191 5] Casimir Funk 339 



Very similar Symptoms occur in spasmo philia in children and 

 also in a condition which the German authors call "Mehlnähr- 

 schaden" Spasmophilia occurs in children fed on large proportions 

 of farinaceous foods and can be safely regarded as infantile beri- 

 beri. Takasu (m), for instance, describes spasmophilic dyspepsia 

 in breast-fed babies in Japan as beriberi. Liefmann (112) was able 

 to detect, in normal children between 10 days and 2% years of age, 

 a daily excretion of 1-5 mg. of acetone. In a spasmophilic attack 

 this excretion increases up to 93 mg. This Observation, and also the 

 fact that spasmophilic children show increased irritability of the 

 muscles to the electric current, can be used successfully for the 

 diagnosis of this condition and also of other avitaminoses in 

 children. 



Freudenberg and Klocman (113) recommend the use of oxy- 

 cod-liver oil (oil treated with hydrogen peroxide) for the treat- 

 ment of spasmophilia. It seems, however, that treatment with the 

 original oil, or a concentrated extract as described under rickets, is 

 more promising. Brüning (114) described a condition in new born 

 white rats, when separated from their mother and fed artificially on 

 a diet rieh in carbohydrates, which he considers identical with 

 " Mehlnährschaden." No pathological changes in the bones were 

 found. 



In summarizing this section I conclude that it seems highly de- 

 sirable to apply the vitamine therapy to osteomalacia, spasmophilia, 

 Mehlnährschaden and eclampsia. We understand in this connection 

 chiefly the therapeutic use of yeast preparations and cod-liver oil, the 

 latter in accord with the Statements in .the previous sections. If these 

 diseases are rightly regarded by me as avitaminoses, the application 

 of this therapy not only would bring about practically instantaneous 

 eures but also would serve very well for the purpose of testing 

 quickly the value of the clinical diagnosis. 



X. CHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF GROWTH 



This subject has received special attention during the past two 

 years but no definite conclusion has as yet been attained. At present 

 there are several theories on the chemical nature of the substance 

 that promotes growth in young animals. The most important of 



