232 HEISER. 



resulted from the attempt to introduce unpolished rice. "\'\'1ien the Army 

 and the Insular Goverrmient entered the market to purchase large quan- 

 tities, it developed that rice dealers were unable to supply the demand 

 because managers of rice mills refused to adjust their process of manu- 

 facture to meet the new requirements. This resulted in the use of large 

 quantities of rice that came from the mills immediately after it was 

 husked. The machines that are employed locally for this purpose allow 

 many of the smaller rice grains to pass through without the husks being 

 removed from them. Previously such rice went directly to the polishing 

 machine which not only polished the grains but the husks were also 

 removed from such as still retained them, so that the finished product 

 was clean. It was apparent then that much of unpolished rice which 

 was issued in the beginning was not very clean and contained many 

 husks. This gave rise to much complaint among those who were re- 

 quired to use it. It was frequently alleged that the husks tickled their 

 throats and often caused gastritis. Upon investigation no reliable evi- 

 dence as to the gastritis could be obtained. Commissary officers, prison 

 wardens, and others who were directly charged with carrying out the 

 orders to use unpolished rice were constantly besieged with complaints, 

 and it was but natural that they should take the course of least resist- 

 ance and recommend that its use be discontinued. To add to the diffi- 

 culties of those who were insisting upon the use of unpolished rice, the 

 rumor spread that the latter, when stored in bulk, soon spoiled, thus 

 causing great financial loss. Investigation of this matter showed that 

 there was no reason to believe that unpolished rice when stored under 

 the same conditions as polished rice spoiled any more rapidly. 



A campaign of education was then begun. Doctor Aron frequently 

 went to the rice mills in person and was invariably able to demonstrate 

 that rice coidd be rendered clean and free from husks without polishing 

 it to a degree that would be harmful. Similar work, with like results, 

 was accomplished by Highet in Siam, so that it may now be said that 

 clean unpolished rice, satisfactory in appearance, can be obtained in the 

 Philippines and abroad, and that the original objections to its use no 

 longer exist. 



By January, 1911, so much evidence had accumulated showing un- 

 polished rice to be an important factor in the prevention of beriberi 

 that it was deemed most desirable to bring about its general use in the 

 Philippines for a few years at least, in order to test the theory thor- 

 oughly. At the most no harm can result, and upon the other hand 

 every promise was held out that many hundreds of lives could be saved 

 and a still greater morbidity avoided. Experimental investigations made 

 by Doctor Aron showed that a rice which has only been polished to a 

 point where it still contains 0.4 per cent of phosphorus pentoxide may 

 be regarded as incapable of producing beriberi. Almost at the same 



