Abstract
It is usually assumed that the fluctuations of the protein quotient under normal and pathological conditions are due directly or indirectly to variations in the general nature and especially in the rapidity of the metabolic processes.
Thus, Cervello (1) ascribes to a retardation of metabolism the rise in globulins he obtained under the administration of antipyrin. Hurwitz and Meyer (2) suppose that the increase in the serum globulins in certain actue infections is due to metabolic disturbances. Schmidt and Schmidt (3) are inclined to believe that the serum proteins have no relation to immunity and would rather attribute the increase in globulins to changes in the metabolism resulting from the toxemia and tissue waste of acute infections.
In view of the fact that alterations in the protein quotient have been so frequently attributed by various authors to disturbances in the metabolism, it was considered necessary to investigate the more precise relations of the globulin albumin ratio to difference in the rapidity of metabolism.
