Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920 edition. Excerpt: ...Varia-tion from Average 1 4.71 4.71 + 0.4 2 9.34 4.63---1.3 3 14.01 4.67--0.4 4 18.76 4.75 +1.3 5 23.42 4.66--0.4 6 28.04 4.62--1.5 7 32.72 4.68--0.2 8 37.46 4.74 + 1.1 9 42.15 4.69 0.0 10 46.90 4.75 + 1.3 1The patient from whom these data were obtained was in "coma, showing that knowledge of the test or cooperation cn the part of the patient is not essential to accuracy. The End Point of the Test: The volume of gas in the bag is reduced at the rate of about 15 c.c. per respiration. The bag, therefore, approaches the empty condition gradually. Moreover, the point in the cycle of respiration which gives us the beginning and end-point, namely, the end of expiration, is also constant regardless of the rate and amplitude of respiration, since this point in the cycle represents the position of passivity of the respiratory organs. The percentage variation in the time required by the patient to consume each successive liter is usually within =1; 2 per cent. of the average of the total time, as seen in Table 1. In patients suffering from severe degrees of thyreotoxicosis who are invariably more or less intractable and restless, it is, therefore, of greater importance, clinically, to make two separate duplicate one liter tests, than a single test of two or more liters in succession. In this way the method is rendered practically free from chance errors due to the operator's technical routine. Variations Due to Certain Diseases.--When the basal rate of metabolism of a subject is found to be constantly above or below the average basal rate for persons of his age and sex, certain diseases are diagnosed, chief among which are disturbed functions of the thyroid and pituitary. Severity of the disturbance is proportional to the variation from...