RICE DIET. 189 



111 



Class 10. Fed on underinilled rice having a red pericarp. — The rice used 

 this experiment was that supplied by the Subsistence Department of the Army 

 to the native troops (Philippine Scouts). It contained 0.223 per cent of potas- 

 sium oxide and 0.489 per cent of phosphorus pentoxide. 



Three out of four fowls have remained in perfect health on this diet for an 

 average time of 129.6 days. (Numbers 38, 39, and 47.) The fourth (number 

 46') acquired infectious conjunctivitis and died, without signs of neuritis, on the 

 26th day. 



The three healthy birds gained in weight from 22.8 per cent to 37.3 per cent 

 (average 29.2 per cent) Avhile subsisting solely on this unpolished rice. 



Class 11. Fed on underinilled rice {yelloioish-iohite) + 0.36 gram sodium 

 chloride daily. — Bunge in 1894(13) called attention to the relationship of the 

 potassium and sodium salts of the food to each other, maintaining that an excess 

 of potassium carbonate when ingested will react with sodium chloride forming 

 sodiiun carbonate and potassium chloride which are soluble and are eliminated in 

 the urine, thereby depriving the system of needed elements. 



Loeb(14) has shown the necessity for a balance between the sodium, calcium 

 and potassium ions, and that the calcium and potassium ions counteract the 

 effects of the sodium ions in the blood. When marine animals were placed in 

 a pure solution of sodium chloride of the same concentration as sea water, their 

 muscular contractility was lost. Small amounts of calcium and potassiiim ions 

 antagonized the poisonous effects of the sodium ions. 



Le Dantec(15) in the course of experimental work with fowls noticed that 

 the multiple neuritis produced when they were fed on polished rice was seldom 

 (2 cases in 60) accompanied by the cedema which is so frequently observed in 

 the beriberi of man. Desiring to produce this oedema he injected a solution of 

 sodium chloride into the pectoral muscles and killed the birds in every case. He 

 found that it also had the same effect when injected into starving fowls. He 

 made no mention of having administered the salt to fowls not in a cachectic state. 



As stated before when describing oiir experiments with polished rice 

 and various salts, we previously found (10) that the dietaries of the Scout 

 companies having beriberi were deficient in potassium and phosphorus. 

 We also found that the Scouts were rather heavy salt eaters and suggested 

 that this habit may have had an etiologic connection with beriberi by 

 abstracting needed potassium ions. 



In class 11 we fed five of our fowls a rice proved by previous experiments 

 (class 9) to prevent neuritis, and in addition gave a daily dose of 0.36 gram of 

 sodium chloride in solution, the amount being decided upon in a similar manner 

 to the determination of the amounts of potassium and phosphorous used in 

 classes 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. On the 55th day the amount of sodium chloride was 

 increased to 0.72 gram daily. 



Four of the five birds continued well, remained stationary or slightly gained 

 in weight, and after an average time of 113.2 days, showed no signs of neuritis. 

 (Numbers 33, 35, 36, and 58.) One fowl (number 34), after nearly two months 

 of apparent health, acquired infectious conjunctivitis and died on the 6lst day 

 with a loss of 26.5 per cent of body weight. 



The administration of sodium chloride in either dose, 0.36 or 0.12 

 gram, seemed to have no effect on these foivls, but it must be remem- 

 bered that they were strong animals, receiving a neuritis-preventing rice, 

 were in fine condition, and not cachectic like those of Le Dantec. 



