^62 EXPEHIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 43 



through contaminated eating utensils. By the elimination of this large group 

 of cases there results an equal elimination of inanimate object contamination 

 as well as a blocking of the major avenue of transmission." 



Report on the present state of knowledge concerning accessory food 

 factors (vitamins), F. G. Hopkins et al. {Natl. Health Ins., Med. Research 

 Com. [Gt. Brit.], Spec. Rpt. Ser., No. 38 (1919), pp. 107, pis. 8, figs, ii).— This 

 report of the committee appointed by the Medical Research Committee (Lon- 

 don) and the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine "to consider and advise 

 upon the best means for advancing and coordinating the various lines of in- 

 quiry into the modes of action of the factors in metabolism which are in- 

 dependent of the provision of energy " consists of a vei-y complete sunmiary 

 and discussion of the present knowledge concerning accessory food factors or 

 vitamins, including 206 references to the literature, most of which have been 

 previously noted from the original sources. 



The subject matter consists of an introductory chapter on the general sig- 

 nificance of the accessory food factors, followed by chapters on the relation 

 of these factors to growth, beriberi, and scurvy, the application of experimental 

 work to the practical problem of human diets, including those of adults and of 

 infants and children, rickets as a deficiency disease, and pellagra. The material 

 is illustrated throughout by figures and tables, including valuable data on the 

 relative occurrence in nature of the three recognized vitamins. 



A memorandum on the importance of accessory factors in food which has 

 been previously noted from another source (E. S. R., 41, p. 762) is included as 

 an appendix. 



[Beriberi and scurvy], P. Hehib {Indian Jour. Med. Research, Spec. Indian 

 Sci. Cong. No., 1919, pp. U-59, 79-82). — These papers, which were presented 

 at the medical research section of the Sixth Annual Indian Science Congress at 

 Bombay in January, 1919, describe the outbreaks of beriberi occurring in the 

 British troops and scurvy in the Indian troops in Mesopotamia iia 1915 and 

 1916, particularly during the siege of Kut-el-Amara, and which led to the labora- 

 tory investigations of beriberi and scurvy and their relationship to the vitamin 

 content of various food materials by Chick and Hume, previously noted (E. S. 

 R., 38, pp. 481, 581 ; 40. p. 868). 



Beriberi (pp. 44-59). — This paper describes the symptoms, treatment, and 

 special features of the outbreak occurring during the siege, at which time the 

 exact rations furnished the troops were known. All of the 155 cases were of 

 the wet or dropsical nature. In about 40 per cent there was abdominal dropsy, 

 in 50 per cent pulmonary edema, and in 10 per cent dropsy of the pericardium 

 with cardiac dyspnoea. The rations were both quantitatively and qualitatively 

 inadequate, partial starvation in all cases preceding or accompanying the out- 

 break of beriberi. The prolonged use of tinned meat combined with ration 

 biscuits or white bread is thought to be chiefly responsible for the beriberi, as 

 the Indian troops whose ration contained atta and dhall did not contract the 

 disease. 



Scurvy (pp. 79-82). — During the siege noted above there were about 1,050 

 cases of scurvy, all but one of which were in the Indian troops. This high 

 incidence of scurvy among the Indian troops and almost complete absence of it 

 among the British troops is traced to the use by the latter of fresh meat toward . 

 the end of the siege, when the bullocks, horses, and mules were killed to eke 

 out the diminishing food supplies. The Indians, who did not overcome their 

 scruples against eating horseflesh, were the worst sufferers from scurvy. In 

 the last period of the siege, although the men were rapidly losing weight on a 

 starvation diet, the disease declined coincident with the use of about 3 oz. 



