THE USEFULNESS OF GUM ARABIC AS AN INFUSION LIQUID

¹ Physiological Laboratory, University of Utrecht

It may be concluded from the above experiments that to the dangers connected with a gum infusion already known, a new one has been added, namely, the possibility of a calcium fixation in the blood. This occurs especially if a pure arabinate of sodium is used. With gum of unknown origin an interchange of Ca is possible. Furthermore, ions adsorbed on the arabinate molecule, like K and Mg, may easily change with Na-ions of the plasma and cause a disturbance of the physiological balance of the plasma-ions with consequent effects upon the heart. We found a pure Ca-arabinate to be harmless to rabbits.

The statement of Bayliss [1920] that "there is no need to add any Ca salt to gum saline, since the gum itself contains sufficient" is incorrect, and either he must have been fortunate in the sample he examined or possibly his practice of dissolving the gum in tap-water (London tap-water contains considerable quantities of Ca) was responsible.