Vill Scientific Proceedings 
THE INFLUENCE OF DIET ON THE URINARY CALCIUM AND 
MAGNESIUM EXCRETION OF MAN. 
By MAURICE H. GIVENS. 
(From the Sheffield Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, Yale University, 
New Haven.) 
Nelson and Burns’ found that eight out of twenty-five persons, 
on random diets, excreted more magnesium than calcium in the 
urine. If one accepts the generally quoted statement that cal- 
clum and magnesium excretion is dependent upon the quality | 
‘and quantity of nourishment ingested, their findings ought to be 
corroborated with subjects on diets having a content of mag- 
nesium greater than that of calcium. Accordingly nine healthy 
individuals, consumed foods estimated to contain more mag- 
nesium than calcium for periods of 6 to 9 days. In only three 
cases was the urinary magnesium excretion greater than that 
of calcium and in no one of them was the excess of magnesium 
over calcium greater than 30 mg. per day. In two of these three 
individuals the urinary calcium output became greater than the 
magnesium. by the addition to the daily intake of two glasses of 
milk; in the’ third case a similar result was obtained with a small 
dose of calcium lactate. When milk was added to the régime 
the calcium excretion was increased at once with a slight rise 
in the magnesium. 
ACIDOSIS IN RELATION TO PANCREATIC DIABETES. 
By V. W. JENSEN. 
(From the Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago.) 
Elias! states that the introduction of acids into rabbits and 
dogs leads to hyperglycemia and glycosuria. Watanabe® in a re- 
cent article had occasion to test this out on rabbits and concludes 
that the results are not at- all uniform, and he found that the 
amount of sugar in the blood was not perceptibly increased. He 
did not test the urine, but there was no reason to believe that 
3 Nelson, C. F., and Burns, W. E., J. Biol. Chem., 1916-17, xxviii, 237 
4 Elias, H., Biochem. Z., 1913, xlvili, 120. 
5 Watanabe, C. K., Am. J.. Physiol., 1917, xlv, 30. 
