NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 169 



The relationship of food to the development of osteomalacia 

 must be fully entered into, as well as the effects of ordinary 

 hygenic measures. 



The truly remarkable success attained in the treatment of the 

 puerpural forms by castration in man, indicates the possibility 

 of securing some beneficial results by this method in animals also. 



Perhaps of even greater importance, however, is the direct bear- 

 ing, which study of this condition in the primates, the species most 

 closely related to man, may have on the understanding of the 

 whole subject of osteomalacea, particularlv since it is here possi- 

 ble to undertake problems in experimental investigation, espe- 

 cially along the lines of therapeusis, of immediate bearing and 

 value to human medicine, methods which may not be justifiable 

 to first attempt on man and which, on account of great variation 

 on species status are of uncertain value when conducted with 

 domestic or the ordinary laboratorv animals. 



In conclusion we may summarize the result of our study as 

 follows : "Cage jiaralysis," as seen in Primates in captivity, is 

 osteomalacia. The differentiation of some authors into senile, 

 marantic and true osteomalacia does not hold in the monkeys. 



The disease is verv frequent in monkeys in captivity, but proba- 

 bly does not occur in the wild (Hornaday, Report New York 

 Zoological Society. 1903, p. 116). 



The disease as it appears in. Primates is chiefly characterized 

 by decalcification of the bones, but degenerative lesions of the 

 central nervous organs are. though probably secondary, an essen- 

 tial manifestation of the disease. 



The etiolosrv is unknown. 



