Austin Henschel

Famine Edema and the Mechanism of Its Formation

Famine edema was produced experimentally in 34 normal men who lost a quarter of their body weight while subsisting for 6 months on a European type of semi-starvation diet. The ratio of extracellular water to cellular tissue was roughly doubled. Their clinical state closely resembled that seen in Europe in 1945. There were no signs of renal or cardiac failure. The plasma protein concentration fell only slightly and the A/G ratio remained within normal limits. The venous pressure was roughly 50 per cent below normal. Data from the field lend support to these indications that famine edema is not simply a result of hypoproteinemia or of renal or cardiac failure. It is concluded that there is a dynamic nonequilibrium state of the capillary wall and, accordingly, calculations from equilibrium equations are inadmissible.

The electrocardiogram of man in semistarvation and subsequent rehabilitation

Abstract 1.1. In thirty-two normal subjects, electrocardiograms were taken at regular intervals during a control period of three months, during a semistarvation period of six months in which a 24 per cent weight loss was produced, and during a controlled rehabilitation period of twelve weeks. In twenty subjects, electrocardiograms were taken also after thirty-two weeks of rehabilitation, the last twenty weeks being on a freely chosen diet. 2.2. During semistarvation, statistically highly significant changes occurred in most electrocardiographic items, and the electrocardiograms became clinically abnormal in the majority of subjects. 3.3. There was pronounced slowing of the heart rate, and its variability range decreased both relatively and absolutely so that the heart rate was more regular in semistarvation. These changes reached their maximum at the twelfth week of semistarvation, and recovered slowly during rehabilitation. 4.4. Q T interval and mechanical systole duration increased during semistarvation and shortened again during rehabilitation, but these changes lagged behind the simultaneous changes of the cycle length in both directions, so that K Q-T and K SYST changed accordingly. 5.5. The amplitudes of all deflections (P wave, QRS complex, and T wave) decreased continuously and very considerably during semistarvation and recovered slowly during rehabilitation. 6.6. During semistarvation, there was a marked right axis shift of the QRS axis and even more so of the T axis, so that the angle between both axes was diminished. During rehabilitation, both QRS axis and T axis moved to the left, overshooting the original prestarvation position at the thirty-second week of semistarvation. 7.7. Most electrocardiographic items were only partially recovered during twelve weeks of rehabilitation, but were back to the control values within thirty-two weeks, several functions (heart rate, R 1 , Σ T , QRS axis, T axis) overshooting the control values subsequently. 8.8. There was a discrepancy in the time course of changes between interval and amplitude changes, and between QRS complex and T-wave changes. 9.9. There was no correlation between QRS axis changes and anatomic axis changes, or between QRS axis and T axis, although all changed in the same direction. 10.10. A statistically significant differentiation of the groups receiving different caloric levels during rehabilitation was obtained in the following items: systole duration, K QT , R 1 , R 2 , Σ QRS , T 1 , T 2 , Σ T , and T axis. 11.11. Before semistarvation, voluntary maximal inspiration produced an initial acceleration of the heart rate in all subjects, which was followed by a late retardation in eighteen subjects. 12.12. During semistarvation, the effect of maximal inspiration was diminished in respect to both initial acceleration and late retardation. During twelve weeks of rehabilitation, only the late retardation was restored. 13.13. The decrease of K QT and K SYST in the late phase of maximal inspiration was significantly less pronounced at the end of semistarvation, and this effect was, to a certain degree, independent of the changes in the heart rate. 14.14. While the slow heart rate in semistarvation, as a rule, was due to sinus bradycardia, in two subjects nodal rhythm was observed; this was temporarily restored to sinus rhythm during maximum voluntary inspiration.

The effect of meals on the electrocardiogram in normal subjects.

Abstract 1.1. The effect of meals on the electrocardiographic pattern was studied in 120 experiments on 12 normal young men. 2.2. The electrocardiograms were taken before, thirty minutes after, and, in some cases, sixty minutes after standard mixed meals and high-fat content meals of 942 to 1,548 calories. 3.3. The three standard limb leads were taken in all 120 experiments, and in 24 experiments chest leads CF 1 , CF 2 , and CF 4 were also taken. The results were analyzed by precise statistical methods. 4.4. In the limb leads the significant changes observed were an increase of heart rate, increase of K QT (i.e., QT√R−R), a decrease of the T wave, a decrease of the duration of mechanical systole, a decrease of the Q-T interval, an increase of the QRS amplitude, and a left axis shift of the T axis. 5.5. Frequent but not consistent changes were observed in the P wave, range of heart rate, and K, calculated from the duration of mechanical systole. 6.6. The P-R and QRS intervals, the Q-wave, and the S-T segment showed little change. 7.7. The T wave in CF 1 became more positive; in CF 2 especially in CF 4 , the T wave was decreased. 8.8. The changes produced by the standard mixed meals and the high-fat meals were similar. 9.9. The changes observed at thirty minutes after a meal were present with only minor variations at sixty minutes after a meal. 10.10. Some practical applications to electrocardiographic procedure are discussed.

Effect of meals on the electrocardiogram of cardiac patients.

In a previous communication, 1 we reported, for 12 normal men, the effect of meals on electrocardiograms recorded 30 and 60 minutes later. Most of the electrocardiographic functions, especially the T-wave, showed statistically significant changes, although the electrocardiograms remained within clinically normal limits. In 20 cardiac patients, mostly definite or suspected coronary disease, we recorded the standard limb leads, 3 chest leads (CF1, CF2, CF4) and the heart sounds before and at 30 and 60 minutes after a 1000-calorie meal. In 2 patients additional chest leads were taken. The location for the chest leads was marked on the chest by means of a colored pencil. Out of 10 patients with some symptoms of angina pectoris but with normal electrocardiogram before the meal and without any signs of decompensation, the electrocardiogram became abnormal after the meal. The abnormality involved inversion of the T-wave in lead CF2 or CF4 or increase in the size of a Q-wave in lead III. These patients felt no discomfort after the meal. In 5 patients with coronary disease and abnormal elecrocardiogram before the meal, the electrocardiogram became more abnormal with inversion of the T-wave in leads 1, 2 or CF.4 Slight changes of the QRS-contour were also observed. In one patient, a transitory pulsus trigreminus appeared after the meal. In 5 patients nith coronarq disease and abnormal electrocardiogrdm before the meal, the electrocdrdiogram became more abnormal with i111erbion of the T-wave in leads 1, 2 CF4 Slight chances of the QRS-contour were also observed. In one patient, a transitory pulsus trigreminus appeared after the meal. In 2 patients nith abnormal electrocardio before the medl the cheat leads ap-peared to be more normal after the meal; previously imerted T-waves in CF2 and CF4became positive. Similar changes hake been obaerled niter exercise in colonary patients and cannot be interpreted as a sign of improvement

Renal Plasma Flow During Moderate Exercise of Several Hours’Duration in Normal Male Subjects

Summary 1. Renal plasma flow was studied by the para-amino-hippurate clearance method during moderate exercise of relatively long duration in 4 healthy young men. 2. During the first 16 minutes of walking 3 m.p.h. at 5% grade the renal plasma flow fell from 9 to 23.2% (of the resting control); during the second 16 minute period it fell from 15.4 to 36.6% and during the third 16 minute period from 18.5 to 33.7%. 3. During the second and third hours of exercise (2 consecutive 56-minute periods), there was little further change in the renal plasma flow. 4. In 2 of 3 experiments where recovery was studied, the renal plasma flow had returned to within 10% of the resting control value one hour after cessation of exercise.

The relation of age and other factors to cardiac subendothelial hemorrhage in dogs

Abstract 1. 1. Observations on the state of the endocardium, particularly of the heart valves, have been made in one hundred seventy-eight dogs in relation to age, injection of pitressin and epinephrine, and in connection with attempts to prevent the occurrence of lesions following the use of such agents. 2. 2. The incidence of subendothelial heart valve hemorrhages in routine autopsies on laboratory experimental animals was found to be more than three times as great in dogs over 5 years of age as in animals under 3 years. 3. 3. In twelve dogs under 1 year of age the incidence of valve hemorrhage was zero after control injections of isotonic saline and death by intravenous potassium cyanide solution. 4. 4. In sixteen dogs under 1 year of age given pitressin and killed within twenty-four hours the incidence of valve hemorrhage was 88 per cent. The same incidence was seen in twenty-four such animals given epinephrine. 5. 5. Neither ascorbic acid, vitamin P, nor papaverine counteracted the hemorrhagic effects of pitressin or epinephrine, under the conditions employed. 6. 6. These observations may provide a basis for an experimental approach to clinical problems related to age and cardiovascular diseases.

The Correlation Between Roentgen Dosage and Lymphoid Cell Migration in Tissue Cultures

Cultures of fibroblasts have been used by Strangeways and Oakley (1923), Strangeways and Hop wood (1926), Canti and Donaldson (1926), Canti and Spear (1927), Laser and Halberstaedter (1929), Canti (1929), Spear (1931, 1932), Cox (1931), Faber (1935), Lasnitzki and Lea (1940), and others, to study the effects of radiation. Inhibition of growth rate and the rate of mitosis have been taken by these investigators as an index of the effects of radiation. Stenstrom and King (1934, 1937) and King and Stenstrom (1937) have used the migration of lymphocytes from mammalian lymph nodes in vitro to determine the effects of spaced dosage of x-rays and to test the Bunsen-Roscoe law for roentgen rays. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the effects of a wide range of x-ray dosages on the activity of lymphoid cells in vitro. For this study, fragments of adult rabbit mesenteric lymph nodes were employed exclusively. The lymph node for each series of cultures was taken from the same animal from which the ...

Bacteriostatic Effect of Paranitrobenzoic Acid on Pneumococci in Vitro.

Summary Paranitrobenzoic acid and the salt compare favorably with sulfathiazol in their bacteriostatic power against Type II pneumococci in vitro.

Influence of Prontosil-soluble on Beta Hemolytic Streptococci Growing in Tissue Culture Media.

Conclusion Beta hemolytic streptococci growing in tissue-culture media containing Prontosil-soluble, 1:1000, produce hemolysin. The amount available for erythrocytic destruction is moderately reduced as compared with controls. This effect is not secondary to bacteriostasis.

Influence of Cultured Tissue Fragments on Sulfanilamide-Inhibition of Beta Streptococci.∗

Summary In tissue-cultures, the characteristic effects of sulfanilamide on beta hemolytic streptococci are markedly inhibited by the products of tissue-breakdown.