Heretofore variations in basal metabolism have been considered essentially as an index of the activity of the thyroid gland. We have correlated a series of fifty cases in which tabulations were made and which for the most part showed no clinical evidence of thyroid disease.
Great stress has been laid in the past on the finding of an increased metabolic rate associated with hyperthyroidism. In the present group of cases, which are unselected, a striking feature is the predominance of low metabolic rates. The significance of this rate is undetermined, and we present these data without venturing to interpret them.
The apparatus used in these investigations is the so-called "Benedict portable" manufactured by W. E. Collins. This machine measures only the oxygen consumption. The sources of error in the use of this machine in our patients are: 1. Soda lime must be replaced frequently. 2. Leaks in the system must