20 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 374 



Infection is added to the scorbutic state, the symptoms and lesions of rheu- 

 matic fever develop. An attempt was made to duplicate this work, with 

 the idea of finding out whether or not iodine or kelp therapy was of any 

 value in treating scurvy when it was complicated by a superimposed 

 streptococcus infection. The organism employed was a hemolytic strep- 

 tococcus isolated from a patient in a nearby hospital. 



A number of guinea pigs were divided into four experimental groups 

 as follows: 1, control; 2, subacute scurvy; 3, subacute scurvy plus infec- 

 tion; 4, infection only. A saline suspension of the hemolytic streptococcus 

 was injected into the animals in groups 3 and 4 three times a week for 

 four weeks. At the end of this time the guinea pigs showed no ill effects 

 from the streptococcus injections, and their scurvy lesions were not any 

 more severe than were those of the control animals. 



The Influence of Vitamin C and Other Factors in Curing Arthropathy 



One of the first manifestations of vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs is 

 an arthropathy which is characterized by pain, swelling, and a limitation 

 of movement in the multiple joints. The joints most obviously involved 

 are the knees, wrists, and elbows. It was the purpose of this study to 

 produce this characteristic scorbutic arthropathy in guinea pigs and then 

 to observe the influence of such substances as yeast and vitamin D, in ad- 

 dition to optimal amounts of vitamin C, on the condition. Suggestive 

 evidence has been found that scorbutic arthropathy in guinea pigs may 

 later lead to an arthritic-like condition in the joints, after the animal has 

 been receiving adequate amounts of vitamin C for a considerable time. 



The experiment was planned as follows: A number of guinea pigs were 

 kept on a scurvy-producing diet for 23 days, until typical scorbutic affec- 

 tion of the joints had developed. The animals were then divided Into four 

 experimental groups with different dietary regimes (Table 3). From 

 this experiment it was hoped to demonstrate whether or not vitamins of 

 the B complex (as found in yeast) or vitamin D could accelerate the 

 curing of arthritic-like conditions In scorbutic guinea pigs. At the end of 

 four weeks the guinea pigs were killed and autopsled as in the previous 

 experiments. In addition, the femurs were removed from each animal and 

 the percentage of bone ash in them was determined. 



Table 3. — The Influence of Vitamin D and of Yeast, in Addition to 

 Vitamin C in the Curing of Scurvy 



Supplement Fed in Addition Feeding Weight Scurvy Percent of 



to C-free Ration Period Gain Seorie Bone Ash 



(Weeks) (Grams) in Femur 



None (control group, killed at start) 



10 mgm. ascorbic acid dally 4 



10 mgm. ascorbic acid daily plus 

 10,000 I. U. vitamin D 4 



10 mgm. ascorbic acid daily plus 

 15 percent yeast 4 



