122 IJISTRUfUTIOX OF VITAM1\ES IN PLANTS. 



(a) Seed^ of Plants. — In pulses distributed throughout tiie 

 embryo, in cereals found in the embryo, and also in the aleurone 

 layer. 



(b) Yeast Cells. — Preparations of dried or autolysed yeasts 

 are also rich in this vitamine. During the war, yeast cake was 

 extensively used for the treatment of beriberi, the specific form 

 of disease resulting from a lack of this vitamine. It is possible 

 that other edible fungi, such as truffles or mushrooms, might 

 be found to possess the same properties, but these have not been 

 tested. 



2. The Anti-eachitic or Fat Soluble Growth Factor. 



This is present in milk and butter fat as well as in certain 

 other animal fats and fish oils. The only vegetable oil which 

 has any appreciable value in this resjiect appears to be the oil 

 of peanuts (Arachis). It is also known to be present in a variety 

 of green leaves, such as lucerne, grasses and cabbage ; but the 

 result of recent experiments (as yet unpublished) prove that 

 the etiolated inner white leaves of an ordinary greeJi cabbage 

 contain no growth-promoting' properties. Fish oils, such as 

 cod-liver and whale oils, are especially rich in the fat soluble 

 vitamine, and it seems probable that the marine x\lg9e on which 

 these animals largely feed may provide the source of the 

 A'itamines in these products. 



At the present time there is an unparalleled shortage of 

 the fat soluble accessory food factor in the civilised world, 

 especially in Central Europe, where this deficiency is the cause 

 of some of the terrible war diseases of these war-stricken areas. 

 Permanent improvement in these districts can only be expected 

 when either pasturage can be found for cattle or crops can be 

 grown for human consumption, but temporary relief could be 

 afforded by the much greater use of fish oils, since these are 

 usually cheaper to obtain than the relatively expensive 

 animal fats. 



3. The Anti-scorbutic Vitamine. 



There are two principal sources of this accessory food 

 factor, to which a third may now" be added as the result of 

 recent research. 



(a) Vegetahles. — Many vegetables possess anti-scorbutic 

 properties,, especially in the fresh raw state. It has been 

 possible to grade vegetables roughly in order of their anti- 

 scorbutic value, and of all known vegetables, green cabbages 

 appear to be the most powerful in this respect. Many storage 

 organs, such as potato tubers, carrots and turnips, have also 

 considerable value, and there is some evidence which suggests 

 that their value is greater in the young than in the old con- 

 dition, and when freshly gathered rather than after prolonged 

 storage. French beans and beetroot have much less value than 

 the preceding, as may be seen from Table I. 



There is a definite and considerable loss in anti-scorbutic 

 value when these vegetables are cooked, especially in water to 



