204 THE VITAMINS 



bly the rats synthesize vitamin C from certain constituents of grains, 

 in a manner similar to its synthesis on germination. In an attempt to 

 determine whether or not the entire process of germination is essential 

 for the synthesis of vitamin C, they compared the antiscorbutic prop- 

 erties of barley fed dry, soaked for 24 hours, soaked for the same 

 length of time and germinated in the dark for 3 days, and soaked for 

 96 hours, respectively. The soaking was carried on in the absence of 

 oxygen. During the germination the seeds were kept moist and allowed 

 plenty of air. With the soaked, but not germinated, barley as the source 

 of vitamin C the loss in weight and symptoms of scurvy occurred in 

 from 28 to 30 days in the case of the 24-hour samples and in about 

 37 days with the 96-hour samples. The germinated barley, although 

 practically free from green pigment, afforded complete protection 

 against scurvy. It was concluded that vitamin C though easily destroyed 

 by oxidation nevertheless requires oxygen for its synthesis by the 

 germinating seed. 



Kucera (1928) has reported that the presence of vitamin C can 

 be demonstrated in wheat after only 15 hours' soaking, in rye and barley 

 after 24 hours, and in oats not until from 72 to 96 hours. Unfortunately 

 the available reports of his studies do not indicate under what condi- 

 tions the seeds were soaked. Simonik (1929), working in Kucera's 

 laboratory, traced the development of vitamin C in various legumes 

 (beans, vetch and peas) during germination and reported demonstrable 

 increase of vitamin C in as short a time as six hours. 



He concluded that conditions are more favorable for the synthesis 

 of vitamin C on germination in legumes than in cereals. Luettmerding 

 (1929), on the theory that vitamin C is preformed in the ripened seed 

 and becomes activated when the seed swells in soaking, tested the 

 effect of rapidity of imbibition on the formation of vitamin C by 

 soaking wheat, oats, and peas in distilled water and in 0.05 per cent 

 and 0.1 per cent solutions of citric acid for varying lengths of time 

 and determining the time required for the development of sufficient 

 vitamin C for the protection of guinea pigs in daily doses of from 

 20 to 30 grams. The wheat grains required 15 hours' soaking in dis- 

 tilled water, 12 in 0.05 per cent citric acid, and 6 in 0.1 per cent citric 

 acid. Oats showed no evidence of vitamin C after soaking for 48 hours 

 in distilled water, but sufficient for protection after soaking for the 

 same length of time in 0.05 per cent citric acid and for 24 hours in 

 0.1 per cent citric acid. Peas developed sufficient vitamin C for pro- 

 tection after soaking for 3 hours and the addition of citric acid did 

 not hasten the process. Luettmerding also tested wheat and peas soaked 



