184 



CHAMBERLAIN, BLOOMBERGH, KILBOURNE. 



We have not been able to find any mention of this spasticity in the 

 literatiire on the subject. It did not appear in any of our fowls fed on 

 the same rice as number 5 and allowed to go on to death. Evidently 

 it occurs late in the disease. Hoist (H) speaks of finding some slight 

 degeneration in the white matter of the spinal cord in fowls dead of 

 polj^neuritis bu.t does not mention a spasticity of gait observed before 

 death. Microscopic examination of sections of the cord from fowl 

 number 5 showed no degeneration in any of the tracts. The sciatic 

 nerves were extensively degenerated. 



Fowl number 7 of this class was remarkable in that he remained well for 89 

 days on polished rice, showing no sign of neuritis before death, which resulted 

 from exposure in a stonn. 



In all our experiments with polished rice we have found that those fowls 

 which ate well would remain free from neuritis for much longer periods than the 

 average in whom anorexia with refusal of food appeared early. More will be 

 said op this phase of the subject later in connection with our starvation work 

 in classes 13, 14, and 15. Fowl number 7 ate well from the beginning and always 

 consumed his daily allowance of 118 grams. 



His weight, sho-\vn on Chart 1, ran as follows: 



Date. 



May 16 „. 

 May 21 ... 



June 1 



June 11 — 

 June 18... 

 June 25 ._ 



July 2 



July 9 



July ]6_-.. 

 July 23— 

 July 30... 

 Augusts. 

 August 12 



Day. 



1st. _ - 





5th 



1,162 



11th ____ 



1, 162 



21st 



1,091 



28th -___ 



1,071 



35th 



1,162 



42d 



1,119 



49th ._- 



1,119 



56th .__, 



1,140 



esd 



1,091 



70th 



1,098 



77th ..... 



1,048 



83(i 



1,020 



Grams. 



Remarks. 



Saigon rice begun. 



Found dead. 



Microscopic examination of the sciatic nerves showed slight degenerative 

 changes. 



Tlie characteristic attitude in polyneuritis gallinarum is shown in 

 figures A, 5, 6, 7, and 8, which are reproduced from photographs of fowls 

 numbers 6 and 8 of this class. 



Class 3. Fed on 118 grams of polished rice, given by force when necessary. — - 

 In view of the fact that most of the fowls soon tired of polished rice, ate only 

 a small part of their daily allowance, and went rapidly to neuritis and death, 

 we decided to study a series of four which were given polished rice, feeding 

 the fowls 118 grams daily, by force when it was not eaten voluntarily. This 

 anioimt, 118 grams, was selected because the birds that ate well and remained 

 nearly stationary in weight consumed about that quantity. 



The polished rice used was the Saigon grain supplied by the Subsistence 

 Department, and was fed raw and dry. When necessary to use force it was 

 pushed into the crop with the end of the little finger. 



