In the beginning of the tetany period, the attacks exhibit 
the characteristics of the mild form, then become severe and towards the 
end of the entire period again are mild. Each acute attack is followed by 
a tonic spasm of the entire body, during which the body is stiff for a short 
time. After several acute attacks the hind Kmbs become permanently 
twisted and stiffened and are to some extent paralyzed. Later on the 
forelegs and in severe cases even the neck and spinal cord become 
paralyzed. 
