456 VEDDER AND CLARK. 



of beriberi in the same way. It would also offer a rational 

 explanation for the confusing fact observed in ship beriberi, that 

 neuritis is sometimes apparently entirely absent, and is usually 

 slight, while in other cases the neuritis is pronounced. On 

 account of this fact, many observers such as Nocht have not been 

 willing to accept ship beriberi as true beriberi. If this explana- 

 tion were correct, this difficulty would disappear, for it would 

 evidently be possible for the symptoms of wet beriberi and the 

 symptoms of polyneuritis to be mixed in all sorts of forms 

 depending upon the proportions of these two essential vitamines 

 that were present in the diet consumed in each case. Moreover, 

 this hypothesis might account for the existence of the disease 

 epidemic dropsy which some observers have thought to be a form 

 of beriberi while others have denied this. Epidemic dropsy 

 according to this theory would be caused by the lack of this 

 second vitamine. There are many indications that this hypoth- 

 esis may be the correct one, but at present experimental 

 evidence is lacking to prove its validity. Experiments are being 

 continued by Vedder and Williams. 



The degeneration found in the cord presents another field 

 for speculation. It is generally believed by physiologists that 

 the fibers of the cord are incapable of regeneration. Yet here 

 we have an instance where degeneration has undoubtedly oc- 

 curred and where apparently complete recovery also takes place. 

 Can this recovery occur without regeneration of these fibers 

 of the cord by the process of training other fibers to assume 

 the function of those that have been destroyed, or does regenera- 

 tion of these fibers actually occur ? 



In order to study regeneration of the nerves, several fowls 

 suffering from pronounced polyneuritis were saved by adminis- 

 tration of extract of rice polishings. It was observed that after a 

 few days a pronounced spasticity, similar to that observed when 

 the symptoms of neuritis were first manifested and described 

 above, set in. This spastic condition remained for two months 

 after daily administration of extract of rice polishings was 

 commenced, without apparent improvement. It then suddenly 

 disajjpeared in a single day. On one day, the fowl was hardly 

 able to totter about on its toes, and on the next day it was walking 

 about like a normal fowl. Nor was this an isolated observation. 

 Two questions are suggested. What is the cause of this spas- 

 ticity, and what causes it to disappear suddenly ? In this connec- 

 tion we may recollect that the symptoms of paralysis also often 

 appeared in a single day, although the degeneration of the nerves 



