vm, B. 5 Gibson: Salt Mixtures and Beriberi 361 



When fed by hand, the weight was increased to 1,092 grams on 

 the thirtieth day; the fowl, however, seemed slightly sick, and 

 died suddenly on the thirty-third day from some cause not 

 revealed at necropsy. There was no evidence of degeneration on 

 histological examination of the sciatic nerve. 



A striking incidental observation is found in that the fowls, 

 which received the lactate, developed brilliant red erect combs 

 and wattles and a fine plumage. This is in marked contrast 

 with the results obtained in the other rice-fed fowls. These 

 differences are shown in the accompanying reproductions of pho- 

 tographs of the chickens. 



The fact that the lactate chickens have not lost weight, and in 

 particular have put on weight even when the experiments have 

 extended over relatively long periods, is important. This finding 

 suggests that a closer symptomatic relationship exists between 

 polyneuritis gallinarum and beriberi in man than the evidence 

 heretofore available has permitted to be accepted." From these 

 experiments, it would seem that the administration of calcium 

 salts or of lactates has prolonged the period required for the 

 development of the polyneuritis. Furthermore, it seems that the 

 fowls will not survive for long the administration with the rice 

 of the calcium as the chloride only. Regeneration processes, as 

 evidenced by the presence of embryonic nuclei in the nerve fibers 

 of one fowl receiving calcium lactate and of a second on sodium 

 lactate and then calcium lactate, are most suggestive. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH MONKEYS FED ON WHITE RICE AND SALTS 



Schaumann ^^ found that a monkey, fed on rice, lost appetite, 

 and developed a paralysis of the lower extremities and progressive 

 marasmus. Degeneration of many nerve fibers was evident. 

 Aron " obtained a somewhat similar result with 3 monkeys fed 

 on white bread. Shiga and Kusama ^* observed in a monkey at 

 first an increase of appetite followed after thirty-seven days 

 by a loss of appetite, and subsequently by a loss of the patellar 

 reflex and paralysis of the lower extremities. The animal died 

 ten days later. There was degeneration of the peripheral nerves 

 and the cells of the anterior horn, atrophy of the musculature, 

 etc.; the heart showed a dilatation hypertrophy. Nagayo and 



"'Cf. Shibayama, loc. cit. Eijkman, Arch. f. Schiffs- u. Trop.-Hyg. (1911), 

 15, 65; Clark and Vedder, loc. cit. 

 "Loc cit. 

 " Loc. cit. 

 " Loc. cit. 



