256 THE VITAMINES 



found that the vitamine B content of potatoes is sufficient for rats, 

 and no difference was apparent between new and old potatoes. Abder- 

 halden and Schaumann (I.e. 499) made the observation that when 

 pigeons are fed on dried potatoes, they develop edema on the lower 

 part of the legs. As regards the vitamine content, Chick and 

 her co-workers (I.e. 333) found that potatoes (cooked and raw) 

 contain all three vitamines in small quantities. Boruttau (738) 

 studied the effect of temperature on the nutritive value of potatoes 

 in mice. Similar experiments were made by Auer (739) in Hof- 

 meister's laboratory. The effect of drying was studied by Givens and 

 McClugage (I.e. 657). 



MILK 



Milk is such an important food for life that we must de- 

 scribe it more in detail. With regard to the milk question, we 

 were first to suggest the relationship between the composition of the 

 milk and some deficiency diseases in children. In 1912, we stated 

 two factors, without which the explanation of certain avitaminoses 

 would be impossible. The two essentials are first, that on heating 

 the milk, certain vitamines become more or less completely destroyed, 

 and second, that the vitamine content of milk must depend on the 

 vitamine content of the fodder. Although both are self-evident, they 

 gained recognition only with difficulty. The following rules, laid 

 down by us at that time for feeding of milk to children, are still of 

 value at present : Hygiene of the cow, good fodder, least possible boiling 

 of the milk, least possible storage after milking and after pasteurization. 

 Our uncompromising attitude on the milk question was made neces- 

 sary by the fact that Lane-Claypon (740), in a report to the Local 

 Government Board in London, came to the conclusion that boiling 

 does not affect the nutritive value of milk. As a matter of fact, 

 the same investigator (741), one year later 1913 declared that the 

 question needed further development. The ensuing years have 

 brought to light a great number of investigations which corroborated 

 our view on the subject completely. Later, Lane-Claypon (742) 

 published a book dealing with the question in detail. 



Demonstration of vitamines in milk 



In 1912 we (I.e. 324), proved the presence of vitamine B in milk, 

 and Hopkins also discovered the presence of a growth substance. 



