BRAS TRS NT AS 
pearing much later than is the case with 
sterilized rice flour. 
Figs. 7, 8 show the different phases of 
polyneuritis in cock n°. 13, dieted with ste- 
rilised Indian corn. The experiment began 
on the 22nd. of August, the fowi dying on 
the 27th. of September. 
On the 23rd. day of treatment there was 
great weakness of the legs; the fowl lay down 
on its thighs all day; it stepped high and 
could run only with a great effort. Complete 
want of appetite. To avoid death from ina- 
nition, it was fed by gavage. On the 24th. it 
could not walk (as shown in fig. n. 8.) 
The three last days before death there 
was complete paralysis, and only when stron- 
gly excited could it move or contract its 
legs and wings. 
Another group was dieted on the finest 
mandioc flour. The results confirmed the ob- 
servations of ARLINDO DE ASSIS. 
I thus proved that a diet of fine and 
good mandioc flour is less defficient than a 
diet of polished rice. Amazonas flour is less 
defficient, and is less likely to induce poly- 
neuritis gallinarum than white flour of the 
Surui kind. 
Polyneuritis aviarum and beriberi have 
so many symptoms in common that we have 
no hesitation in joining those who accept 
their etiological and symptomatic identity. 
Our experiments though incomplete, cor- 
roborate this conviction as well as the au- 
thority ofthose of SHIGA, SCHAUMANN, | 
WEILL and MOURIQUAND. 
Etiology of beriberi. 
Since the time of SILVA LIMA until 
now, the idea that beriberi is an infections 
disease was prevalent amongst our best-known 
Brazilian doctors. Even SILVA LIMA, though 
we find passages in his works which support 
the alimentation theory. was obliged by the 
force of circunstances to admit the hypothesis 
of infection. This hypothesis was adopted by 
all the well-known Brazilian doctors who 
studied beriberi; leaving some aside, we only 
call to mind the names cf TORRES HOMEM, 
MARTINS COSTA, SARAIVA, FRANCISCO 
DE CASTRO, SODRE, LACERDA, FAJAR- 
DO, PEDRO ALMEIDA MAGALHAES, 
SAMPAIO VIANNA and AUSTREGESILO. 
FAJARDO and LACERDA even disco- 
vered pathogenic micro-organisms although 
latterly, LACERDA came to accopt the ideas 
which came from the East. 
MIGUELCOUTO, repudiated the alimen- 
tary theory as the cause of our beriberi; he be- 
lieves that the etiology of Brazilian beriberi 
is as yet unknown. Amongst those who beli- 
ved in the alimentary theory we must count 
SILVA LIMA, in whose book we find?proofs 
against the transmission of the disease and 
who speaking ofits propagation says: "Not 
to presume to affirm anything certain about 
the diffusion of the disease, that is without 
geting away from facts, I must say the di- 
sease does not seem to propagate itself by 
contagion or infection, but to depend on a 
widely spread morbid cause and unknown 
serious hygienic conditions”. 
For a long time it was thought that be- 
riberi depended on malaria. ALMEIDA 
COUTO ¡in his competition thesis in 
1871, says that he does not consider beriberi 
as a malarial disease on account of its being 
apyretic. He points out as causes, inferior 
food, alcoholism. SILVA LIMA, also repu- 
diating the idea of malaria, wisely observes: 
beriberi epidemics have always been very 
frequent and fatal in unhealthy places, but 
for causes which have nothing to do with 
malaria, and particularly on board high seas, 
ships, in urbane prisons, penitentiaries, etc. 
TORRES HOMEM recognizes that “in- 
sufficient nourishment both in quantity and 
quality is an important factor in provoking 
the appearence of beriberi, which more fre- 
quently attacks persons who are convalescent 
and have a great struggle for life.” 
MIRANDA AZEVEDO in 1874, was 
courageous enough to attack all the old 
theories in his inaugural thesis in which the 
defends the insufficient nourishment theory. 
At that time, the malarial etiology of beriheri 
was supported by the best-known medical 
