S. Kuriyama 227 
crease of the Jiver glycogen of thyroid-fed rats. The kind of 
alkali, the method ‘of administration, and the dose must, how- 
ever, be taken into consideration. Though it may be possible 
that the acidosis in experimental hyperthyroidism plays some 
role in restraining the new formation of liver glycogen, further 
investigations are needed for making this relation clear. 
SUMMARY. 
In normal rabbits the level of the alkali reserve of the blood is 
markedly dependent upon the character of the food. Though 
the CO: capacity of the plasma is 61 to 64 in green diet, this 
value is reduced to 48 to 53 on the oat diet. The hydrogen ion 
concentration of the blood remains constant with both kinds of 
diet (pH 7.85 to 7.5). Thyroid feeding induces a noteworthy 
acidosis in oat-fed rabbits (CO. capacity of the plasma, 29 to 30; 
pH of the blood, 7.25 to 7.8 before aeration, 7.9 to 8.0 after aera- 
tion). On green diet these changes are not so marked, probably 
being repaired by the base-forming character of the food (COs 
capacity of the plasma, 44 to 46; pH of the blood, 7.45). 
The acidosis induced by thyroid in oat-fed rabbits can be promptly 
removed by omitting thyroid from the diet and adding greens. 
Acidosis appears also in rabbits either fasted or fed with animal 
tissue powder, but to a smaller degree than in the thyroid-fed 
.animals (CO, capacity of the plasma, 36 to 35, and 41 to 39 re- 
spectively). Acidosis induced by thyroid feeding is probably 
due to an increased production of acids in the body. 
Epinephrine injection into rabbits failed to cause any note- 
worthy acidosis. No evidence was obtained that the acidosis 
found in thyroid-fed rabbits is induced by hypersecretion of the 
adrenals. | 
When a small amount of sodium bicarbonate was orally ad- 
ministered into thyroid-fed rats, the decrease of the glycogen 
content of the liver was nearly as great as that in those without 
any excess alkali. 
The author desires to express his thanks to Professor Frank 
P. Underhill for his suggestions and interest throughout the 
course of this and the two foregoing investigations; also to Pro- 
fessor Lafayette B. Mendel for his advice. 
