422 VEDDER. 



of alcohol equivalent to 200 cubic centimeters for a man weigh- 

 ing 150 pounds. This is approximately the amount of alcohol 

 that would be contained in 400 cubic centimeters of brandy. 

 It is clear, therefore, that if neuritis can be produced at 

 all in fowls by the administration of alcohol, it can only be 

 accomplished by using very large amounts of alcohol over a 

 period much longer than the incubation period of polyneuritis 

 gallinarum. 



While the above experiments are all negative in result, it is 

 believed they are worthy of being recorded since each additional 

 experiment affords confirmation of the belief that there is a 

 certain definite substance which is capable of preventing poly- 

 neuritis gallinarum. Moreover, apparently this substance alone 

 possesses such power, and every element that is excluded simpli- 

 fies the task of identifying this substance. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



1. The administration of large amounts of alcohol has failed 

 to produce neuritis in fowls. 



2. Fowls develop polyneuritis when fed on a diet containing 

 a sufficiency of all the alimentary principles, providing no one 

 of the ingredients of this diet contains the neuritis-preventing 

 substance. 



3. The neuritis-preventing substance is not volatile, but is 

 destroyed by heat. 



4. The neuritis-preventing substance is not an inorganic salt. 



5. The neuritis-preventing substance is probably not an 

 alkaloid. 



6. Since it has been shown that this substance is not a fat, 

 proteid, inorganic salt, or alkaloid, it seems probable that it is 

 an organic base as claimed by Funk, but we have been unable 

 as yet to confirm his work. 



REFERENCES. 



(1) Chamberlain, Vedder, and Williams. A Third Contribution to the 



Etiology of Beriberi. Phil. Journ. Scl, Sec. B (1912), 7, 39. 



(2) Funk. On the Chemical Nature of the Substance which Cures Poly- 



neuritis in Birds Induced by a Diet of Polished Rice. Journ. 

 Physiol. (1911), 43, No. 5. 



(3) Osborne and Mendel. Feeding Experiments with Isolated Food 



Substances. Pub. Carnegie Inst. Washington (1911), No. 156, Parts 

 I and II. 



