RICE DIET, 185 



It is doubtful if this maneuver was of any use. The bird's appetite 

 was probably a good indication of their ability to digest and assimilate 

 polished rice, and an excess was probably not used. 



Of the four fowls thus' fed, three (numbers 45, 48, and 49) ate but little 

 voluntarily, speedily lost in weight, and developed multiple neuritis in 27 to 31 

 days (average 29.6 days) and two of them died on the 42d and 63d day respec- 

 tively. After showing well-marked signs of neuritis they were given Tpalay and 

 kitchen stuff without avail in two cases, which soon thereafter died. One 

 (number 48) was saved by the mixed feeding and, one and one-half months later, 

 had practically recovered the use of his legs and wings. He showed no spasticity 

 at any time. When he had nearly recovered from the neuritis he was turned 

 loose. 



The fourth (number 40) differed from the others in that he ate his full daily 

 alloivance and weighed more at the end than at the commencement of the experi- 

 ment. He did not shoio any signs of nerve involvement. He was released on the 

 81st day of the experiment. 



The weight curves of the fowls forcibly fed are shown on Chart 2. 

 It will be seen that the fowl remaining well (number 40) gradually re- 

 gained the 11.1 per cent of his original weight, which he had lost during 

 the first month. 



POLISHED KICE COMBINED WITH VAEIOUS SALTS. 



. In an attempt to explain the etiologic connection between polished 

 rice and beriberi, the kinds' and quantities of inorganic and organic 

 salts present have received a large share of attention. Schauman and 

 others(8); (9) believe that beriberi results from phosphorus privation. 

 Some (12) have suggested poisoning by, or a lack of, other salts, inorganic 

 and organic, and others have thought that too little of certain proteids 

 or enzymes may be etiologic factors. 



After investigating the dietaries of the native troop (Philippine Scouts), the 

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

 the Philippines found that the amounts of phosphorus and potassium consumed 

 were deficient in the companies having beriberi, and varied inversely with the 

 incidence of the disease. In our former report on this subject (10) the companies 

 were divided into three classes, as follows: 



Table II. — Average number of grams consumed per man per day. 



Class. 



1. Having many cases 



2. Having a few scattered cases. 



3. Having no cases 



P2O6. 



3.3474 

 3.9399 

 4. 6279 



KCl. 



1. 0600 

 1.1905 

 1. 6517 



The amounts of P2O5 average 3.3474 grams in the bad companies, 3.9399 in 

 those slightly affected, and 4.6279 in the companies for the prisoners having no 

 beriberi; a difference of 1.2805 grams between the worst and best averages. 



The amounts of potassium chloride average 1.06 grams in the worst, 1.1905 

 in the medium, and 1.6517 grams in the best organization, a difference of 0.5917 

 gram between the worst and the best. 



