952 Osteomalacia. 



gm. of lime and 100 gm. of phosphoric acid (Kellner), those of a resting ox are 

 76-78 gm. and 36 gm., respectively (Henneberg & Stohmann), the figures in the two 

 last cases being calculated to IjOOO kg. body weight. A ram 2 years old needs 

 daily only 0.57 gm. of lime and 0.05 gm. of phosphoric acid for his 50 kg. of 

 weight (Weiske) compared to a need of 3.2 gm. and 2.3 gm., respectively, in a lamb 

 1 month old. 



For the content of food-stuffs in lime and phosphoric acid see chapter on 

 rachitis, page 932.-. 



The etiological importance of lime deficiency in osteomalacia 

 was likewise proved by some animal experiments, and the same 

 significance must be attributed to the numerous observations 

 according to which the disease may be relieved by a suitable 

 supply of lime. 



Chossat (1842) and later Gelpke (1891) succeeded in producing osteomalacia 

 in pigeons by feeding them exclusively with oats, while Porster (1881) obtained 

 positive results in dogs. Eoloff (1866) in a goat and a sheep. Stilling & Mering 

 (1889) saw in a bitch which had been fed from the commencement of gestation 

 with food-stuffs deficient in lime, softness of vertebral column and pelvis, and 

 microscopically thick layers of osteoid tissue upon the bone trabeculae. 



Further an intoxication was assumed as causative of osteo- 

 malacia, in so far as some irritating substance circulating in the 

 blood was supposed to produce an inflammatory condition in 

 the bones, similarly as in rachitis (p. 933). 



The infectious origin of osteomalacia is finding more and 

 more adherents, since Morpurgo and Moussu published the re- 

 sults of their experiments which were mentioned above 

 (p. 935), and even before them some authors (Kehrer, Ziirn) 

 had pointed out the possibility of an infection. Moussu, Lienaux, 

 among others, even assert that osteomalacia always arises in 

 consequence of an infection, at most a predisposing significance 

 being admitted for the lime deficiency of the organism. 



Petrone (1892) assumed that Winogradsky 's micrococcus nitrificans was the 

 virus of osteomalacia, but the experiments of Tschistowitsch (1893) in this direc- 

 tion had a negative result. Morpurgo found the diplococci mentioned on page 935. 

 Pficaud (1904) in Tonking also demonstrated diplococci, in a horse affected with 

 osetomalacia and claims to have produced the disease with the blood of affected 

 animals in a horse and in a guinea pig. But on the other hand, Moussu and Lienaux 

 did not succeed in discovering any microorganism whatever. (Concerning the micro- 

 organisms found by Plana in rabbits affected with osteomalacia, see page 935. ) 



The osteomalacia (osteoporosis) of equides which is met with 

 outside of Europe was considered by Theiler (1907) to be a specific 

 infectious disease in spite of the fact that the inoculation experiments 

 of Elliot and Eobertson, and also Theiler 's own blood transfusion 

 yielded entirely negative results. Theiler assumed that the micro- 

 organism, which is perhaps ultramicroscopic, is transmitted by insects. 

 But Ingle showed that the food-stuifs, which were supplied to the 

 osteoporotic animals, were deficient in lime salts and contained relatively 

 much phosphoric acid, and he concludes, therefore, that the cause 

 of osteoporosis must he looked for in food-stuffs in which the phosphoric 

 acid content is relatively very high in proportion to the calcium content. 

 Ingle refers to some animal experiments of "Weiske 's in which, after 

 the addition of sodium phosphate to the oats, the bones of the expert- 



