The effects of the injection of certain salts on the calcium, magnesium and inorganic phosphorus of the serum of the rabbit.

BROOKFIELD [1933] showed that in the serum of the rabbit there was an inverse relationship between calcium and magnesium, a direct relationship between magnesium and inorganic phosphorus and an inverse relationship between calcium and inorganic phosphorus, the latter of which had been previously observed by Dupre and Semeonoff [1931] and Bourne and Campbell [1932]. The rises and falls in the concentrations of the three ions in the serum were correlated with their relative amounts in the diet. The relationships seemed worthy of further study under other experimental conditions, in order to determine whether the effects observed with diets varying in their mineral contents were of more general significance, and accordingly another series of experiments has been carried out. Solutions of salts containing Ca++, Mg++ and PO-4 ions have been injected subcutaneously into rabbits and their effects on the calcium, magnesium and inorganic phosphorus of the serum observed.