Variations in the distribution of carbon dioxide and chlorides in the cells and plasma of blood in tetany following thyroparathyroidectomy in dogs.

Abstract

MacCallum and co-workers have drawn attention to the fact that there is a decided loss of chlorides from the blood in gastric tetany, while Tisdall has demonstrated a similar loss in parathyroid tetany. It is known that the chloride content of the blood, small though it is, does not readily suffer change and it seemed to us that while there is no marked loss of chloride from the whole blood in parathyroid tetany there may be, in the acute condition which has been so marked a feature of our thyroparathyroidectomized animals, some definite alteration in the distribution of the chlorides in the plasma and cells of the blood. To determine this, and if possible relate it to changes in a similar carbon dioxide distribution, we have undertaken the present investigation.

It should be noted that by mild tetany we mean that condition of the animal immediately following operation, in which there may be no manifest signs of tetany or at most fine muscular tremor, felt most easily over the shoulder girdle of the animal. By acute tetany on the other hand is meant the severe and at times distressful condition which usually commences the second day following operation and is marked by severe spasmodic twitching of the supra-orbital and masseter muscles, spasticity of the legs, rapid respiration and profuse salivation, as described in a previous paper by one of us (E. W. H. C.).

Estimations of carbon dioxide were made by the Van Slyke method, of chlorides by the Van Slyke-Donleavy method. The results upon four dogs are reported; the normal results being compared with those obtained upon the four dogs 24 hours after operation, at which time all were in a stage of mild tetany; upon three of the dogs 48 hours after operation, and upon one dog 72 hours after operation; these latter were all cases of acute tetany.