SELECTED ABSTRACTS 511

Wilson, Robert, Jr.: Studies in Syphilitic Cardiovascular Disease. Am. J. M. 8~.

194: 178, 1937.

Two hundred and eleven cases of syphilitic aortitis, proven at autopsy, have been analyzed with regard to presenting sympt,oms. In practically every case in which

cardiac or respiratory symptoms were present, they have been shown to be due to some factor other than uncomplicated syphilitic aortitis-either to an extension or complication of the syphilitic process or to some coexisting disease. It is concluded that uncomplicated syphilitic aortitis is an asymptomatic condition, and that no criteria dependent upon symptoms are reliable in making an early diagnosis.

Cossio, P., Vivoli, D., and Caul, H.: Syphilis of the Interventricular Septum and Ventricular Tachycardia. Am. J. M. SC. 194: 369. 793i.

This report deals with a case of ventricular tachycardia caused by a syphilitic

lesion of the interventricular septum.

It was a typical attack of ventricular tachycardia tlue to infarction of tlrr inter- ventricular septum.

The lesion was of the sclerogummat,ous type with entloc~oron:rritiR, and Trrl)orrcmn pallidzlm was found in it.

This observation, as far as we know, is the first of its kind in medical literat,ure, and shows that a syphilitic lesion of the septum is able to produce an at,tack of ventricular tachycardia. In a case of prolongrd attack of ventricular tachycaardia, provided that the Wassermann and Kahn tests are positive, we must not only suspect infarction of the septum of the ordinary type, but also one of syphilitic et,iology.

Potthoff, F.: Tuberculosis and Heart Size. A Study of 600 X-rays of Men With Tuberculosis. Beitr. z. klin. d. Tuberk. 88: 187, 1936.

A large number of tuberculous patients show definitely smaller hearts than normal. Only in severe tuberculosis does brown atrophy occur. The small hearts are therefore hypoplastic and may be associated with the patient’s constitutional

makeup. In the present series, 88 per cent had hearts smaller than normal I the

normal series used being that reported by Hammer). T,. N‘. K.

Weber, H.: Early Diagnosis of Arteriosclerosis. Med. Welt. 10: 928, 1936.

The most common site of early arteriosclerosis is in the coronary arteries. This may give evidence of heart failure in the form of tachycardia and shortness of breath. It is not easy to demonstrate this arteriosclerosis by roentgenogram. Con sequently many years may elapse before the arteriosclerosis is diagnosed clinically.

L. N. Ii.

Gerstner, H. : Action of Electrical Currents Upon the Blood Pressure. Arch. f. exper. Path. u. Pharmakol. 185: 184, 1937.

Direct current and alternating current of various frequencies and strengths were applied to anesthetized dogs. Arterial blood pressure and pressure within the abdominal cavity, used as an index of general muscular tension, were recorded simultaneously. He was not able to demonstrate narrowing of the peripheral vessels apart from that due to tension of tetanized muscles. Qerstner found that, as

512 THE AMERICAN HEART JOURNAL

current was increased, first a rise in blood pressure occurred which appeared to he simultaneous with onset of muscular contraction. Then due to marked slowing of the heart, ending in firm1 stoppage in diastole, occasionally to ventricular fibrilla- tion, a sharp fall occurred. When stimulation with the strength of the alternating current constant but with gradually decreasing frequency of oscillation was used, observable effects on blood pressure or striate muscle did not occur until the frequency fell to 2,000 cycles per second. Arterial pressure then rose but not until 50 cycles per second was reached did the heart stop and fall in pressure occur.

J. M. S.

Neuhaus, I?. : Relation of Adrenal Adenoma in Hypertension. Beitr. z. path. Anat. u. z. allg. Path. 97: 213, 1936.

Seven hundred adrenals were examined. The adenomas were twice as common in hypertensive persons as in those with normal blood pressure. Adenoma of the

adrenal is considered a sequel and not a cause of hypertension. L. N. K.

Singer, R.: New Observations on the Circulation of the Lower Extremities. I. Arterial Pressure in the Limb Vessels. Wien. klin. Wchnschr. 49: 44, 1936.

Changing from lying to sitting or standing position elevates the blood pressure in the lower extremity. This is attributed to a hydrostatic pressure change. Simply

changing the position of the leg (or arm) leads to similar fluctuations of pressure.

L. N. K.

Apperly, Frank L., and Cary, M. Katharine: Arterial Hypertension. The Site and Significance of the High Chloride Content of the Blood. Am. J. M. SC. 194: 352, 1937.

In a study to determine the site of increased blood chloride in patients with arterial hypertension, and if possible its significance, it was found:

1. The increased blood chloride is wholly confined to the red cells. 2. This increased cell chloride is not the result of acidemia, since pH and

erythrocytic volume-index showed no significant deviations from the normal.

AUTEOR.

Zetter: The Action of Drugs Upon the Permeability of Arteries. Arch. f. exper. Path, u. Pharmakol. 185: 141, 1937.

Estimations of the permeability of carotid arteries of swine and a few human

femoral arteries were made by the method of Lange. This method consists of

placing a 6 to 10 cm. length of artery, tied at each end to a cannula and connected to a manometer, in a small bath (20 C.C. capacity) at body temperature. The lumen of the artery and the surrounding bath are filled with solutions or suspensions different in nature and the passage of material in or out of the artery observed. The intactness of the arteries, chiefly the absence of minute branches, was insured by discarding those which were permeable to congo red, normal arteries having been shown earlier by Lange to be impermeable to this dye. The influence of the addition of drugs either to the fluid surrounding or contained in arteries upon their permeability to fluorescin and napthol yellow was then tested. Zetter found that nitrites, and either purine or mercurial diuretics increase, and that calcium and nicotine decrease permeability of the arterial walls. The forcefulness of the conclusions are, however, somewhat vitiated by the fact that quantitative measure-