BERIBERI IN SIAM. 79 



As I am now treating of the practical prevention of beriberi, and 

 as time does not permit me to deal with any more of the many interesting 

 facts brought forward by Fraser and Stanton, I shall only refer to one 

 more point, namely, the suggestion that rice polishings be added to the 

 diet of those using white rice. 



Scientifically, this is a natural deduction from their experiments, 

 but surely Fraser and Stanton must see that their advice is not practical. 

 With peofile living in close proximity to mills in which white rice is 

 prepared, it might .be possible to obtain a supply of these polishings, 

 but even then, in the case of the ordinary native, how can we expect 

 that they will be able to gauge the proportion of the polishings required 

 to make up for the deficiency in the white rice? Further, if the con- 

 sumer lives in a country where rice is imported, I fear that the supply 

 of these polishings would be a matter of difficulty. I would go even 

 further and say that unless very carefully prepared, rice polishings would 

 not be quite an ideal addition to a dietary, containing as they do much 

 mineral debris from the grinders, dust, filth, etc. No; so far as I can 

 see, the only practical method is to encourage the consumption of under- 

 milled rice. How far legislation might be invoked in this question is 

 too large a subject to be taken up now. 



A second important fact learned on my arrival in Manila, is the 

 abandonment by the American Army of the use of imported white rice 

 and the substitution of locally grown and locally milled paddy. 



Therefore, it would appear that we all have come to similar conclusions. 



In conclusion, I would draw your attention to the name "Siani rice," 

 so often used in writings upon the etiology of beriberi. This is a trade 

 name, and amongst Siani rice we find grain from many of the other 

 neighboring rice-growing countries. It is polished white rice of a certain 

 quality which is inferred by this trade name. Naturally, as delegate 

 from Siani, I am glad not only to have the opportunity of protesting 

 against this use of the term in describing the cause of beriberi, but I 

 believe that I have satisfactorily demonstrated the fact that Siam rice 

 can be shorn of -its dangers as a staple article of food through the simple 

 process of "undermilling." 



