Abstract
Summary
1. Rats fed high calcium, high phosphorus, acid or alternating acid and alkaline diets for a period of 15 days, show extensive soft tissue calcification, confirming previous experiments by others. 2. With acid or alternating diets high in calcium but not rich in phosphorus, no calcification takes place. 3. With an acid diet rich in phosphorus but without added calcium, calcification does not occur. 4. Neutral or alkaline diets rich in calcium and phosphorus do not result in calcium deposition. 5. An excess of calcium phosphorus and acid is necessary for the production of metastatic calcification under the conditions of these experiments. Neither acidity nor rapid alternation between acidity and alkalinity is sufficient to cause significant calcification unless both calcium and phosphorus are present in excess. 6. The presence of iron was demonstrated wherever calcium deposits occurred.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.