ALKALOSIS AND HYPERVENTILATION

To the Editor: —In their article entitled, "Alkalosis Due to Hyperventilation" (J. A. M. A.146:1125 [July 21] 1951), Sattler, Marquardt, and Cummins stress the importance of pH determinations for determining the presence of respiratory alkalosis. They state that a review of the literature "reveals no clinical reports of hyperventilation alkalosis." In their report they cite three cases where they feel the test was of diagnostic value. The first two appear to be well-confirmed cases of hyperventilation on a psychoneurotic basis; however, I question the conclusion that the pH determination aided in the diagnosis. In both cases the pH was within normal limits before a test period of voluntary hyperventilation. In the first case, the pH rose to 7.55 after 12 minutes of voluntary hyperventilation; in the second, it reached 7.49 after five minutes of hyperventilation. These values are well within normal physiological limits. In the third case, that