July 23. 1917 Effect on Growth and Reproduction of Ration 



189 



thrown back, an attitude already described as characteristic for wheat- 

 grain and wheat-straw offspring. On being fed its mother's milk it 

 slowly improved, the symptoms described disappeared, and the animal 

 after one week appeared normal; but only after five days from birth 

 was it able to suckle its mother without help and would have died had 

 it not been given special attention. At the end of two weeks it appeared 

 normal. Plates 29, C-E, and 30, A, B, illustrate the condition of the 

 animals on these rations. 



EFFECT OF WHEAT EMBRYO ON REPRODUCTION 



It was important that further dissection of the wheat grain be made 

 with the hope of locating in what portion of the kernel toxicity was 

 most prominent. While some data are presented indicating the possi- 

 bility of toxicity in the flour part of the grain, the work with the embryo 

 makes it clear that it is at least one of the important carriers of toxicity 

 where the whole wheat grain is involved. We have shown that a com 

 ration was not readily disturbed by moderate shifts in either its bases 

 or acids. Consequently, for purposes of studying the effect of the embryo 

 on reproduction, a basal com ration was used. We reasoned that should 

 disturbances now arise they could be attributed directly to the imposed 

 wheat embryo. The ration used consisted of seven parts of com stover, 

 four parts of cornstarch, and three parts of wheat embryo. This ration 

 would introduce from seven to eight times the mass of embryo carried 

 by 8 pounds of whole-wheat meal. In Table VIII the results of wheat- 

 embryo feeding are shown. 



Table VIII. — Records of reproduction and milk secretion on wheat embryo 



It is apparent that superimposing the embryo on a good ration, like 

 the com ration, will bring about early abortion. To all outward ap- 

 pearances the mothers remained in excellent condition, but the calves 

 were notably immature in development and were bom over two months 

 ahead of time. We can find no other explanation for these results than 

 that the wheat embryo carried some toxic substance or substances respon- 

 sible for disturbed growth and reproduction, a result confirmed by the 

 work with swine and rats (4, 5, 1 2). In Plate 30, C-D, the status of one of 

 the mothers and one of the offspring is shown. Note the splendid 



