284 INANITION AND MALNUTRITION 



upon dietary deficiency of vitamins (especially vitamin B), the result being 

 similar to that produced by the Roentgen rays and radium. 



In chickens with polyneuritis from dietary deficiency of vitamin B, Souba 

 ('23) found the spleen markedly subnormal in weight, the loss being relatively 

 exceeded only by the testes. In experimental avian beriberi, Korenchevsky 

 ('23a) also found splenic atrophy, but persistence and even hypertrophy and 

 hyperplasia in the germ centers of the nodules. 



Vitamin C. — In human scurvy, Sato and Nambu ('08) found the spleen 

 enlarged in tuberculous cases; otherwise normal in size. Much granular pigment 

 was noted, and subcapsular hemorrhage in 1 of 13 autopsies. Aschoff and Koch 

 ('19) found the spleen generally normal in size, not enlarged in uncomplicated 

 cases. Histologically they found manifold changes (especially pigmentary), 

 generally secondary in character. Congestion was observed, but no hemorrhages. 



Jackson and Moore ('16) found the spleen frequently enlarged in scorbutic 

 guinea pigs. Hess ('20) has reviewed in detail the literature on human and 

 animal scurvy, indicating that the spleen is usually enlarged and congested, 

 showing pigmentation, and sometimes hemorrhage and hyperplasia. Hojer ('24) 

 describes lymphoid atrophy, siderosis, occasional hemorrhages and necrosis. 



Bessesen ('23) found the weight of the spleen variable at different stages of 

 scurvy in the guinea pig. In the early stages, the spleen showed a loss in weight ; 

 but after the appearance of definite scorbutic symptoms, it appeared hyper- 

 trophic, being 35-56 per cent above normal weight (Table 12). 



Water Deficiency. — In a dog 76 days old, on dry diet with loss of 21 per cent in 

 body weight, Falck and Scheffer ('54) noted an apparent gain of 9 per cent in the 

 spleen (probably an individual variation), in comparison with a litter-mate con- 

 trol. Bowin ('80) found that in dogs and rabbits on dry diet, with loss of about 

 50 per cent in body weight, the losses in the various organs were similar to those 

 in total inanition. The spleen lost relatively more than the body as a whole. 



Pernice and Scagliosi ('95a) studied the effects of a dry diet upon the spleen 

 in 1 dog and 3 young chickens. In the dog, the spleen at autopsy appeared 

 small and dry, with wrinkled, thickened capsule and hypertrophied trabeculae. 

 The pulp was atrophic, dark brown in color, with sharply demarcated follicles. 

 Many cells were in mitosis. Small, subcapsular hemorrhages occurred. In the 

 chickens, the spleen was likewise atrophic. The thickened capsule in many 

 places showed round cell infiltration. In the pulp just beneath the capsule 

 were numerous hemorrhages of various size, around the Malpighian bodies, 

 which appeared very atrophic. The arteries showed inflammatory changes. 

 The pulp was scanty, with many pulp cells in mitosis. 



In adult albino rats on a relatively dry diet, Kudo ('21) found in acute thirst 

 experiments, with average loss of 36 per cent in body weight, a loss of 66 per 

 cent in the spleen; in chronic thirst experiments, with loss of 52 per cent in body 

 weight, a loss of 73 per cent in the spleen; and in one rat with neither food nor 

 water, with loss of 47 per cent in body weight, a loss of 63 per cent in the spleen 

 (Table 9). In young albino rats (1 month old) held at constant body weight 

 by relatively dry diets for various periods the spleen shows a marked loss 

 (36-48 per cent) in all but one group, in which one exceptionally large spleen 

 reduced the average loss (Kudo '21a) (Table 10). 



