VIII. EFFKCTS OF DEFICIENCY IN ANIMALS 345 



results. Kramer el al.^^^ and Harraan'" made similar observations. It was 

 shown by Farmer ci aZ.^**' that primapara guinea pigs were better al)le to 

 withstand mitridonal defit'ioncies than were the multipara animals. 



Ilarmun and Warren^* oliserved that the embryos of ascorbic acid-defi- 

 cient guinea pigs were smaller than the embryos of the same age from nor- 

 mal animals. The internal organs were smaller in the embryos of deficient 

 animals than in normal embryos of the same age. Muscular tissue was 

 differentiated in the 34-day stage of the fetuses of the control animals 

 but was not observed until the 40-day stage in the deficient animals. In- 

 teresting cytological differences between the two groups, particularly with 

 reference to cell walls, are described elsewhere in connection with the 

 discussion of individual organs. 



Da}^^" showed the great importance to })oth mothers and young (guinea 

 pigs) of an adequate supply of vitamin C in the maternal diet during lacta- 

 tion. In the alisence of the vitamin there was marked loss in weight of the 

 mothers, growth of the young was much retarded, and pronounced abnor- 

 malities developed in the teeth, jaws, and facial bones in both mothers and 

 young. Supplements of orange juice, cabbage, or lettuce prevented these 

 conditions approximatel}^ in proportion to the amount of vitamin C sup- 

 plied. Unfortunately, no tests were conducted with crystalline ascorbic 

 acid (possibly because of unavailability). 



10. Relation to Hormones and Stress 



No attempt will be made to cover the extensive developments in this 

 field. Yearly re\''iews on the subject appear in Vitamins and Hormones.*^^ 



INIurray-^" found that the injection of insulin or adrenal cortical hor- 

 mones did not alter appreciably the disturbed carbohydrate metabolism 

 in scurvy; the glycogen levels remained low, intestinal absorption was low, 

 and blood sugar levels were high after feeding glucose. Adrenaline admin- 

 istered to both normal and scorbutic animals produced higher blood sugar 

 levels in the normal than in the deficient animals. Another observation of 

 particular interest was made by Patterson. ^^^ jje found a hj'perglycemic 

 effect of dehydroascorbic acid in rats. Three daily injections of 80 mg. each 

 resulted in an apparent permanent diabetes in animals weighing about 120 

 g. The mechanism of action, which appears to be similar to that of alloxan, 

 is probably an interference with essential sulfhydryl enzymes in the beta 

 cells of the pancreas. It seems possible that the destructive action may be 

 effected by the rapid production of HoOv. Patterson suggested that studies 

 could profitably be made of substances which cause excessive oxidation of 

 ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic acid in the beta cells because of the pos- 



*^o C. D. U. Day, Indian J. Med. Research 35, 185 (1947). 

 *" Vitamins and Hormones, Academic Press, New York. 

 «« J. W. Patterson, /. Biol. Chem. 183, 81 (1950). 



