METABOLISM AND TREATMENT OF OSTEOMALACIA

Abstract

Although osteomalacia is a well recognized disease entity, complete metabolic studies using the newer nutritional methods are not available in the literature. An extremely advanced case of the disease recently observed by us over a period of one year offered an exceptional opportunity to study the disease and the effects of treatment. HISTORICAL RÉSUMÉ Pathology. —Various views have been held regarding the actual changes in the bones of patients with osteomalacia. Virchow¹assumed that the inorganic part of bone was inert and without metabolism, and believed that osteomalacia was due to dissolution of the mineral constituents by an acid. Cohnheim²was the first to take exception to this view, asserting that even in adults, bones undergo active anabolism and catabolism. He believed that absorption of the organic and inorganic substances is accomplished in osteomalacia through the activity of the osteoclasts and that later new bone consisting of organic matrix free