During the war years extensive observations have been made on patients suffering from various forms of trauma. The changes in protein metabolism have received special interest since Cuthbertson [1930, 1936] emphasized the marked negative nitrogen balance that regularly occurs after severe trauma. The numerous clinical papers on this subject have recently been reviewed by Howard [1945]. Since the original experimental observations of Long, Katzin & Fry [1940] showing that the cortex of the adrenal gland was intimately concerned with the conversion of protein to carbohydrate, considerable evidence has been put forward to show that this mechanism may be involved in the metabolic changes taking place after various traumatic procedures. Albright [1943], in a consideration of Cushing's syndrome, discussed the possible elaboration of sugar-forming and protein-fixing hormones by the adrenal glands. An increased secretion of the former, resulting in gluconeogenesis from protein, might be responsible for the increased nitrogen excretion occurring