300 THE VITAMINES 



which was at first diagnosed as purpural rheumatism. Speyer (956) 

 was sent by the German government to Bulgaria to make a study 

 of scurvy. Lobmeyer (957) observed scurvy in the Turkish army, but 

 it is possible that some of these cases were complicated by war edema 

 and beriberi. Other cases of scurvy manifested during the war 

 will be discussed in the course of this chapter. Simultaneously 

 with scurvy in adults, numerous instances of infantile scurvy were 

 noted in Central Europe. However, it is no longer necessary to 

 differentiate between these two types. 



MODE OF DEVELOPMENT 



It is always instructive and of practical importance to know the 

 exact diets that lead to the respective avitaminoses. With regard 

 to scurvy, such data are at hand. Scherer's report (I.e. 908) treat 

 of more than 862 cases of scurvy in the earlier German colonies, 

 among miners and railroad laborers, of which 289 died. The diet 

 there consisted of a kilo of white rice and 500 grams of meat two times 

 weekly, almost without fruits and vegetables. The first symptoms 

 appeared in 5 to 6 weeks. In the Bulletin of Tropical Diseases 

 (958) there is a description of a dietary which led to numerous cases 

 of scurvy in the prison at Burma: 



grams. grams. 



Hulled rice 684 Spices 4 



Beans 114 Fish paste 14 



Vegetables 285 Salt 7 



It was shown that an addition of vegetables, milk, meat or fish 

 had little effect on the disease, but an addition of sweet potatoes 

 was effective. Dyke (959) described numerous cases among South 

 African natives, transported to France for war work. The number 

 of patients amounted to 680 out of a total of 1700. The diet con- 

 sisted of 450 grams frozen or canned meat and 225 grams fresh 

 vegetables. In addition, corn or rice, bread and margarine were 

 provided. Vegetables were cooked for 3 hours, which was obviously 

 partly responsible for the outbreak of the disease; aside from this, 

 Dyke noted that the natives drank 3 liters of beer, called "Kaffir," 

 prepared in Africa from germinated kernels, but in France from 

 ungerminated corn. This beer is supposed to protect the natives 

 from scurvy in their home land. During the war, Comrie (960) 



