Dec. 13. 191S Beriberi and Cottonseed Poisoning in Pigs 493 



than in man. In man symptoms rarely, if ever, appear before 90 days. 

 In pigs the writers have found symptoms of a pronounced character in 

 from 8 to 10 days. 



(2) It is beheved that the so-called cottonseed poisoning of pigs is a 

 deficiency disease, analogous to the disease known as beriberi in man, 

 if not indeed identical with it. Acute cottonseed poisoning corresponds 

 to wet beriberi, and the chronic form to dry beriberi. 



(3) The cause of the so-called cottonseed poisoning is probably a 

 deficiency in the ration, causing, among other manifestations, profound 

 changes in the nervous system. 



At first thought this theory is not justified. Beriberi results from a 

 ration of highly milled rice, because substances vitally necessary to the 

 animal organism have been removed from the rice grain in the process 

 of milling. When pigs suffer from so-called cottonseed poisoning, it is 

 only when cottonseed meal has been added to the ration. Pigs are 

 seldom, if ever, fed on cottonseed meal alone. 



The following explanation of this condition is offered: The grain 

 with which the cottonseed meal is most frequently combined is corn. 

 Com is notoriously deficient as a single feed for animals, and it must 

 be properly balanced to be fed satisfactorily. The excellent results in 

 feeding pigs which can be obtained from rations of corn meal and skim 

 milk or other animal products, such as tankage, blood meal, fish meal, 

 etc., are out of all proportion to the facts indicated by the conventional 

 chemical analyses of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. When com meal 

 is fed with cottonseed meal, a combination is made of two feeds both 

 of which are deficient. 



The writers are engaged in further studies of this subject to determine 

 more exactly the effects of cottonseed meal when fed in the ration of 

 the pig, and to determine whether methods similar to those used to 

 prevent beriberi in man can be practically apphed to prevent the so- 

 called cottonseed poisoning of pigs. 



