Abstract
In previous reports we have discussed the behavior of the bloodsugar under various conditions. It was first shown 1 that when blood from diabetic dogs was dialyzed against Ringer's solution the sugar dialyzed out at an irregular rate as compared with normal blood containing added glucose. (Hirudin, or novirudin, was used as the anticoagulant in all experiments.) In some instances, and especially when the determinations were made at short intervals, the curves were most irregular, sometimes apparently indicating a formation of sugar under the influence of dialysis. We therefore subjected diabetic blood to short periods of dialysis, after which the blood was transferred to a glass vessel and blood-samples were taken every 15 or 20 minutes. These blood-sugar curves also showed irregularities 2 ; sometimes figures were obtained which exceeded the original values before dialysis. We have since studied this phenomenon further and wish to report the observation that this irregularity following dialysis almost invariably occurs in diabetic blood (dog or human) particularly if the initial sugar value is quite high. With concentrations of 270 mg. per 100 cc. or less, the fluctuations are not as marked, or may even be absent.
As a matter of routine we then conducted control experiments in which the blood was not subjected to dialysis or any other procedure, expecting a slow, regular, downward trend, due to glycolysis. We were surprised to find similar fluctuations in both dog and human diabetic blood, again noting that often the original bloodsugar value was exceeded and also that the greatest fluctuations occurred at the higher levels. Even normal blood to which glucose was added yielded similar irregular curves, but if no glucose was added there occurred only the regular glycolysis.†
The curves are not uniform in character; the peaks and troughs do not fall at corresponding points.
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