The Newer Physiology in 

 Surgical and General Practice 



CHAPTER I. 

 VITAMINES. 



Beri-beri — Growth — Sciirvy — Rickets. 



FOR generations it has been a fundamental 

 axiom of dietetics that a proper food allow- 

 ance should contain proteins, carbohydrates, fats, 

 salts, and water. Tables, such as Ranke's, have 

 been drawn up and copied from book to book, 

 setting forth the proper proportions of each to 

 maintain health. During the past year or two, 

 however, important evidence has been adduced to 

 show that these five proximate principles by them- 

 selves are inadequate, and that a mysterious some- 

 thing more is necessary. 



One of the first reforms leading up to the marvellous 

 emancipation of modern Japan from her mediaevalism 

 of half a century ago was concerned with a problem 

 of this sort. The Japanese navy was reduced to 

 complete ineptitude by the prevalence of beri-beri — 

 a form of peripheral neuritis — amongst the crews, as 



I 



