Jan. 14, 1918 Gossypol, the Toxic Substance in Cottonseed 



95 



The female pig was observed for a few weeks after the experiment. 

 The animal continued to increase in weight, but still retained the squat 

 ting tendency. Addition of small amounts of milk and outdoor exer- 

 cise did not eliminate this condition. The nutrition of the animal was 

 excellent throughout. 



In view of the slight toxicity of the extracted kernels, as shown in our 

 rabbit experiments, it is possible that this slightly pathological condition 

 may be due to a toxic factor, although with such very young pigs it may 

 be due to the limitations of this food mixture. 



No doubt if these pigs had been continued on this diet confined to 

 pens, they would have ultimately failed, as do swine fed on restricted 

 diet of cereal grains (see Hart and McCollum, 2). This phenomenon, 

 however, should not be confused with what is commonly understood as 

 cottonseed-meal "injury" or poisoning. 



We do not claim, however, that this diet is an adequate one, and 

 it is quite possible that the condition described was due in large part 

 to the inadequacy of certain dietary factors. Just what factors are in- 

 sufficient in this particular diet is not at present apparent. In consid- 

 ering this question we have taken the view, tentatively, that the supply 

 of vitamines in cottonseed is similar to that of other seeds and that 

 the mineral content is very much better. 



The fact that cottonseed is cooked, and subsequently pressed, raises 

 the question. Are the vitamines thus rendered partially inactive or re- 

 moved by the crude oil ? In answer to this, we may point to the excel- 

 lent growth of rats reported by Richardson and Green (//, 12, 13,) and 

 Osborne and Mendel {10) as evidence that even the cooked meal is as 

 well supplied with vitamines as any similar vegetable food. 



With the dietary factors more favorable, as in the cottonseed-meal, 

 experiment to be described, probably the pigs would not have manifested 

 this stiflFness of gait and squatting tendency. It is also of interest to 

 compare the mineral content of a diet of cottonseed meal and com meaJ 

 (i :3) with the ash content of a diet found successful for growth in rat? 

 (vSee Table VIII.) 



Table VIII. — Average mineral content of a diet containing I part of cottotiseed meal ard 

 J parts of corn meal; also the analysis of m,inerals of other materials 



Feed. 



Cottonseed meal 



GDm meal 



Average mixttire 1:3 

 Pig and rat diet A (2) 



Diet BO) 



Dry skim milk (/).... 



Pro- 

 tein. 



36 



87 

 15-5 



Ash. 



Sodi- 

 um. 



O. 26 

 113 

 14 

 022 

 029 



Potas- 

 sium. 



1.66 



• 19 



• 55 

 •335 

 . 076 



I. 27 



Calci- 



lltQ. 



o. 27 



.015 

 .08 

 .266 

 .080 



1-34 



Magne- 

 sium. 



0-55 

 . 122 

 . 22 



•275 

 . oog 

 . 146 



Chlorin 



04 

 07 



055 

 041 



057 



935 



Phos- 

 phorus. 



51 



35 

 264 



248 

 186 

 979 



S'lV 

 phur. 



o. 49 

 . 20 

 . 20 

 .089 

 . 141 

 •357 



