Studies on the Physiology of the Parathyroid Glands

Effect of Prolonged Exposure to 15% CO2 on Calcium and Phosphorus Metabolism.

“…The fall in plasma inorganic phosphorus associated with a rise in plasma calcium found during chronic respiratory acidosis in guinea pigs represents a major difference between the reported increase in inorganic phosphorus in respunse to acute exposure to COz for periods of 2-4 hours( 1). The changes in plasma calcium and phosphorus observed in our experiments are similar to those produced by parathyroid stimulation or injection of parathyroid extract (9). The increased urinary phosphorus excretion during the first and fifth day of exposure to 15% COz indicates 2 phases of increased parathyroid activity.…”

Studies of Calcium and Phosphorus Metabolism

“…Albright and Ellsworth (16) point out that there is a threshold value for urinary calcium excretion, below which the calcium in the urine remains negligible. The extraordinary thing about this threshold is that it is surpassed by the normal value for serum calcium.…”

“…This may well explain the high concentration of ammonia found in the urine (11). In agreement with such an explanation was the shrinking of urinary ammonia when sodium bicarbonate was added to the diet (periods 25-27), and the rise in ammonia excretion when ammonium chloride was ingested (periods [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. The fact that calcium chloride (periods 29 and 30) not only increased the fecal total base and fecal alkalinity but also the urinary ammonia was probably due to the greater absorption of the chlorine ions as was originally shown by Gamble (14).…”

The Parathyroid Glands

“…Later, attacks of tetany supervene and the course of the illness is similar to that of post-operative tetany. The serum calcium may be as low as 5 mg. per 100 c.cm., and the plasma phosphorus as high as 10 mg. Lenticular opacities may occur and advance to cause blindness (Albright and Ellsworth, 1929).…”