III. THE DIFFUSIBLE CALCIUM OF THE BLOOD SERUM IN ALLERGIC DISEASES

Abstract

The calcium metabolism in allergic diseases has recently been the subject of investigation by a number of workers. The principal method of approach has been through the study of the total calcium content of the serum by methods similar to the Kramer and Tisdall method¹ for the analysis of the blood for calcium. Such studies have been based mostly on the assumption of a deficiency of calcium in the blood and are supported principally by the indirect evidence that symptomatic relief has been obtained in certain instances through therapy with calcium salts. The mass of the analytic data, however, critically reviewed, indicates that the total serum calcium values lie within the range of normal variation.² For a discussion of the normal values, the reader is referred to the recent work of Criep and McElroy,² who also reviewed the present status of calcium therapy in atopy. As a part of the