EFFECTS ON THE MUSCULATURE 171 



muscle fibers uniformly atrophied, with disappearance of the cross striations, 

 increased distinctness of the longitudinal striations, multiplication of the muscle 

 nuclei and increased connective tissue. 



In experimental rickets (or pseudorickets ?) of puppies, E. Voit ('80) found no 

 significant change in the weight of the musculature. Aron and Sebauer ('08) 

 noted that in experimental rickets in a puppy the musculature appeared less 

 well developed than in the control, perhaps on account of lack of exercise in the 

 former. In rachitic rats, Jackson and Carleton ('23) found a slight but progres- 

 sive loss in the weight of the skeletal musculature, amounting to 12 per cent in 

 the severely rachitic group. 



Vitamin Deficiency. — The effects of vitamin deficiency on the muscles have 

 been noted chiefly for vitamins B and C. 



Vitamin B. Beriberi and Polyneuritis. — In human beriberi, Balz ('82) found 

 nuclear proliferation and sometimes atrophy of muscle fibers. Scheube ('94) 

 observed parenchymatous-fatty (sometimes colloid) degeneration of the muscle 

 fibers, some fibers being atrophic and some hypertrophic; with some increase in 

 the number of muscle nuclei and in stroma. Rumpf and Luce ('00) stated that 

 the muscle lesions are not those ordinarily found in simple neuritis, but indicate 

 a myopathic process, designated as polymyositis acuta parenchymatosa et chronica 

 inter stitialis. Duerck ('08, '08a), however, considered the changes found in 

 the musculature (atrophic degeneration, nuclear proliferation, etc.) as non- 

 specific and identical with those occurring in other diseases. 



Kato and Shizume ('19), McCarrison ('19) and others have described the 

 changes in the musculature of the chick and pigeon during polyneuritis gal- 

 linarum. Findlay ('21) found considerable muscular atrophy and loss of cross 

 striation. Funk ('22) also has recently reviewed the changes found in birds 

 with beriberi. The muscle fibers "exhibit atrophy and fatty degeneration, 

 but the changes disappear rapidly on returning to normal nutrition." 



Vitamin C. Scorbutus. — In human scurvy, the hemorrhagic tendency is 

 manifested in the musculature as elsewhere. According to Sato and Nambu 

 ('08), the muscles, especially those of the lower extremities, show hemorrhages 

 to a variable extent. The muscles also present edema and marked atrophy, 

 in connection with the general cachexia. Histologically, the muscle tissue 

 exhibits a myositis, with interstitial hemorrhages, atrophy and degeneration of 

 the muscle fibers. The changes are also described by Aschoff and Koch ('19), 

 who found the hemorrhages frequent near the muscular attachments, and in the 

 tendons, fascia, etc. The musculature of the legs is affected most, the arms less 

 and the trunk least, exposure to trauma being an important factor. Comrie 

 1/20) noted marked atrophy of the muscles, with deep-seated hemorrhages in 

 over half of the cases. Hess ('20) has recently summarized the various changes 

 in human and animal scurvy, including degeneration of the muscle fibers, hemor- 

 rhages and variable pigment deposits secondary thereto, and interstitial fibrosis. 



In experimental scurvy of guinea pigs, Hoist and Frolich ('07, '12) found 

 intramuscular hemorrhages, especially in the neighborhood of the bones and 

 joints, with microscopic changes similar to those in human scurvy. "Die 

 Muskelfasern waren in grosser Verbreitung abnorm schmal und zeigten ofters 



