A THIRD CONTRIBUTION TO THE ETIOLOGY OF BERIBERI. 



By 



Weston P. Chamberlain and Edward B. Vedder. 

 {From the United States Army Board for the Study of Tropical Diseases.) 



AND 



Robert R. Williams.' 

 {From the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Bureau of Science, Manila.) 



In previous communications (l) (2) Chamberlain and Vedder 

 showed that the substance in rice polishings which prevents 

 polyneuritis gallinarum was present in an extract of the polish- 

 ings having the composition shown in Table I. 



Table I. — Analysis of a neuritis-preventing extract of rice polishings. 



Constituents. Per cent. 



Total solids 1.34 



Ash 0.03 



Phosphorus pentoxide 0.00165 



Nitrogen 0.0406 



Sucrose 0.88 



It was further proved that the neuritis-preventing principle 

 was soluble in cold water, cold 95 per cent alcohol, was dialyz- 

 able, and was adsorbed by bone black or animal charcoal. By 

 experiments on fowls the phosphorus, the inorganic salts, and 

 the sucrose of this extract were excluded from further consider- 

 ation as regards the prevention of neuritis. 



We had hoped that the problem could next be attacked by 

 direct chemical analysis, but a preliminary examination showed 

 that the extract was of so complex a nature as to render a 

 direct search for the neuritis-preventing substance impractic- 

 able. Therefore a further study of the nitrogenous constituents 

 of this extract was begun. 



For this purpose a fresh supply of extract of rice polishings 



' Published with permission of the Chief Surgeon, Philippines Division. 



' W. P. Chamberlain, major, Medical Corps, United States Army, and 

 E. B. Vedder, captain, Medical Corps, United States Army, members of the 

 United States Army Board for the Study of Tropical Diseases as they 

 Exist in the Philippine Islands. R. R. Williams, chemist in the Bureau of 

 Science, Manila, P. I. The chemical work relating to amido-bodies was 

 performed by Mr. Williams. This paper was submitted for publication in 

 September, 1911. 



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