BERIBERI 293 



Chemical pathology Blood 



The blood-sugar content in 35 cases of infantile beriberi was 

 determined by Suzuki (891) to be 0.0808 per cent. This decrease 

 was attributed to a decreased activity of the adrenals, and is different 

 from that noted in avian beriberi. DeLangen, Schut, Wechuizen and 

 Alting (892) found a very low lipoid and fat content in the blood in 

 beriberi. Arima (893) investigated the non-protein nitrogen in 28 

 cases and found it increased. 



Cerebrospinal fluid 



Suzuki (894) found the sugar content of cerebrospinal fluid to be 

 normal. 



Urine 



Suzuki (895) found the amino-nitrogen of the urine markedly 

 increased in the cardiac form of beriberi. Pagniez and Vallery-Radot 

 (896) studied the elimination of sodium chloride on a diet poor in 

 salt in cases of wet beriberi. The elimination was very large, indi- 

 cating a previous marked retention. In the wet form of beriberi, 

 as in nephritic edema, sodium chloride passes the kidney only with 

 great difficulty; in beriberi, the water gathers in the muscles, while in 

 nephritic edema, the fluid collects subcutaneously. These inves- 

 tigators believed that the development of wet or dry beriberi is 

 determined by the severity of the kidney lesions. 



In confirmation of the adrenaline finding in pigeons, Ono (897) 

 investigated the adrenals microscopically and found a larger quantity 

 of adrenaline, as compared with the amount in other pathological 

 conditions. 



THERAPY OF BERIBERI 



General 



Vitamine therapy in beriberi is at present so well established that 

 we need not dwell on this point unnecessarily. One of the first 

 investigations was that of Thompson and Simpson (I.e. 60), who used 

 yeast for this purpose with good results. The experiments were 

 thereupon extended by Vedder and Williams (I.e. 471) to include a 

 preparation of rice polishings. They thought that they had obtained 

 good results in dry beriberi with a vitamine preparation, made 



