382 THE VITAMINES 



(1505) observed the development of the disease on a carbohydrate- 

 rich diet. Falta and Noeggerath (I.e. 18) were perhaps the first to 

 produce this disease experimentally in animals. Later, this con- 

 dition was observed in rats by Knapp (1506). Already at that time, 

 he believed that a similar condition could occur in children. Since 

 1913, there have appeared in rapid succession, the papers of Osborne 

 and Mendel, as well as those of McCollum, already mentioned, the 

 cause of the disease being associated with the absence of certain fats 

 in the diet. In the end, this disease was regarded as an avitaminosis, 

 caused by the lack of vitamine A. This eye affection was also studied 

 in Germany by Freise, Goldschmidt and Frank (1507), working on 

 rats. Goldschmidt (1508) stated that the disease could be cured by 

 a small amount of skim milk. Later it was also produced in mice 

 and rabbits and although Nelson and Lamb (1509) stated that they 

 could not produce it in guinea pigs and chickens, we have information 

 to the effect that ophthalmia has been produced in guinea pigs. 

 We have personally seen numerous cases in chickens, terminating in 

 total blindness. Recently, we have been corroborated by Guerrero 

 and Conception (1510), who observed the disease in chickens fed on 

 white rice. 



In recent years, ophthalmia has been frequently noted in 

 children. A particularly careful investigation was made by Bloch 

 (1511) in Copenhagen. He observed, during a period of 5 years in 

 the children's clinic, 40 cases among children fed on a highly centri- 

 fuged milk, fat being given in the form of vegetable margarine. A 

 cure was obtained with whole milk or cod liver oil. The diet in 

 these cases appeared to be inadequate also in other respects. Bloch 

 (151 la) believes that ophthalmia occurs quite frequently in Den- 

 mark and may often be the cause of blindness. Monrad (1512) 

 and R0nne (1513) reported on the same condition in Denmark. 

 In addition, one case was reported in France by Sztark (1514) and 

 in the United States by Parker (1515). Sztark's case was a 27 

 months old baby fed on vegetable soups, without milk; cod liver oil 

 effected a cure in about 10 days. 



The nature of the disease 



Lately, the investigators have been more and more inclined to 

 assume that ophthalmia is associated with a lack of vitamine A. 

 The pathogenesis of this disease is not so very simple, since we are 



