296 ASCORBIC ACID 



Banerjee^^^ also observed that the number and size of the islets of 

 Langerhans are much increased in scorbutic guinea pigs. The beta cells 

 were degranulated in the scorbutic animals, but no degenerative changes 

 in the cytoplasm were observed. KristaP^^ in a cytological study of the 

 pancreatic tissue in ascorbic acid deficiency in guinea pigs observed 

 no changes in the islet tissues. 



c. Adrenals 



Rodoni^^^ was the first to report that the adrenals frequently are enlarged 

 in scurvy, a finding which has been confirmed by several other investi- 

 gators. ^^^"^^^ Hess^^ stated that hemorrhages mainly in the medullary region 

 are conamonly seen in scorbutic guinea pig adrenals, enlarging them greatly 

 and giving them a deep red color. Hart and Lessing'"^ found calcium de- 

 posits in the adrenals of scorbutic monkeys. Findlay^^*** and Iwabuchi"^ 

 observed congestion in both the cortex and the medulla of scorbutic guinea 

 pig adrenals. Hojer^ stated that scorbutic guinea pigs "show early changes 

 in the adrenals but not earlier than in other parenchymatous organs. These 

 changes must, therefore, by no means be taken as a reason for placing the 

 adrenals in the center of the pathology of scurvy." In a study of over 100 

 animals Hojer observed hemorrhages in the adrenals only once. He found 

 the glands were somewhat enlarged in scurvy. Meyer^* found the adrenals 

 congested, usually slightly enlarged but not grossly hemorrhagic. He is of 

 the opinion that it is misleading to say that there is true hypertrophy of 

 the adrenals in scurvy. None of his scorbutic animals showed either hyper- 

 trophy or hyperplasia. The increase in size he found was due to congestion 

 and fatty infiltration. Microscopic studies showed that the most notable 

 increase of fat was to be seen in the fasicular and reticular zones and very lit- 

 tle in the glomerulosa. The cell outlines often were not discernible. Gergely"^ 

 reported that the cells of scorbutic glands showed a greater increase in 



^^' S. Banerjee, Ann. Biochem. Exptl. Med. (India) 4, 37 (1944;). 

 166 J. Kristai, S. African J. Sci. 41, 273 (1945). 

 16' P. Rondoni, Brit. Med. J. I, 542 (1919). 



168 V. K. LaMer and H. L. Campbell, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 18, 32 (1920). 



169 Y. Morikawa, Endocrinology 4, 615 (1920). 



"0 E. F. Robb, G. Medes, J. F. McClendon, M. Graham, and I. J. Murphy, J. Dental 



Research 3, 39 (1921). 

 "1 R. I. McCarrison, Indian J. Med. Research 7, 188 (1919). 

 1" D. H. Bessessen, Am. J. Physiol. 63, 245 (1923). 

 1" A. J. Quick, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 39, 753 (1933). 

 "^ S. A. D'Angelo, A. S. Gordon, and H. A. Charipper, Anat. Record 81, Snppl. 184, 



185 (1941). 

 "^ S. Banerjee, Ann. Biochem. Exptl. Med. (India) 4, 67 (1944). 

 1^6 E. Nadel, E. S. Josephson, and A. S. Mulay, Endocrinology 46, 253 (1950). 

 1" J. Gergely, Vitamine u. Hormone 4, 367 (1943). 



