Raymond L. Libby

Excretion of Cobalt60-Labeled Vitamin B12 after Total Gastrectomy.

Summary Co60-labeled vit. B12 was administered orally in 0.5 γ doses to 4 patients who had had a total gastrectomy. Each patient excreted in the stools essentially all of the administered radioactivity. When gastric juice was given with the vitamin there was a decrease in Co60 excretion to levels similar to those found in control subjects.

Radioisotope Studies in Neuromuscular Disease: 2. Studies in Muscular Dystrophy and Myotonia Dystrophica with Sodium22 and Potassium42

PRELIMINARY isotope studies in various neuromuscular disease states have demonstrated a diminution of body potassium in patients with muscular dystrophy and myotonia dystr0phica.l The present investigation, a continuation of earlier studies, has been broadened to include the study of selected family members of muscular dystrophy patients. In addition, the body sodium content has been determined by isotope methods in order to better understand other aspects of electrolyte metabolism in primary muscle disease. The data have been obtained from a study of 33 patients with muscular dystrophy and myotonia dystrophica and 38 family members of patients with muscular dystrophy. In the present study, the exchangeable potassium and sodium content of the body was determined with the radioactive isotopes potassium42 and sodium22 by the method of isotope dilution as described by Corsa and co-workers: and Forbes and P e r l e ~ . ~ Values in man, as estimated by these authors, indicate that approximately 82 per cent of the total body sodium and 95 per cent of the total body potassium are measured by this method. The quantity of an element which will exchange with its isotope is termed the body content of exchangeable element, which, in the case of complete exchange, is the total amount of element in the body. Although the measurement of the exchangeable sodium and potassium of the body does not correspond to the totaI body content, it does reflect the physiologically active or available amount of these elements.

Oral use of penicillin in treatment of experimental Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection in mice.

Summary Penicillin is shown to be of value in the protection of mice against experimental Erysipelothrix rhusiopathice infection. Oral administration is successful in the treatment of mice even without any protective action from oil coating, or buffers, provided it is instituted within 24 hours after exposure. The use of penicillin in drinking water is found to be as effective as is its addition to the feed. Oral administration compares favorably with parenteral injection although larger amounts are required.

The Diagnosis of Morphologic Abnormalities of the Human Thyroid Gland by Means of I131

In previous reports (1, 2) a method of studying some of the morphological characteristics of the frontal profile of the human thyroid gland in its normal and abnormal states has been presented. The method uses I131 and the directional scintillation counter (3). The outline of the thyroid gland obtained by this method has been called a “scintigram.” It is the purpose of this paper to present the indications for this procedure and to demonstrate some illustrative cases. Method Briefly, the procedure of handling the patient is as follows: If visual outlining of the thyroid gland is recommended by the Hospital Radioisotope Committee, a dose of carrier-free I131, ranging between 100 and 300 microcuries, is administered orally in capsule form (4). The exact dose used within this range depends upon the avidity of the thyroid gland for the isotope. It has been found desirable to have 60 to 80 microcuries of I131 concentrated in the thyroid. The actual outlining procedure is done twenty-four or forty-eight hours a...