156 THE VITAMINS 



designed to furnish adequate amounts of the different factors known 

 to be needed for normal nutrition. The conditions resulting in the ex- 

 perimental animals were fully described both as to symptoms and 

 autopsy findings. The symptoms regarded by these authors as most 

 characteristic are tenderness of joints developing usually in the wrists, 

 ankles, and knees in this order, followed in two or three days by swelhng 

 of joints or sometimes spontaneous fracture. Fractures were more com- 

 mon among the younger animals. In older ones stiffening or paralysis 

 of the hind legs may occur. The so-called scurvy positions are more or 

 less characteristic. Swellings of the joints may disappear when anti- 

 scorbutic is given or they may harden. Hemorrhages of the gums in 

 the experience of these investigators was relatively rare, but loosening 

 of the teeth more common. With a well chosen diet the scorbutic animal 

 may still eat well and gain in weight, at least for a time, though at 

 a more advanced stage of the scurvy loss of appetite and of body 

 weight occurs. Susceptibility was found to depend upon age and diet. 

 Guinea pigs weighing from 110 to 250 grams succumb rapidly and 

 the more so the poorer the diet as regards the character of its protein 

 and mineral content. 



Animals weighing 300 to 500 grams were considered to be better 

 for the study of most phases of the scurvy problem since younger ones 

 died too quickly. When such animals were kept on a diet of oats and 

 milk, the latter the sole antiscorbutic, it was found that 50 cubic centi- 

 meters of milk per capita per day delayed the onset of scurvy for about 

 75 days, while 85-135 cubic centimeters resulted in complete protection. 

 Orange juice, fresh cabbage, fresh carrots, adequate amounts of cab- 

 bage which had been carefully dried at a temperature of 70° to 80° C, 

 germinated oats and barley were all shown to afford protection from 

 scurvy. 



Thus it was clearly shown by Cohen and Mendel that experimental 

 scurvy of guinea pigs was demonstrable at will with a suitable diet, 

 that it is induced by an exclusive diet of cereal grains as ordinarily fed, 

 but delayed or prevented when the grains are germinated before feed- 

 ing. It was rapidly produced by a diet of soy beans supplemented with 

 additions to ensure adequate amounts of both the A and B vitamins 

 together with a suitable mineral content and adequate roughage in the 

 form of added cellulose. In general the findings of Hoist and Frolich 

 regarding the antiscorbutic properties of milk and of typical fruits 

 and vegetables were confirmed and it was shown that cabbage could 

 be so dried as still to retain a significant amount of the antiscorbutic 

 substance. 



