VIII, B, s Vedder and Williams: Vitamines in Rice IgQ 



berlain and Vedder (4) we proceeded to administer this extract 

 to adult cases of beriberi. 



Case I. — A woman who had been delivered about a month 

 previously and was nursing her infant. She had been in good 

 health until about a week before the time she consulted us, when 

 her legs began to swell and became heavy. This became steadily 

 worse and gradually extended to other parts of her body, and 

 finally induced her to seek treatment. When first seen, oedema 

 was pronounced and very general, having extended even to her 

 face. Heart, lungs, and kidneys were apparently normal. A 

 careful examination of the urine showed no albumin, casts, 

 nor other abnormality. Her muscles were somewhat tender to 

 the touch, and her reflexes were slightly impaired. She informed 

 us that she had been living almost exclusively on polished rice. 

 A diagnosis of beriberi was made and the case was kept under 

 observation for a few days, during which the oedema became 

 steadily worse, and finally the child developed symptoms of in- 

 fantile beriberi, consisting of slight oedema and attacks of cardiac 

 insuflftciency. The case was now considered to be surely beriberi, 

 and the patient was given the unhydrolyzed extract from 1 

 kilogram of rice polishings daily for three days. The oedema at 

 once began to clear up, and had entirely disappeared by the end 

 of the three days; the woman was able to walk better and the 

 tenderness of the muscles was greatly relieved. The infant was 

 not treated at this time. 



Case II. — A woman in the Philippine General Hospital who 

 was very kindly referred to us for treatment by Dr. A. G. Sison. 

 This woman had been in the hospital for some time and was 

 suffering from typical dry beriberi. Her muscles were much 

 wasted and exquisitely tender, and she was completely bedridden. 

 This woman was given the unhydrolyzed extract from 1 kilo- 

 gram of polishings daily for two weeks with no improvement 

 except possibly a slight alleviation of the tenderness of the 

 muscles. She remained completely paralyzed. It may here be 

 stated that we have been informed by several physicians that 

 they have been similarly disappointed in the treatment of cases 

 of dry beriberi with the extract of rice polishings. 



Case III. — A man, who had suffered from dry beriberi for 

 some time, was admitted to the Philippine General Hospital on 

 September 6 suffering from an acute cardiac crisis. Through 

 the courtesy of Doctor Sison we were invited to see this case and 

 treat it. When first seen on the morning of September 9, the 

 man was sitting up in bed gasping for breath, and the resident 



