F. H. L. Taylor

HEMOPHILIA: THE CLINICAL USE OF ANTIHEMOPHILIC GLOBULIN

Excerpt The beneficial effect of whole blood transfusion in hemophilia has been recognized for over 30 years. The marked fall in the coagulation time following the transfusion of normal blood was a...

Comparative Utilization of Raw and Autoclaved Soy Bean Protein by the Human

Conclusions 1. Both raw and autoclaved soy bean protein support positive nitrogen balance in the adult human. 2. Nitrogen retention is about 20% greater with the autoclaved material than with the raw material.

THE EFFECT AND RATE OF REMOVAL OF PYRUVIC ACID ADMINISTERED TO NORMAL PERSONS AND TO PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT VITAMIN B DEFICIENCY

Excerpt Pyruvic acid has long been known as an intermediary product of carbohydrate metabolism. Nevertheless, there are but few reports on the pharmacological action of this substance in higher ani...

Bisulphite Binding Substances in the Blood in Health and in Disease, Particularly Vitamin B1 Deficiency

Bisulphite binding substances (B.B.S.) in the blood have been reported increased in vitamin B1 deficiencies both in experimental animals 1 and in clinical “wet beriberi”. 2 The present study of the B.B.S. in the blood was undertaken to determine its value in distinguishing vitamin B1 deficiencies from other disease states. Oxalated blood samples were taken fasting and at rest from 30 healthy controls, and from 110 patients. The method of Clift and Cook 3 was modified to adapt its use to trichloracetic acid filtrates of whole blood. Five milliliters of oxalated blood were precipitated with 20 ml. of 10% trichloracetic acid, allowed to stand 30 minutes and centrifuged. Five milliliter aliquots of the supernatant liquid were adjusted to pH 2 by the addition of 1.5 ml. of normal sodium hydroxide and allowed to react with 0.2 ml. of saturated sodium bisulphite solution for 15 minutes. Twenty-five milliliters of distilled water and 2 ml. of fresh starch solution were added and the excess of bisulphite titrated out with normal and N/10 iodine solutions adjusting the end point with N/200 iodine solution and N/100 sodium thiosulphate solution. The bound bisulphite was released by the addition of 2 gm. of solid disodium phosphate (Na2HPO4· 12 H2O) and titrated within 5 minutes with N/200 iodine solution. The values were expressed in milligrams of pyruvic acid per 100 ml. of blood, using the expression: 1 ml. N/200 iodine = 0.22 mg. pyruvic acid. In most cases the non-protein nitrogen, the plasma carbon dioxide capacity and blood sugar were measured on the same samples. In a smaller group the urine was tested for sugar, acetone, acetoacetic acid and pyruvic acid. Results. Thirty normal subjects had values for B.B.S. in the blood ranging between 3.66 and 5.75 mg. with an average of 4.74 mg. per 100 ml. Values for B.B.S. above 6.0 mg. are accepted as elevated. Normal values were found in the following conditions: arteriosclerosis, compensated heart disease, carcinomatosis, glomerulonephritis, hepatitis with jaundice, severe anemia, toxemia of pregnancy, acute alcoholism, chronic alcoholism without vitamin deficiency, chronic alcoholism with vitamin (B1) deficiency after treatment.

Role of Pressor Substances in Etiology of Arterial Hypertension

The theory that circulating substances play an etiological role in arterial hypertension has been revived recently by a series of studies carried on by Bohn and his associates. 1 ,2,3 These investigators of the Volhard clinic have reported the finding of increased amounts of pressor substances in the urine and in the blood of patients with “pale hypertension” (Volhard). In view of the important implications of Bonns conclusions, we have reinvestigated this problem. Because of the fact that several hormones and chemical substances are present in greater concentration in the urine than in the blood, and because large amounts of urine are readily obtainable for maximum chemical concentration, we have studied particularly extracts of urine. Blood and chest, abdominal and cerebrospinal fluids were also tested, both before and after extraction. In order to ascertain the efficacy of the alcohol-acetone fractionation of pressor and depressor substances, we have tested biologically not only the alcohol but also the acetone fraction, whereas Bohn utilized only the former. Twenty-one subjects were studied, 8 of whom were normal, 7 had malignant hypertension, 2 benign hypertension, and 4 chronic glomerulonephritis with hypertension. Extraction of a number of 24-hour urine specimens on each subject was performed. A total of 120 extracts were repeatedly tested on 55 cats. Dial and amytal given intraperitoneally were used as anesthetics, but comparative observations were also made of the effect of identical extracts on animals anesthetized with ether, chloral hydrate and urethane. Care was taken to test the same extracts in different animals, as well as to test different extracts obtained from the same subject in the same animal.

Relationship of Pyruvic Acid to the Bisulphite Binding Substances of the Blood

Increases in the bisulphite binding substances (B.B.S.) of the blood have been related to increases in pyruvic acid, both in beriberi 1 and following exhaustive exercise. 2 The B.B.S. has been shown to be elevated in beriberi 1 and other disease states, 3 and also following the injection of sodium pyruvate. 4 The present communication gives a brief résumé of the relationship of the B.B.S. to the blood pyruvic acid. Pyruvic acid was estimated in blood by Peters and Thompsons modification of the Neuberg-Case method, 5 B.B.S. by a modification 3 of the Clift and Cook procedure. 6 The methods used for selection of clinical material 3 and for administering sodium pyruvate 4 are given elsewhere. From pure aqueous solutions of lithium pyruvate an average of 85.7% of the theoretical amount of pyruvic acid as B.B.S. and 85.6% as pyruvic acid by the hydrazone method were recovered. The recovery of lithium pyruvate from blood, when added in amounts ranging between 10 and 20 mg. per 100 ml. of blood, averaged 90.4% of theoretical by the B.B.S. method and 79.9% by the hydrazone method. These values were obtained when the blood proteins were precipitated immediately after the addition of the pyruvate. Thirteen subjects having a B.R.S. in the range previously accepted as normal 3 had blood pyruvic acid values between 0.19 and 0.79 mg. per 100 ml. Three patients with nutritional deficiency and with B.B.S. values of 6.6, 9.6, and 13.8, calculated as pyruvic acid in milligrams of pyruvic acid per 100 ml. of Mood, had pyruvic acid values by the hydrazone method of 0.73, 10.46, and 0.72 mg. per 100 ml., respectively. In both normal subjects and those with elevated B.B.S. there was a much greater increase in B.B.S. than could be accounted for on the basis of the amount of pyruvic acid present.

Effect on Coagulation Time of Oral Administration of Rabbit Thrombin

Parfentjev 1 recently described a method for the preparation of pseudoglobulin of rabbit plasma having a high clot-promoting activity. Parfentjevs preparation has been repeated and the activity associated with this pseudoglobulin was found to be thrombic in nature. 2 This was indicated by the ability of the pseudoglobulin fraction to coagulate pure fibrinogen solution in the absence of calcium and to coagulate citrated and oxalated plasma from which pro-thrombin had been removed. Evidence indicating that this material may have clinical applications as a powerful hemostatic when applied locally to small wounds has also been presented. 3 The present communication reports the effect of the oral administration of relatively large amounts of pseudoglobulin from rabbit plasma, hereafter referred to as “rabbit thrombin”, to dogs, normal subjects and patients suffering from hemophilia. Methods. Coagulation times were determined on venous blood by the standard procedure formerly described. 4 In certain instances the blood was removed with an oiled syringe and determinations made both in glass tubes and in tubes made of a synthetic plastic “Lusteroid”. This procedure prolongs the coagulation time, 5 which makes it possible to evaluate small changes in the coagulation time in glass. In the case of the animal experiments the thrombin was administered either in hamburg steak or milk or in aqueous solution by stomach tube. In the case of human subjects 10 g of the material were dissolved in tomato juice and ingested. Results. The investigations were carried out on 2 dogs. 2 normal human individuals and 2 patients suffering from hemophilia. When amounts of thrombin varying from 3 to 10 g were given to dogs by mouth there was a prompt fall in the coagulation time, reaching its maximum in about 2 hours, after which it returned toward its initial value.