The Effect of Acid, Neutral, and Basic Diets on the Calcium and Phosphorus Metabolism of Dogs.

This monograph presents in condensed form the summary of a series of carefully controlled observations on the effects of certain variations in the diet on the development of growing animals with especial reference to the bones and teeth.

The results obtained with a standard basal diet composed of purified foodstuffs with a neutral ash were compared with those obtained when the basal diet was varied through the addition of alkali in the form of sodium bicarbonate, acid in the form of ammonium chloride and vitamin D in the form of cod liver oil and when there were variations in the calcium and phosphorus contents. The rate of growth was observed; roentgenograms of the bones were taken frequently, and chemical analysis of the blood and experiments on the metabolism balance were carried out during life. On the completion of the observations histologic studies and chemical analyses were made on the bones