ABNORMALITIES OF CALCIUM METABOLISM

Faulty calcium metabolism accounts for a wide range of discomforts and disabilities and in some of its forms leads to untimely death. There have been enough interest and effort on the part of chemists, research workers and clinicians to improve the efficiency of the treatment of patients with this disorder. Calcium is deservedly a central figure in mineral metabolism. Americans ingest too little calcium salt. The body does not naturally conserve calcium. In fact, if there is a shortage in the supply of calcium or if there is an increased demand for it, e. g., during pregnancy, excretion proceeds without economy, and the organism is confronted with progressive deficiency. Oversupply of calcium is probably never a practical problem in human beings. In those persons with abnormal deposits of calcium salt, the problem is one of perversion of distribution and not one of excessive intake. A series of experiences in the