Abstract
As a contribution to elucidate the influence of streptomycin on the animal in the embryonal stage, the author investigated the calcium metabolism of the chick embryo employing fertilized eggs, and then studied the influence of streptomycin on the development of embryo. Further, when the influence of streptomycin on the calcium metabolism was investigated, similar experiment with calcium chloride was simultaneously conducted. The author also investigated the changes observed when these two substances were administered in combination, and then the data thus obtained were statistically analysed in an attempt to presume the mechanisms of the influence of streptomycin on the calcium metabolism of the animal in the embryonal stage.
Summarizing the data obtained in the above experiments, it was concluded that, the calcium content in the embryo was found decreased when the embryo was treated with a large amount of streptomycin alone, but the calcium content was found increased when the embryo was treated with an adequate amount of streptomycin. When the embryo was treated with calcium chloride alone, the excretion of calcium was found promoted, consequently, a decrease in the calcium content of the embryo was recognized. The decrease in the calcium content of the embryo caused by the treatment with calcium chloride was found aleviated by the combination with streptomycin at 18 days after the hatching. In every case, the calcium content of the embryo was found fluctuating roughly in parallel with the weight of the embryo.
