Calcium Metabolism in a Case of Infantile Tetany

Quite recently MacCallum and others 1 have studied calcium metabolism in dogs suffering from post-operative tetany in consequence of parathyroidectomy. The administration either of soluble calcium salts or of parathyroid tissue relieves the tetany in such dogs. This work led us to study a case of infantile tetany which was available. The clinical aspects of the case have been reported elsewhere) The child was a negro girl, fourteen months of age when first seen (December, I9O8), at which time the tetany was well marked. No benefit was derived from change of diet or from the administration either of calcium lactate (six grains per day) or of desiccated ox parathyroid ( twenty-two grains per day). The child lost weight. The treatment just described was discontinued on January 4, 19o9, and a constant diet (5oo cubic centimeters of milk diluted with 5oo cubic centimeters of distilled water per day) was begun, which was kept up for two months. During this period the body weight (fourteen pounds) varied but slightly. During the metabolism periods the child was confined to a specially constructed bed, consisting of a Bradford frame. On this frame, in the middle where there was no canvas, a rubber ring pneumatic pad was placed. The buttocks lay in the open space of the pad. The pad rested on a collecting can, in which a wire screen caught the