STUDY OF POLYNEURITIS GALLINARUM. 457 



was very gradual. The sudden appearance of the paralysis 

 and the immediate cures reported by Funk after administration 

 of the vitamine could be explained if this vitamine constitutes 

 an essential element for the metabolism of the nerve cells. The 

 changes found by us in the nerve cells of the cord appear to 

 lend support to this view. These changes are probably not 

 a true degeneration, since similar changes have been observed 

 in nerve cells after fatigue. The paralysis, therefore, may ap- 

 pear suddenly when the nerve cells become exhausted from 

 the lack of this vitamine essential to their metabolism, and 

 disappear equally promptly when this substance is supplied in 

 sufficient quantity. 



A definite answer to all of these questions is manifestly beyond 

 the scope of this paper. However, the questions which have 

 been raised by this study make it certain that this interesting 

 disease of fowls deserves further investigation, and we may 

 expect our knowledge of the metabolism and pathologj^ of the 

 nervous system to be greatly extended by such work. 



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