202 



The Philippine Journal of Science 



extract of rice polishings is designated as A throughout this 

 article. 



Two methods are applicable for the determination of activity 

 in these extracts, namely, their protective property from the 

 onset of polyneuritis in chickens fed on polished rice and their 

 curative property when administered to chickens suffering from 

 polyneuritis. Both methods were used for testing these extracts. 

 Twelve chickens were placed on an exclusive diet of white rice 

 and treated in the manner hereafter described. Two chickens 

 had no treatment, but served as controls on the rice used. When 

 polyneuritis became evident, they were treated with some one of 

 the extracts, A, B, C, D, or E. Two chickens were given 3 cubic 

 centimeters of A three times a week ; two received 3 cubic centi- 

 meters of B three times a week ; two received 3. cubic centimeters 

 of C three times a week ; two received one capsule of D three times 

 a week ; while two received one capsule of E three times a week. 

 The experiments extended over a total period of one hundred 

 eighty-six days. Table III gives the history of the chickens fed 

 on polished rice. These chickens had no treatment until polyneu- 

 ritis had set in. They were then treated as described in the 

 table until their condition improved, when the treatment was dis- 

 continued. 



Table III.— History of control chickens. 



Days 



before 



onset of 



poly- 



of days 

 on pol- 

 ished 



3 cc. of A on alternate 



days. 

 do 



Num- 

 ber of 

 treat- 

 ments. 



1 capsule of D on alter- | 2 



nate days. 



Total 

 loss in 

 weight 



Results and remarks. 



Died at end of twenty-eight 

 days. 



Improved; treatment discon- 

 tinued. 



Improved ; treatment di scon- 

 tinued. Living at end of 

 experiment. 



Improved; gained weight af- 

 ter treatment. Treat- 

 ment discontinued. 



Improved; living at end of 

 experiment. 



The weight of the chickens recorded in Table III decreased 

 when polyneuritis set in. When treated, their weight increased 

 at once. This increase amounted to as much as 20 per cent in 

 some cases. 



