VIII. EFFECTS OF DEFICIENCY IN ANIMALS 323 



rapidly during the rest of the experimental period. Total pho«pliorus was 

 lowered only slightly, but the acid-soluble phosphates, especially phospho- 

 creatine, were lowered markedly. A reduction was also observed in the 

 content of glycogen, total nitrogen, creatine, and muscle solids. When 

 ascorbic acid was administered to the scorbutic animals, the phosphocrea- 

 tine A'alues became nearly normal. The opinion was expressed that the low 

 le\"els of phosphocreatine and the interference with its synthesis may ac- 

 count for the general weakness and quick fatigability of the scorbutic 

 animals. 



Sadhu^^ found that the phospholipid content of the tissues was not al- 

 tered in scurvy. The relation of ascorbic acid to the oxidation of unsaturated 

 fatty acids in phospholipins was discussed in the section on fats. In certain 

 tissues of scorbutic animals this oxidation is much depressed.-*^ 



(3) Sodium and Potassium. Randoin and Michaux^^^ found the disturb- 

 ances in sodium and potassium metabolism in scurvy to be relatively slight. 



(4) Iron. Most of the reports of an influence of ascorbic acid on the iron 

 content of tissues have been based on studies with human subjects. The 

 more recent investigations tend to indicate that no special relationship 

 exists. Schulze and Morgan*-^ studied ascorbic acid with respect to its 

 effectiveness in iron therapy in two matched groups of children (non-scor- 

 butic and with less than normal, but not pathologic, hematological values) 

 7 to 12 years of age and living under identical conditions. Members of 

 both groups were given 4 mg. of copper sulfate and 0.1 g. of iron as 

 soluble ferric pyrophosphate daily. Members of one group received in 

 addition 100 mg. of ascorbic acid daily. After treatment for 10 weeks it 

 was found that the hemoglobin values were increased equally in the two 

 groups. The hematocrit values and erythrocyte counts were only slightly 

 affected. The response to iron therapy thus was not influenced by the 

 administration of ascorbic acid. Totterman^-- conducted a study on the 

 relationship between vitamin C and iron under normal physiological condi- 

 tions and in infectious diseases with special reference to the pathogenesis 

 of infectious anemia and found no connection between disturbances in 

 vitamin C and iron in either condition. Lu'^' investigated the influence of 

 L-ascorbic acid on iron storage in mice and found no significant difference 

 in the iron content of the liver and spleen with and without the adminis- 

 tration of ascorbic acid. 



(5) Manganese. It has been suggested that the low level of manganese 

 in the tissues of human beings or guinea pigs^-^' ^-^ is related to their inaljil- 



»2i H. V. Schulze and .\. F. Morgan, Am. J. Diseases Children 71, 593 (1946). 

 3" L. E. Totterman, Acta. Med. Scand. 134 Suppl. 134, CCXXX (1949). 

 5" C. C. Lu, Chinese J. Physiol. 17, 173 (1949). 

 "< C. C. Lund, L. A. Shaw, and C. K. Drinker, J. Exptl. Med. 33, 231 (1921). 



