Abstract
Lieberman and Szurek 1 have previously shown that parathyroid tetany can be prevented (dogs) by injecting subcutaneously large quantities of calcium gluconate (in 10% concentration). Whereas this salt of calcium is the only one so far described which can be injected subcutaneously without causing necrosis, no attempt was made to determine how little of a 10% solution sufficed to prevent the appearance of tetany following a single daily subcutaneous injection of this salt on the basis of cc/kg body weight in the thyropara-thyroidectomized animal.
Method. Complete data were obtained from 5 dogs. The average weight of the dogs was 10 kg. (Extremes: 7.5 kg.-13.5 kg.). For the the first 2 weeks after operation the animals were put on milk and meat diet. Thereafter, on dog biscuit diet.
Syringe and needle were sterilized in 70% ethyl alcohol. The shaved skin area through which the subcutaneous injections were to be made was “Sterilized” with 70% alcohol, which seemed to be a better disinfectant than an alcoholic picric acid solution. A 10% solution of calcium gluconate was used throughout.
As everyone knows who has worked with parathyroidectomized dogs, each animal presents an individual problem, probably because of the difference in the degree of parathyroid deficiency produced by the usual thyro-parathyroidectomy. The amount of calcium (in terms of cc. of a 10% solution of calcium gluconate) necessary to prevent tetany is therefore only an approximation which we hope will nevertheless be found useful to those working in this field (on dog or man).
To certain that tetany would ensue in a given animal, no injection was given after the operation until definite signs of tetany appeared. After restoring the animal to an apparently normal status by a large dose of calcium gluconate, the dose was cut down in time until on a given dose tetany appeared.
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