364 The Philippine Journal of Science wis 



but with no obstruction in the common or cystic duct, and without 

 any special evidence of beriberi. The sciatic nerve, however, was 

 found on histological examination to show typical degeneration. 



The experiment was discontinued after one hundred twenty 

 days, when all the remaining animals, then in very bad condi- 

 tion, were returned to a mixed diet. 



It has been shown that the attempt to keep monkeys on the 

 salt mixture added to water-extracted rice has not sufficed either 

 to maintain the weight of the animals or to prevent the develop- 

 ment of an almost typical case of beriberi in one instance. The 

 experiments again serve to show the resistance of monkeys to 

 white rice as compared with man. 



SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 



The addition of a compensated salt mixture to white rice fed 

 to fowls has not prevented the development of polyneuritis galli- 

 narum. However, the onset of the disease seems to have been 

 slightly protracted, and the degenerative changes in the nerves 

 were less pronounced. 



Fowls fed on white rice and lactates, and in particular calcium 

 lactate, have maintained body weight, even when the experiments 

 have extended over relatively long periods. This fact suggests 

 that a closer symptomatic analogy may exist between polyneuritis 

 gallinarum and beriberi in man than the evidence available has 

 hitherto permitted to be drawn. The administration of calcium 

 salts or lactates prolonged the period required for the develop- 

 ment of neuritis, though the fowls did not long survive the 

 diet of rice and calcium chloride. The lactate-fed fowls devel- 

 oped brilliant combs and a fine quality of plumage in contrast 

 with all other chickens employed in these experiments. Regen- 

 erative processes, as evidenced by the discovery of embryonic 

 nuclei, were suggested on examination of the nerve fibers of 2 

 fowls which had received calcium lactate. 



The attempt to keep 3 monkeys on an approximately compen- 

 sated salt mixture and white rice failed either to maintain the 

 body weight of the animals or to prevent the development of 

 an almost typical case of beriberi in 1 case. These experiments, 

 with the 3 controls, demonstrate again the resistance of monkeys 

 to white rice as compared with man. 



Osborne and Mendel have shown that, with an exactly physiol- 

 ogically balanced salt mixture, rats may maintain their weight 

 and even grow to maturity when fed on pure protein with carbo- 

 hydrate or carbohydrate and fat. However, it is evident that 



