PANTOTHENIC ACID 



and developed anaemia, whilst Shaeffer et al.^^ noted the onset of 

 fatty livers and haemorrhagic kidney degeneration. According to 

 J. V. Scudi and M. Hamlin ^' and R. H. Silber,^^ the production of 

 fatty livers was the most constant, if not the only, pathological change 

 associated with a deficiency of pantothenic acid. However, other 

 symptoms have been recorded by other workers. For example, 

 Shaeffer et al.^^ observed increased respiratory and heart rate, con- 

 vulsions, gastrointestinal symptoms, mottled thymus glands and 

 gastritis or enteritis in addition to the symptoms noted above. 

 Mottled thymus glands was a symptom also observed in " filtrate 

 factor " deficiency in foxes.^^ 



Bly et al.^^ also recorded gastrointestinal disturbances in dogs 

 including a 50 % decrease in gastrointestinal motility and a 40 to 65 % 

 decrease in the rates of digestion and absorption of protein and carbo- 

 hydrate ; administration of calcium pantothenate cured the condition 

 immediately. According to A. O. Seeler and R. H. Silber,*^ the onset 

 of pantothenic acid deficiency in adult dogs was very slow and signs 

 might not be observed for four and a half years. 



Pigs 



Pantothenic acid is also essential for the growth of young pigs, 

 and a deficiency results in symptoms similar to those observed in 

 rats, including a subnormal appetite, emaciation, loss of co-ordination 

 (" goose-stepping "), loss of hair, excessive nasal secretion, diarrhoea 

 and gastritis with involvement of the large intestine, degenerative 

 changes in the peripheral nerves, posterior root ganglia and the 

 posterior roots and posterior funiculi of the spinal cord.*^' ^^ At 

 autopsy, diffuse hyperemia was noted,** with an increase in the size 

 of the lymphoid ifollicles and formation of small ulcers leading to 

 inflammatory changes involving the large intestine. The mucosa 

 lining cells were atrophied, with abscess formation and ulceration. 

 The animals also suffered from a normocytic anaemia, accompanied 

 by a fall in the serum chloride and an increase in the carbon dioxide- 

 combining capacity of the blood. 



Monkeys 



In the monkey, pantothenic acid deficiency was characterised by 

 lack of growth, ataxia, greying and thinning of the fur, anaemia, 

 diarrhoea and cachexia.*^ Pantothenic acid brought about incomplete 

 remission of these symptoms. 



Chicks 



As already noted, chicks suffering from a deficiency of pantothenic 

 acid developed dermatitis *^' *^ and lesions of the spinal cord.^^ These 



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