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Summary1. Quantitative determinations of the excretion of porphyrin in a case of alcoholic pellagra are presented. 2. Both quantitatively and qualitatively abnormal excretion of porphyrin featured relapse and disappeared during the induced remission.

Coproporphyrin I is excreted in the urine and feces under normal and most pathological circumstances.1, 2, 3 In order to determine the relations between normal and abnormal pigment construction and destruction it has been necessary to develop an adequate method for the exact quantitative separation and measurement of porphyrins. Urine and feces were collected for one- to 3-day periods and kept in the dark. After careful mixing aliquot portions were analyzed. Not less than 50 gamma of coproporphyrin should be available for measurement; normally this amount is present in about half the daily amount of urine and about one-quarter of the daily feces. The remaining urine and feces were extracted for determination of melting points.The reaction of the aliquot was made negative to Congo red by 10% sodium acetate. One-third of the volume of glacial acetic acid was added and the mixture shaken 3 times with 3 volumes of ether. The combined ether extracts were washed twice with dilute sodium acetate solution and the...

Because zinc is an essential nutrient for tissue growth, cellular division, protein synthesis, and DNA and RNA replication, it also ought to play a critical role in the growth of tumors. To test this thesis, a series of experiments were performed to test the effect of zinc deficiency on the lethality of a variety of solid and ascites tumors in mice and rats. Specifically, the following models were tested: Walker 256 carcinosarcomas, solid and ascites forms in rats; three mouse leukemias (L5178yf, L1210, and P388) in CDF, male mice; and Lewis lung carcinoma in C57BI/6 male mice. Rats receiving a zinc-deficient diet showed marked reduction of tumor growth, both of solid or ascites models, and this was accompanied by striking increase in survival. Survival of mice with transplanted leukemia was also significantly prolonged by zinc deficiency. In addition, growth of the Lewis lung carcinoma was inhibited, but the survival through increased, was probably limited by the adverse effects of zinc deficiency. The results suggest that tumor inhibition is a general effect of zinc deficiency, irrespective of cell type, cell growth rate, species, or site of growth. There are numerous potential applications of zinc metabolism to the diagnosis, therapy, and understanding of cancer.

In a previous communication concerning the porphyrin excretion in normal individuals1 we have briefly outlined a concept of the dualism of the porphyrins, stating that in certain pathological conditions increased or decreased Type III porphyrin construction associated with hematopoietic activity may lead to a proportionally increased or decreased Type I porphyrin construction and excretion. This communication presents data which bear out this concept.A classical case of hemolytic jaundice with 1,600,000 R.B.C., 4.5 gm. of hemoglobin per 100 cc, 21,000 nucleated R.B.C., 5,800 W.B.C., 10% reticulocytes, icterus index 30, Van den Berg (indirect) 3.1 mg.%, and markedly increased R.B.C. fragility was studied. The patient was maintained throughout the period of observation on a bland diet containing small amounts of meat. After 3 blood transfusions splenectomy was performed, following which R.B.C. increased to 2,500,000, hemoglobin to 9.0 gm. per 100 cc., the reticulocytes decreased to 2%, and the icterus index...