D. J. Stephens

CYCLICAL AGRANULOCYTIC ANGINA

Excerpt Although Franke1in 1930 was able to find only three instances of the recurrence of attacks of agranulocytic angina, there are at the present time numerous reports of this condition in the l...

Leucocytes in the Saliva in Normal and Abnormal Subjects

Conclusions In a series of 512 enumerations of leucocytes in saliva and peripheral blood in 20 normal and 17 abnormal individuals, no correlation has been observed between the total number of white blood cells in the peripheral blood and in the saliva. During a study of the physiologic variations of the white blood cells of normal individuals 1 in which enumerations of the circulating leucocytes were made at 15 minute intervals over a period of several hours, simultaneously the salivary leucocytes were counted in an attempt to correlate and interpret changes which might be observed. In all, 367 such observations were made of 20 normal individuals. The observations were then extended to 145 determinations of 17 patients with a variety of pathological conditions. The salivary leucocytes were counted according to the method described by Isaacs and Danielian. 2 In making white blood cell counts of blood drawn from the ear, the method previously described 1 was used, in which, by counting 4 times the usual number of cells, the probable error was found to be about ±230 cells. Our observations of the number of salivary leucocytes in normal individuals are in essential agreement with those of Isaacs and Danielian. In more than 50% of the subjects, the number of salivary leucocytes was below 25 cells per cu. mm.; counts of from 500 to 1000 or more cells per cu. mm. were occasionally observed. However, in our data, there is no apparent correlation between the number of the white cells in the blood and those in the saliva. The salivary leucocyte counts were fairly uniformly scattered over a series of individuals whose range of white blood cell counts was from 4,000 to 12,000 per cu. mm. Marked fluctuations were found in the salivary count without any significant change in the leucocytes of the peripheral blood and vice versa. When fluctuations occurred in both counts during the same interval there was no consistent relationship of one to the other. Neither in individuals nor in the entire group was there evidence of a consistent reciprocal relationship between the numbers of leucocytes in the saliva and peripheral blood.

Relation of Viscosity of Blood to Leucocyte Count, with Particular Reference to Chronic Myelogenous Leucemia

Summary 1. Observations of the blood viscosity, hematocrit, blood counts and circulation time were made in a group of patients suffering from chronic myelogenous leucemia. 2. The relation between viscosity of the blood and the total number and volume of the white blood cells was determined. 3. The high leucocyte counts observed in chronic myelogenous leucemia are frequently responsible for marked increase in blood viscosity and prolongation of the circulation time. The probable relation of these changes to the symptomatology of the disease is briefly discussed.

Rate of Urinary Excretion of Test Doses of Ascorbic Acid

Summary The rate of excretion of ascorbic acid was determined after the oral and intravenous administration of test doses to unsaturated and saturated subjects. In those subjects whose reserves of vitamin C had been depleted, there was only a slight increase in the rate of excretion during the first few hours, regardless of the method of administration. In saturated subjects, an average of 80 to 85% of the total 24-hour excretion occurred during the first 12 hours after administration of the test dose. When the latter was given intravenously, maximum excretion occurred during the 1st and 2nd hours. After oral administration, maximum excretion occurred during the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th hours.

Zinc Salts and Oil in Prolongation of Therapeutic Effect of Pitressin in Experimental Diabetes Insipidus

Summary The presence of 0.1% zinc acetate prolonged and intensified the effect of aqueous solutions of pitressin in reducing the water exchange in experimental diabetes insipidus. The use of a preparation of pitressin suspended in oil resulted in a much more marked prolongation and intensification of the pitressin effect.

Capillary fragility and vitamin C.

Summary 1. Determinations of capillary resistance to negative pressure were made in 100 normal individuals. 2. Attention is called to the high degree of variation in values for the capillary resistance in normal subjects. 3. Variations in the vitamin C intake of normal individuals, under the conditions of these experiments, had no significant effect on the capillary resistance.

Chloride Excretion in Hypothyroidism

Conclusions Six patients with primary hypothyroidism, in whom chloride excretion was studied during periods of sodium chloride restriction, showed no evidences of limitation of adrenocortical function.

Effect of Undernutrition on Thyroid Tissue Respiration of Guinea Pig.

Conclusions The oxygen consumption of the thyroid glands of undernourished female guinea pigs was significantly reduced.