EFFECTS ON THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT 415 



due to deficiency of vitamin B, was also noted by Dutcher and Wilkins ('21), 

 by Damianowich ('21), by Souba and Dutcher ('22) and by Souba ('23). 



In pigeons on autoclaved rice diet, as during inanition, McCarrison ('19, '21) 

 found an astonishing atrophy of the testes, with loss of more than 80 per cent 

 in weight (Fig. 35). In monkeys on similar deficient diets, the loss in weight 

 of the testes was less marked, but still relatively greater than in the body as a 

 whole. Novaro ('20a) noted degeneration of the seminiferous epithelium and 

 hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the interstitial cells in pigeons on diets lacking 

 vitamin B. 



Further observations on the atrophy of the testes in pigeons on diets deficient 

 in vitamin B were made by Portier ('20, '20a). In order to eliminate seasonal 

 and individual differences, a portion of the right testis was first removed as a 

 control. Then after various periods of avitaminosis, the remainder of the 

 right testis, and also the left (which had not suffered trauma), were removed 

 and examined. During the first 15 days, there is a beginning proliferation 

 of the intertubular connective tissue. The tubules have kept nearly normal 

 diameter, but spermatogenesis is disturbed and arrested in some cases, with 

 more or less degeneration in some spermatids. In 25 days more, the connec- 

 tive tissue has proliferated, causing atrophy of the interstitial cells. The 

 tubules have greatly decreased in diameter (from 300a to 42/1, in some cases). 

 The spermatozoa disappear by degeneration in situ, and the lumen contains 

 only fragments of desquamated, degenerated cells. The walls of the tubules 

 include spermatogonia and spermatocytes (many with nuclei in synapsis). The 

 degenerative changes are somewhat different in winter pigeons, where normally 

 there is no spermatogenesis. 



The effects of avian beriberi upon the testis were also studied by Findlay 

 ('21) in pigeons and fowls. The seminiferous tubules showed marked shrinkage, 

 the lumen being filled with debris, including normal spermatozoa. There was 

 no clear differentiation between spermatogonia, spermatocytes and syncytial 

 (Sertoli?) cells, for many of these had lost their lipoid content. The interstitial 

 cells of Leydig still contained some lipoid, but the nuclei often appeared swollen 

 and vesicular. The changes were similar to those found during total inanition. 

 As shown by Table 13, the loss in weight appeared greater in the testes of the 

 pigeons (82-85 per cent) than in the fowls (60-61 per cent). Atrophy of the 

 testis and degeneration of the seminal epithelium in pigeons on a diet deficient 

 in vitamin B were also described by Gotta ('23). In adult pigeons on a vitamin- 

 free diet, Lopez-Lomba ('23) found the testes nearly normal in weight up to 

 the 14th day, followed by an immense hypertrophy between the 14th and 

 22nd days, returning to slightly below normal by the 30th day. 



Vitamin C. — Ffess ('20) found no statements in the literature as to the effects 

 of scurvy on the testes or ovary. Bessesen ('23) observed an apparent marked 

 increase in the weight of the testes in scorbutic guinea pigs, varying from 31-76 

 per cent at various stages, excepting at death from scurvy, where it was only 

 4.8 per cent above normal (Table 12). 



Aqueous Inanition. — In a dog on dry diet with loss of about 21 per cent in 

 body weight, Falck and Scheffer ('54) noted a loss of 23.5 per cent in the weight 

 of the penis and testes (together). 



