Abstract
We have determined the sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium content of the serum of children suffering from active infantile tetany. As most of the infants were quite small it was only possible in a few cases to do the four determinations on the serum of the same individual. The results are given in Table I. It is seen that the sodium content falls within the limits of normal. The potassium content is apparently somewhat elevated. The concentration of calcium in the serum, as previously shown, is markedly diminished while that of magnesium is usually within normal limits.
The average concentration of these elements in the sera of normal children is singularly constant. The actual figures are as follows:
The (Na + K)/(Ca + Mg) ratio in the normal infant is therefore
while in cases of active infantile tetany it is
If the calcium were to remain the same, the ratio would be 27.8. It is therefore evident that the change in the ratio of (Na + K)/(Ca + Mg) is due almost wholly to the decrease in the concentration of calcium.
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