52 Miss H. Chick and Miss E. M. Hume. The Substance, the 



amount of water. By experience this ration was found to be as much as 

 they could assimilate. Polyneuritis occurred in each instance, and the time 

 of onset was, if anything, rather earlier than that occurring with a series of 

 control birds fed on polished rice. There was also no significant difference 

 in the loss of weight sufTered by the birds in the two series of experiments, 



Ourative, Ecpcr i me nts. 



In Table V are given the results of some curative experiments made with 

 (1) wheat germ, and (2) wheat " middlings," or the finely ground bran, which 

 is probably not ■ free from admixture with germ. In both cases the 

 vitamines were concentrated by the extraction process with alcohol described 

 above (p. 46). The relative curative values of these two materials were 

 found to be in the ratio of about 5"5 to 1, if we judge by the "great 

 improvement " obtained with the extracts equivalent to 9 and 50 grm. respec- 

 tively in the two instances. 



It is necessary to define here what is meant by the various types of cure 

 described in Tables V and VI. The expression ' complete cure" indicates 

 that both flight and gait were perfectly restored ; " cure " that one or both 

 remained slightly imperfect, while " incomplete cure " is used to describe a 

 rather less satisfactory condition. The birds before treatment were acutely 



Table V. — Comparison of Minimum Amounts of Wheat Germ and Wheat 

 Bran required to cure Pigeons (300-400 grm.) suffering from Acute 

 Polyneuritis induced by a Diet of Polished Rice. The materials were 

 extracted with alcohol and the residues obtained, after evaporation of 

 the alcohol, taken up with water. Doses reckoned in amounts of the 

 original foodstuff taken. 







Amount of curative 









dose 



^iven. 







Fo. 









Description of material. 



of 







Kesult. 



bird. 



In terms of 



In terms of 









natural 



dry 









foodstuff. 



weight. 









grm. 



gi-m. 





Wheat germ, Sample A, water 



88 



10 



8-7 



Great improTement. 



content 13 per cent. 



83 



15 



13 



Complete cure. 



56 



15 



13 



Complete cure. 





59 



20 



17-4 



Complete cure. 



" Middlings," or fine wheat bran, 



104 



28 



25 



Improvement, no cure. 



probably not free from germ, 



114 



56 



50 



Improvement, no cure. 



water content 11 per cent. 



129 



56 



50 



Great improvement. 



