﻿VITAMIN B IN EDIBLE TISSUES OF OX, SHEEP, AND HOG. 



43 



TESTS AVITH OX BLOOD AtfD'CALF BLOOD. 



Information regarding the vitamin content of blood is of interest, 

 not only on account of its importance as a food, but also because 

 blood acts as a carrier of vitamins to the tissues. 



Samples of defibrinated blood were obtained fresh from a local 

 meat-packing establishment. The serum, which was separated 

 from the corpuscles by means of a centrifuge, was only slightly 

 colored with hemoglobin. The corpuscles were washed several times 

 with normal salt solution. The whole defibrinated blood, the serum, 

 and the corpuscles were dried in the usual way. The results of the 

 feeding tests with these products are shown in Table 27. 



The ration containing 15 per cent of ox blood had a very low anti- 

 neuritic value, the average survival period of the pen of birds getting 

 this ration being only 17 days, while the average loss in weight was 17.6 

 per cent. The calf blood had a slightly higher value, the average 

 survival period being 31 days, but the loss in weight was 35 per cent. 

 The ox-blood corpuscles had a lower antineuritic value than the 

 whole blood, the average survival period of the two birds getting 

 this ration being only 10 days, while the loss in weight was 23.6 per 

 cent. The very short survival period of the pigeons receiving the 

 ration containing 15 per cent of corpuscles suggests that the presence 

 of this constituent in the ration actually hastened the development 

 of polyneuritis, since it is unusual for pigeons to develop poly- 

 neuritis in so short a time, even on a ration consisting entirely of 

 autoclaved polished rice. More experimental evidence is needed 

 to determine this point. The ox-blood serum had a somewhat higher 

 antineuritic value than the whole blood, and a considerably higher 

 value than the corpuscles. However, the serum must be con- 

 sidered as having a low antineuritic value as compared with most 



Table 27. — Experimental feeding of dried ox blood and calf blood with polished rice. 



Blood ration. 



Pigeon 

 No. 



Survival Change in 

 period. weight. 



Result. 



PEN 87. 

 15 per cent ox blood 



43 

 44 

 45 



Dai/s. Per cent. 

 12 | -19.9 

 19 —19.8 





Do 



Do. 



Do 



20 : -13.2 Do. 









Average. 



PEN 88. 



15 per cent calf blood 



46 



47 

 4S 



21 

 55 

 17 



• -44. 2 

 -39.9 



-20. 8 





Do 



Do 



Do. 







Average 





31 



-35. 











PEN 89. 



15 per cent ox-blood corpuscles 



5 

 6 



9 

 11 



-16.7 

 -30.4 



Do. 



Do 



Do. 







Average. 





10 



-23.6 











PEN 90. 



15 per cent ox-blood serum 



Do 



14 

 15 



35 

 14 



-30. 1 

 -13.2 



Died. 

 Polyneuritis. 



Average 





25 



-21.7 





